Saint-Tropez Beach Clubs: From Club 55 to Salto on Pampelonne Beach
Here’s what I didn’t know: the famous beach clubs of Saint-Tropez aren’t actually in Saint-Tropez.
They line up a few kilometers south along Pampelonne Beach, in the municipality of Ramatuelle.
This is where it all began in 1955. With a beach shack, Brigitte Bardot and Roger Vadim’s film crew.
That shack became the legendary Club 55. To this day, it’s considered the granddaddy of all beach clubs, long before Ibiza’s beach clubs perfected the concept.
After the beach clubs in Croatia and the ones in the Algarve and Alentejo, I want to know: does the original live up to its reputation?
Salto - the New Beach Club near Saint-Tropez
Salto is the new address on Pampelonne, and our pick for lunch on the beach.
Beach Club Salto is the newcomer on Pampelonne Beach, set on the grounds of the former Tropicana.
The kitchen is Italian-Mediterranean: grilled fish, seafood, homemade pasta, lots of it made for sharing.
We settle onto the shady terrace with its rattan chairs and teak tables. Through the greenery, we catch flashes of orange umbrellas and a churning sea.
Gentle songs drift over the tables with the food, skillfully accompanied on guitar. Live. At lunchtime. Bravo!
I order the seafood risotto. It arrives in a hammered copper pan and tastes every bit as good as it looks.
Katja orders the tagliatelle with scampi. Homemade, with extra-large scampi.
Add two glasses of Chardonnay and, to finish, two noisettes. That’s what the French call an espresso macchiato.
How much does lunch at Salto cost? For two mains, two glasses of white wine and two coffees, we pay €150 (about $175). For reference, a few mains from the menu:
- Daurade Riviera (sea bream): €39
- Cacciucco with lobster bisque: €59
- Fritto misto with shrimp, sole and scallops: €58
- Charcoal-grilled chicken with morels: €55
- Angus beef tagliata: €68
- Sole meunière: €18 per 100 grams (pricing by weight turns a sole lunch into a surprise package)
Salto
Plage de Pampelonne
Route de Bonne Terrasse
83350 Ramatuelle
Phone +33 7 89 71 03 32
Instagram @saltosttropez
Club 55 - the Legend
Club 55 is where beach club life was invented.
In the mid-1950s, Roger Vadim was shooting Et Dieu… créa la femme (And God Created Woman) with Brigitte Bardot on Pampelonne Beach. Geneviève and Bernard de Colmont fed the film crew from their beach shack. That makeshift canteen became Club 55.
Today, their daughter Véronique and granddaughter Camille run the restaurant. The vegetables for the famous crudités basket come from the family’s own gardens at Château de la Mole, Domaine des Bouis and Domaine de Piegros. The tablecloths are blue and white.
The menu lists simply grilled wild fish, sardines from the plancha and onion tart. Sounds modest. The prices certainly aren’t…
Seasoned sailors assure us that after the regattas in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, Club 55 is the place to be.
Le Club 55
Boulevard Patch
83350 Ramatuelle
Phone +33 4 94 55 55 55
Beach Clubs on Pampelonne Beach – Come Rain or Shine
At the end of September, Pampelonne is half in hibernation, half in a storm.
We visit the fine sandy beach on a Friday in late September. High season is over, and some clubs are already closing. The wind blows so hard that the orange umbrellas stay tightly furled.
The sea is foaming, and the waves crash onto the shore with real force. In weather like this, swimming is strictly for the dogs.
You park in the large lot behind the dunes. From there, wooden boardwalks lead through reeds and dune grass to the individual beach clubs.
We eat at Salto. Because of its high Google ratings. And because its restaurant is just about the only one still open.
More Beach Clubs on Pampelonne Beach
We only see the following clubs from a distance.
Verde – the Iconic One
Macramé parasols, daybeds and a woven sun arch at the entrance. On the table: grilled fish, truffle pizza, Champagne and signature cocktails. Verde now runs outposts in other resort towns.
Verde
Chemin de l’Epi
83350 Ramatuelle
Phone +33 4 94 79 72 23
verde-beach.com
Les Palmiers – the Classic
Luxurious loungers and daybeds right by the water. The kitchen focuses on whole wild fish, lobster salad, gambas, ceviche and pasta in the southern Italian family tradition.
Les Palmiers
Chemin des Tamaris
83350 Ramatuelle
Phone +33 4 94 79 82 70
clublespalmiers.com
Byblos Beach – the Elegant One
The beach offshoot of the Hotel Byblos in Saint-Tropez. Light Mediterranean cuisine, under head chef Allan Gonthier since 2026.
Byblos Beach
Boulevard Patch
83350 Ramatuelle
Phone +33 4 94 43 15 00
byblos-beach.com
Bagatelle – the Reinvented One
Once known for its parties, now focused on restaurant and lounge. Mediterranean cuisine, plus fashion and wellness collaborations. The season runs until the end of September.
Bagatelle
Les Tamaris
Chemin de Matarane
83350 Ramatuelle
Phone +33 4 94 79 83 25
bagatelle.com
Loulou – the Laid-Back One
A “vacation home” by the sea among tamarisks, olive and lemon trees. Ideal for a long lunch and a full beach day.
Loulou
Chemin des Tamaris
83350 Ramatuelle
Phone +33 4 94 79 80 04
loulou-ramatuelle.com
Plage de l’Orangerie – the Year-Rounder
On Pampelonne Beach since the 1970s. Locally caught fish, a selection of meat dishes, homemade desserts and low-key live music. According to its magazine, it’s open for lunch year-round, and for dinner as well in July and August.
Plage de l’Orangerie
Chemin des Tamaris
83350 Ramatuelle
Phone +33 4 94 79 84 74
plage-orangerie.com
Playamigos – the Buddy Club
A “beach among friends” with a Greek-Lebanese sharing menu, surfboard-shaped tables and sunset cocktails.
Playamigos
Chemin des Tamaris
83350 Ramatuelle
Phone +33 4 22 47 07 80
Indie Beach – the Lifestyle Club
Sharing menu, an international crowd and a James Perse pop-up store. DJs spin on Thursday evenings and on Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
Indie Beach
Route de Bonne Terrasse
83350 Ramatuelle
Phone +33 4 94 79 81 04
Le Bar du Soleil – the Venerable One
An institution on Pampelonne Beach that’s just opening a new chapter. Southern French cuisine with Spanish influences.
Le Bar du Soleil
409 Allée de la Mer
Route de Tahiti
83350 Ramatuelle
Phone +33 4 94 79 66 87
lebardusoleil.com
Beach Clubs Outside Pampelonne
270° by Golfe Azur – the Family Business
The Leflon family runs this institution on Plage de la Bouillabaisse in Saint-Tropez. At lunch, Victor Leflon cooks with the catch of the day; in the evening, there are tapas at sunset, with a 270-degree view over the bay.
270° by Golfe Azur
Plage de la Bouillabaisse
83990 Saint-Tropez
Phone +33 4 94 97 07 38
Les Graniers – the Hidden One
A small rocky cove with a jetty, loungers and a rustic restaurant under sailcloth awnings.
Les Graniers
Chemin des Graniers
83990 Saint-Tropez
Phone +33 4 94 97 13 43
lesgraniers-sainttropez.com
My Verdict: The Granddaddies of Beach Clubs Look a Little Worn Out
Whether it’s the salty breeze or a lack of renovations: most of the clubs look a bit run-down. Their Google ratings aren’t especially high, either.
Except for the (still new) Salto in the southern stretch and Tamaris Plage in the northern one.
Tips for Visiting the Beach Clubs of Saint-Tropez
- Getting there: Drive to the large parking lot behind the dunes, then walk the wooden boardwalks to the club of your choice.
- Season: Some clubs close at the end of September, Bagatelle for example. In the fall, there are fewer visitors, but it’s windier.
- Reservations: In high season, book a table in advance, or you can forget about that leisurely lunch on the beach.
- Budget: At Salto, plan on around €70-80 for a main course, a glass of wine and a coffee.
- Recommended hotel: We stay at the Hotel La Villa Douce in Rayol-Canadel-sur-Mer, high above the Côte d’Azur.
Fully booked? Other hotels we checked out on the Saint-Tropez peninsula:
- Le Pré de la Mer
- Mirage Hotel
- Hotel Club La Galère
- Le Bailli de Suffren
Cheers!
And to capture the mood of the old days: Douliou douliou Saint-Tropez!
