St Tropez: a history even richer than its jet-setting tourists
Locals solemnly celebrate the historic heroes that made the oh-so hip French Riviera town what it is today
The old port of St Tropez shimmers in a mosaic of purples, mauves, pale blues and golds as the sun sets in Paul Signac’s Impressionist vision of the Provencal fishing village. But the serenity of L’Annonciade museum – located on the very quayside where Signac painted his view back in 1899 – is suddenly dashed by loud bangs from somewhere in the real town.
More construction, maybe that multi-level car park they’re pile-driving in the back streets behind the still picturesque port? Whatever the noise is, it shatters the pleasure of art contemplation, so I exit – and find myself in the middle of a battle.
The explosions are nothing to do with the relentless development of the French Riviera’s hippest resort. Rather, they are the gunfire of a comic opera army parading along the harbour side in archaic uniforms, wielding muskets and blunderbusses.
Quite by chance, I’m witnessing the enactment of an explosive, centuries-old tradition by a goodly number of Tropezians – the permanent residents who number no more than 6,000 and become swamped by tourist hordes who can number 50,000 daily at the height of summer.