Design

Snapshots from Saint-Tropez

By Camille Styles
Saint-Tropez | Camille Styles

We’re back from our trip to Saint-Tropez, and I can officially report that it was everything I’d hoped it would be and more. We left just after my 30th birthday, and rang in our 5-year wedding anniversary while we were away, and the magic of the place made it an unforgettable way to celebrate both milestones. I definitely think that a sign of the best vacation is when you savor every minute of the experience, but come back home with a renewed sense of excitement to dive back in and live your life the very best you can…and I can definitely check the box next to each of those requirements. Click through for some of my favorite moments from the trip!

First things first: our gorgeous home base during the trip was Muse Hotel (which we discovered via travel site Mr & Mrs Smith)  — it was undoubtedly one of the most breathtaking places I’ve ever stayed, and its sun-dappled gardens welcomed us with a feeling of total serenity upon arrival.

We spent many hours lying by the Muse’s spa-like pool, feet dangling off our chairs into the water, or ordering a glass of rosé to sip under the shade of a cabana. Seriously – heaven on earth.

Had to share a peek at this gorgeous bathroom, part of our suite that overlooked the gardens below. If I weren’t so excited to get out and explore Saint-Tropez, I could have relaxed here all day long.

Since it was both mine and Adam’s first trip to Saint-Tropez, we spent the first day exploring the town and just soaking up the beauty that was around every corner.

Stopped in at a charming sidewalk café and ordered the first (of what would be many) Caprese salads on the trip. We were excited to discover that, since Saint-Tropez is so near the Italian riviera, the buffalo mozzarella rivaled what we became obsessed with on our honeymoon in Italy five years ago!

I kept falling in love with doors around the town, painted the most gorgeous hues and ensconced in climbing jasmine or bougainvillea.

And another one of my door obsessions… love how this one is surrounded by a spare, crumbling facade.

Bougainvillea everywhere! It made the entire town feel like a tropical paradise, and we took so many shots as inspiration to bring home for our own garden.

Walking along the port, yachts as far as the eye could see… the mash-up of jet setters coming in from all over the world made for some supremely entertaining people-watching.

Why don’t we paint our buildings such vibrant colors here in America?

On day #2, we headed to the legendary Club 55, which became famous as the watering hole for Brigitte Bardot and the cast of And God Created Women in (appropriately) 1955. Ever since, it’s been the most famous Saint-Tropez beach spot, and we had a blast there sunbathing, lunching, and sipping bubbly as we watched the yachts come in.

Love that the surroundings weren’t overly polished — the natural overgrowth made Club 55 feel like a hidden spot just waiting to be discovered.

It was the perfect spot for us to indulge in our favorite vacation pastime… people watching for hours on end!

I’ve been obsessed with Niçoise salads for years, and in Saint-Tropez, they’re ubiquitous on just about every menu. This was one of the very best.

Since some of the world’s best rosé comes from Provence, we hopped on the bandwagon and made it our official drink of the trip. I loved the rosé from this region so much that it’s destined to be the bottle I’ll be opening up for just about every get-together back home this summer.

Chilling outside the beach clubs at the end of a sun-drenched day.

We rang in our wedding anniversary during the trip! Can’t believe it’s been 5 amazing years together… I honestly still feel like newlyweds (most of the time!) We toasted at the hotel and then headed to a super special dinner at Vague d’Or.

A little corny? Maybe… but this sign I spotted at one of the beach clubs perfectly encapsulated the Saint-Tropez ethos.

On Saturday, we headed into town to wander around Saint-Tropez’s legendary market.

It was brimming with gorgeous flowers…

And food vendors selling the freshest produce and rows of olives and tapenades.

Saint-Tropez was the perfect mix of sand and sun, European charm, and laid-back sophistication. It was an unforgettable way to commemorate 5 years together (the best of my life!), and I know we’ll be returning to our photos from this trip anytime we need to remind ourselves to slow down and savor life’s beautiful moments!