Planning a trip to St-Tropez

Arriving — The nearest rail station is in St-Raphaël, a neighboring coastal resort . Boats depart (www.bateauxsaintraphael.com; tel. 04-94-95-17-46) from its Vieux Port for St-Tropez (trip time: 1 hr.) five times a day in high summer, reducing to once- or twice-daily sailings in winter. The one-way fare is 20€. Year-round, 10 to 15 Varlib buses per day leave from the Gare Routière in St-Raphaël (www.maregionsud.fr; tel. 04-94-44-52-70) for St-Tropez. The trip takes 1 1/2 to 2 hours, depending on the bus and the traffic, which during midsummer is usually horrendous. A one-way ticket is 2.10€. Buses also run from Toulon train station, 56km (35 miles) away.

If you drive, note that parking in St-Tropez is tricky, especially in summer. For parking, follow the signs for Parking des Lices (tel. 04-94-97-34-46), beneath place des Lices, or Parking du Nouveau Port, on waterfront avenue Charles de Gaulle (tel. 04-94-97-74-99). To get here from Cannes, drive southwest along the coastal highway (D559), turning east when you see signs to St-Tropez.

Visitor Information — The Office de Tourisme is on quai Jean-Jaurès (www.sainttropeztourisme.com; tel. 08-92-68-48-28).

ATMs/Banks — Crédit Agricole, 17 pl. des Lices (tel. 32-25).

Mail & Postage — La Poste, rue de la Poste (tel. 36-31).

Pharmacies — Pharmacie du Port, 9 quai Suffren (tel. 04-94-97-00-06).