Sentier du Littoral to Cap Camarat
Saint-Tropez's most rewarding escape from the crowds is the Sentier du Littoral, a coastal footpath that hugs the rocky shoreline south from Pampelonne beach all the way to Cap Camarat, where France's second-tallest lighthouse stands above sheer pink granite cliffs. The 35-kilometre full route is a multi-day commitment, but the 8-kilometre stretch from Plage de Tahiti to the cape is a perfect half
The route
The path alternates between cork-oak scrubland, sudden drops to secret coves accessible only on foot, and open clifftop sections where the Maures mountains rise inland and the sea spreads uninterrupted to the horizon. Wear proper trail shoes — the pink porphyry rock is slippery when wet.
At Cap Camarat itself, the 1831 lighthouse rises 129 metres above sea level. The surrounding headland is a protected natural reserve, home to Bonelli's eagles and Montpellier snakes, and the light from here was historically the first sailors saw after crossing the Gulf of Genoa.
Swimming stops
Several unmarked coves along the route — locals call them calanques — offer crystal-clear water over white sand, and because they require a 20-minute walk to reach, they stay uncrowded even in August. Carry water and snacks; there are no facilities between Pampelonne and the cape.
The best swimming cove is roughly halfway along, just past the Pointe de la Rabiou — look for a cairn on the left side of the path marking the scramble down to the water.
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