Saint-Tropez Citadel, Saint-Tropez, France

In 1589, Maréchal de Villars supervised the construction of a small fort on the hill known as 'colline des Moulins' overlooking Saint-Tropez. This fort was destroyed in 1595, but the military engineer Raymond de Bonnefons chose the same site to build further defensive structures from the start of the 17th century.

The hexagonal tower, which formed an essential part of the village's defence system, was erected between 1602 and 1607. The Citadel underwent numerous modifications over the centuries, before falling into disuse in the 19th century, when the strategic interest of this perfectly-preserved fortress finally diminished.

The old cannons are still in place facing out towards to sea, and the views from the top are stunning across the Gulf and the Mediterranean Sea.

Bought up by the town in 1993 and made a listed monument, today it hosts a museum dedicated to the history of Saint Tropez and its relationship with the sea.

References:

See Saint-Tropez

Castles and fortifications in France

User Reviews

Vladislav Moroshan (2 years ago)
The view is great, but the castle is not that interesting.

James Oliver (2 years ago)
This is a hidden gem that is well worth walking up the lanes and steps to. Inside the castle is a labyrinth of rooms which are really interesting and informative. You can see a lot of time effort and money has been put into this place. Absolutely recommend.

Michael G M (2 years ago)
Fascinating history Great views of Saint Tropez The maritime museum was very educational.

Christine Peral (2 years ago)
Solid castle/museum. It’s only $4 euro a person to go in. Nice views. Could visit or not, wouldn’t make it break the experience or trip to St. Tropez. Nice history tho!

Yusuf Khan (2 years ago)
History of the site well presented. Definitely visit if in St Tropez.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Mark1792

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Soon the idea of a museum arose, and that was realised in 1833, which is The Royal Danish Collection’s official year of establishment.

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