Villa Lou Bagarède — Near Ramatuelle and Pampelonne beach
Villa Lou Bagarède · Grimaud · 22 km from Ramatuelle
Ramatuelle within reach of Villa Lou Bagarède
Twenty-two kilometres, a half-hour drive: that is the distance between Villa Lou Bagarède and the village of Ramatuelle. The road follows the coast for part of the way, then climbs through the vineyards toward the village clinging to its mountainside. It is one of those drives that makes the journey part of the holiday — a slow approach through the pine and the rosé country, with the bay of Pampelonne unfurling below.
Choosing the villa as a base for visiting Ramatuelle is not a compromise: it is a strategy. The villa offers what the village cannot — silence, space, a heated pool, six bedrooms — while Ramatuelle and Pampelonne provide what the villa was never meant to: the wide sand of the most celebrated beach in France, the open-air theatre summer festival, the wine country at the height of its season.
Pampelonne beach and the coast of Ramatuelle
Pampelonne is twelve kilometres of fine sand — the longest beach of the Var coast and the most photographed beach of France. It is the place that turned Saint-Tropez into a legend in the 1950s and 60s, and it still holds, decades on, an iconography all its own: the wooden boards of the beach restaurants, the cabins of natural sand, the sea so quiet at dawn that it mirrors the hills above.
The coast of Ramatuelle, beyond Pampelonne, descends towards Cap Camarat — a wilder section of shore where the coastal path opens onto creeks reachable only on foot. The lighthouse of Cap Camarat, second highest in France, marks the boundary between the gentle north of the peninsula and the more rugged south, exposed to the open Mediterranean.
Pampelonne's beach restaurants are well known — Club 55, Tahiti Beach, Le Nikki, and others — but it is worth remembering that the simplest sections of the beach, between the restaurants, are entirely public and absolutely free. A morning of sun and swimming at Pampelonne can cost nothing more than the petrol from the villa.
The village of Ramatuelle, festival and vineyards
Above the beach, the village of Ramatuelle climbs the hillside in concentric circles around its central Place de l'Ormeau — a wide square shaded by an elm tree that has stood for centuries. The streets are narrow, paved in old stone, and crossed by passages that the locals call poternes. Most of the village dates from the medieval rebuilding of the seventeenth century, after the destruction of the original fortified town by Saracen raids.
Each summer in late July and August, Ramatuelle hosts two festivals of national reputation: the Festival de Ramatuelle for theatre and the Festival Jazz à Ramatuelle, both held in an open-air amphitheatre under the stars. Tickets sell out months in advance — booking from the villa as soon as the season's programme is announced is a worthwhile habit.
The vineyards of Ramatuelle — protected by the AOC Côtes de Provence appellation — produce some of the most respected rosés of the territory. The Domaine de la Tourraque, the Domaine de la Madrague: tastings can be arranged easily for guests, often by direct contact from the villa.
Coastal walks and the Cap Camarat path
The sentier du littoral, France's coastal walking path, threads its way through Ramatuelle's coastline. From Pampelonne to the lighthouse of Cap Camarat, the walk takes around three hours one way, passing creeks, headlands and stretches of beach that cars cannot reach. It is one of the loveliest coastal walks in Europe, and it remains uncrowded outside the peak summer weeks.
For those who prefer a shorter outing, the section from the lighthouse to the cove of Cap Taillat is a manageable two hours' round trip, with several spots inviting a swim along the way. Guests of the villa often pack a picnic from the morning's market in Grimaud or Port Grimaud and make a half-day of it.
Villa Lou Bagarède, your base in the gulf
Villa Lou Bagarède is a 340-square-metre house in the commune of Grimaud, at the heart of the gulf of Saint-Tropez. Six bedrooms accommodate up to twelve guests in a setting that owes nothing to ostentation and everything to authentic Provençal character.
The private heated pool, the two-thousand-square-metre garden on the edge of the Mediterranean pine forest, the private sauna, the fully equipped professional kitchen: every feature has been thought through so the stay can be a complete experience, without ever needing to leave the property for comfort.
The villa is rented directly by the owners, with no intermediary. They welcome guests personally and remain available throughout the stay.
Frequently asked questions about Ramatuelle and the villa
Is Ramatuelle in the gulf of Saint-Tropez?
Yes — Ramatuelle occupies the southern part of the Saint-Tropez peninsula, sharing the gulf territory with Grimaud, Gassin, Saint-Tropez and Port Grimaud. Its coastline includes Pampelonne, the most famous beach of France, and Cap Camarat at the gulf's southern boundary.
How far is Pampelonne beach from Villa Lou Bagarède?
Pampelonne beach is approximately 22 km from the villa — a thirty-minute drive in normal traffic. The coast road can be busy in midsummer; an early start or a late-afternoon arrival is the easiest way to enjoy the beach without queues at the parking areas.
What is there to do in Ramatuelle from the villa?
Plenty: a day on Pampelonne beach, a visit to the village and its medieval centre, a tasting at one of the AOC Côtes de Provence wine estates, a walk on the coastal path from Cap Camarat, and in late July and August, an evening at the Festival de Ramatuelle for theatre or jazz under the stars.
How do I book Villa Lou Bagarède for a stay near Ramatuelle?
Book directly with the owner — no intermediaries, no commission. Availability and rates on our dedicated page. Replies within 24 hours.
Ready for a stay in the gulf of Saint-Tropez?
Check availability at Villa Lou Bagarède — direct booking with the owner, no commission.
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