Last Updated on May 9, 2025

St Tropez: Where Art and Atmosphere Converge

There are some places in the world that arrive with their own mythology, where the name alone conjures a special expectation. In the South of France, St Tropez is one of those places. This once small fishing village has long danced on the edge of fame, conjuring visions of Brigitte Bardot in a striped bikini, tanned figures stepping off yachts, and rosé sipped beneath parasols. But what I discovered, during a recent stay, was something deeper: a place where art, design, and quiet thoughtfulness live behind the scenes of the show.

I was invited by St Tropez House, a boutique villa rental agency that specialises in extraordinary properties—some so private they are never advertised, shared only with a whisper and a nod. Founded over 14 years ago by Emilia Jedamska, the agency feels less like a business, more like an intimate art consultancy.

With a curated portfolio of over 100 villas, ranging from €30,000 to €430,000 per week in the summer season, St Tropez House is known for its ability to match each client with the ideal property. Several are owned by collectors, featuring curated contemporary artworks, sculptures, and installations offering not just luxury accommodation, but an immersive, experiential stay. The company serves a global community of Ultra High Net Worth Individuals from the UK, USA, Australia, the Middle East, Scandinavia, Central Europe, Brazil, and beyond—offering insider access to the most exclusive villas in the South of France.

Emilia herself is hard to forget—Polish by origin, Monaco-based, and with the kind of perceptiveness that makes you feel instantly understood. Her background in diplomacy is telling; she navigates the worlds of interior design and ultra-high-net-worth lifestyles with rare discretion. Fluent in several languages and with a collector’s eye for art, she has created a company that doesn’t simply rent villas, but organises experiences.

At Villa Ama, I found myself standing in front of a sculpture by acclaimed American artist Jeff Koons. So captivating is this sculpture that it has been put on display in the centre of the main living space, as if the villa was built purposely around it. This sculpture speaks to the same style as his famous ‘Seated Ballerina’ inflatable sculpture, which was displayed at the Rockefeller Centre in New York City in 2017, aimed at raising awareness around child safety and abduction.

Nearby, Ugo Rondinone’s “Miami Mountain”—a playful stack of coloured boulders—stood in contrast to the sea, as though Las Vegas had momentarily wandered into the Mediterranean. And then, quietly commanding a space on the wall, Damien Hirst’s Spot Paintings, which somehow manage to feel both clinical and joyful at once.  Yet despite it all, the house feels deeply liveable: seven bedrooms, a fitness suite, an outdoor cinema—all surrounded by 100,000m² of manicured garden. It’s arresting, but somehow not ostentatious.

In contrast, where I was staying at Villa Agape, St Tropez,  there is a different kind of serenity, looked after by Alain, a calming and really helpful custodian. Situated in the medieval and picturesque village of Ramatuelle, it offers more of a retreat than a residence. Here, the architecture is designed to dissolve into nature: stone walls, natural textures, and soft-toned interiors create an atmosphere of luxury. The curated artworks feel as though they’ve grown into the space, and their simplicity is almost monastic. I particularly liked the Andy Warhol sculpture of the tomato soup being poured that lives in the dining room.  At Agape, it’s easy to imagine a guest arriving with a suitcase of stress and leaving with none.

But Saint-Tropez has always been a place of contrast, and nowhere was that more deliciously evident than at lunch, under the striped umbrellas of the exclusive Nikki Beach Club, which has recently undergone a complete renovation and where in high season it can be difficult to get a reservation.  Situated on the stunning Pampelonne Beach,  often referred to as the crown jewel of Saint Tropez beaches,  there is the hum of the sea in the background.  We sipped rosé and shared platters of tasty and beautifully presented food, such as grilled Wild Mediterranean Sea Bass with black olive mashed potatoes and Tuna Tagliata, Mediterranean tuna with red pepper, cumin pesto and pomegranate sauce vierge.

Back inland, I explored Villa Botaine, a villa that quietly stole my heart. I met its owner, whose love and enthusiasm for the property came through immediately in her conversation.  She personally has worked to restore its beauty,  with lots of good taste and her own efforts in painting some of the furniture.  Tucked away in a peaceful enclave,  the light-flooded rooms, earth-toned interiors, and artwork all feel as though they have always belonged.

Then there is Villa Parasol—a name that hints at the shade offered by the protected and well-trimmed ancient olive trees,  providing relief when the summer sun is perhaps too hot.  The layout is made for entertaining,  with wide terraces overlooking the sea, while the interiors blend ease with high design.  Art, once again, plays a pivotal role, elevating each room from elegant to exceptional.

But perhaps the most unexpected delight was found just outside the centre of the action—at Domaine Louise in La Croix-Valmer. Set within a private estate, it offers a refined detour from the high gloss of the coast. A cluster of elegantly restored villas, the Domaine blends Provençal charm with contemporary refinement. Here, terracotta roofs peek through umbrella pines, and each villa is its own retreat, complete with private pool, curated interiors, and an atmosphere of serenity.

What St Tropez House offers, in essence, is an insider’s key to this layered world. That, I think, is what surprised me most. I arrived expecting sparkle, and yes, there was sparkle. But I left thinking about silence. About how luxury, in its truest sense, is not about display, but about how a place makes you feel when no one else is watching.

 Saint Tropez, as seen through the thoughtful lens of St Tropez House, is not simply a destination but a mood, a palette and…a canvas.

Website.  www.sttropezhouse.com

Travel    Villa Ama, St Tropez is a one-and-a-half-hour drive from Nice Airport.