An hour on the water, spray gently slapping the deck, Christophe's voice crackling over the mic. He's from here, Tropezien to the core, and it shows. The crew of la Rose des Vents 2 has been sailing for over thirty years, always from the same spot, quai Gabriel Péri, opposite the Barbarac ice-cream parlour.
The boat glides. Under sun or mistral, it doesn't matter: you see the village differently. La Ponche unfolds from the sea, the ramparts of the Citadelle rise higher, the marine cemetery floats between sky and foam. Christophe tells the village's story, from the Greek colony of Heraclea to Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. He tosses out anecdotes about the filming of Et Dieu créa la femme or Le Gendarme, points to billionaires' villas tucked into the baie des Canebiers. Dry humour, juicy details: the tone is spot-on, never heavy.
Onboard, toilets and the cheapest bar in town, apparently. 2€ for a cold drink. Kids love it, adults laugh. Sometimes Christophe walks around the boat to take people's photos, old-school style.
