Châteaux in Saint-Tropez and Ramatuelle: Château Saint-Tropez, La Messardière and Saint-Amé
Saint-Tropez is better known for its villas than for its châteaux, but a few historic properties on the peninsula carry the name, from the centre of the village to the hills above Pampelonne.
Château Saint-Tropez
Château Saint-Tropez is a property in the centre of Saint-Tropez. It was once available for seasonal rental through Alexandra Lloyd Properties. It is now privately owned and is no longer rented.
Château de la Messardière
The Château de la Messardière stands on a hill a few minutes from the centre of Saint-Tropez, surrounded by the vineyards of Ramatuelle, with views over the Bay of Pampelonne.
The château dates from the 19th century. It was given as a wedding present by Gabriel Dupuy d’Angeac, a wealthy cognac merchant, to his daughter Louise and her husband, Henry Brisson de La Messardière, a cavalry officer. After her husband’s death, Louise turned it into a hotel, and it became a fashionable address in the 1920s.
The château was restored in 1989, with a blend of Moorish, Oriental, Florentine and Provençal influences. It joined the Airelles collection in 2019 and reopened in July 2021 after extensive renovation. Today it is one of the most prestigious hotels in Saint-Tropez, with a spa, a fine dining restaurant and its own beach on Pampelonne.
Château de Saint-Amé
In neighbouring Ramatuelle, the Château de Saint-Amé is listed among the remarkable buildings of the village.
Château Volterra
Just beyond Cap Camarat, in Ramatuelle, the Château Volterra stands in one of the most beautiful settings on the peninsula. It was built between 1906 and 1912 for British owners, who called it Château Camarat.
In 1926, the château passed to the Volterra family. Léon Volterra was a Paris theatre and music-hall manager, and his wife Simone held many receptions there, attended by Raimu, Colette, Josephine Baker and Jean Cocteau.
After years of neglect, the château was restored in the 1990s and its vineyard replanted. It is a private property and is not open to visitors.
Further reading
Saint-Tropez day to day: the port, Place des Lices, where to eat and when to go Saint-Tropez history: from Saint Torpès to Signac, Bardot and the Gendarme
Explore our collection of luxury villas for rent in Saint-Tropez