Pampelonne is the beach that made Saint-Tropez famous and the one that most visitors feel compelled to see, even when they know it will be expensive and crowded. It stretches for nearly five kilometres south of town, the sand fine and pale, the water extraordinarily clear. The famous beach clubs — Club 55, Nikki Beach, Bagatelle, Tahiti — occupy a fraction of the total length, and between them are long stretches of free public beach where you can lay a towel without paying for the privilege.
Getting there is the first problem: the D93 road gets clogged from mid-morning in summer. Cycling from town (6 km) is far faster. The clubs serve overpriced food and drinks at tables you may need to book weeks in advance. The free sections are shaded by nothing, but the water is worth it.