Photo by Olivier Maynard. Tropez, popularized by Brigitte Bardot, perhaps the original influencer. The city often is compared to Venice because of its canals, which are lined with houses, shops and restaurants.
Beyond the canals and central business district are dreamy lagoons and 12 km of protected beaches. At the Theatre de la Mer theater of the sea you can see a musical performance while gazing out at the Mediterranean. Originally called Fort St. Pierre, the site was built in to prevent attacks from British ships.
Photo by Andres Medel. From June to September, the players clash in the waters of the canals. The boats are powered by rowers, and jousters compete by standing on a horizontal ladder and wielding a lance and a shield. Losers fall into the water. Viewers line the canals and applaud.
The mayor makes speeches and the winners are heralded long after the games are over. Parents send their boys to jousting schools and in some families the players span several generations. Joute combatants use lances and shields to push their opponents into the water. The tournament starts with a salutation of the jousters.
They display their lances and shake hands when their boats cross. Photo by Jean-Pierre Degas. The canals are part of the so-called lower town, which is criss-crossed by bridges. There are other kinds of aquatic spaces that largely consist of a string of salt-water lagoons running parallel to the Mediterranean coast. The largest is called Etang or Basin of Thau. Beyond are the picturesque canals lined with boats and punctuated by bridges. Beyond that are the glittering blue waters of the Mediterranean.
