Museum of the Gendarmerie and Cinema

Depending on your generation, and your cultural references, this building may spark instant recognition… or none at all! For many, it’s tied forever to a cult comedy: The Gendarme of Saint-Tropez, launched in 1964 with Louis de Funès, a film series that became a global hit. For others, it’s a complete discovery. Either way, you’re standing before a legendary backdrop. Because before becoming a museum, this building really did serve as the local gendarmerie, from 1879 until 2003. It was here that the village’s gendarmes lived and worked, until Jean Girault’s camera turned it into a piece of cinematic history. Since 2016, the former barracks has been home to the Museum of the Gendarmerie and Cinema. Inside, one side tells the real story: uniforms, weapons, archives, even a faithful reconstruction of the offices as they once were. The other side celebrates the magic of film, with posters, clips from the shoots, a life-size statue of Louis de Funès, and even a vintage 1950s cinema hall. You’ll also find a reconstruction of the famous Nationale 7, the holiday road that carried generations of French vacationers south, back when Saint-Tropez became an unmissable stop on the summer migration of the 1950s and 60s. Along the way, you’ll meet the faces of Brigitte Bardot, Romy Schneider, and many other icons who tied their destinies to this town. The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions, from the 60th anniversary of the first Gendarme film, to tributes to Marcel Pagnol, or the TV series Sous le Soleil, which ran for more than a decade in over a hundred countries. Television, too, helped shape the sunny, glamorous image of Saint-Tropez. All in all, it’s a place that tells both a local story and a global legend. And if you have the time, step inside: it’s a visit that’s fun, lively, and just the right touch of nostalgic : the perfect way to round off your discovery of Saint-Tropez.