You’re now standing at the Tour du Portalet, built in the 15th century at the entrance to the old port. Its name comes from Provençal and means “little gate.” And that’s exactly what it was—a sea gate, a stone threshold marking the boundary between the fortified town and the Mediterranean. Any ship approaching had to pass between this tower and its twin, the Tour Vieille, just opposite. Together they created a narrow channel, watched day and night by sentries. To enter Saint-Tropez was to pass through the Portalet. Today the tower no longer defends against invaders, but it still serves as a landmark. Its round silhouette leaning against the ramparts is a familiar sight to sailors. And from this very spot, in 1981, began an adventure that became legend: the Nioulargue, a friendly regatta that would grow into Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. Every autumn, more than two hundred sailing boats—ranging from classic yachts to cutting-edge prototypes—gather here for a breathtaking display that sets the whole bay alight. The Portalet is no longer the gate that held back the sea, but the one that opens Saint-Tropez to the world, linking its defensive past to today’s passion for sailing.