But many buyers prefer a town house with or without a garden – the ultimate, rare find for some being an old fisherman’s cottage restored and updated to modern standards. For them, luxury is not just about space, it also lies in the simple pleasure of doing their shopping or going for a coffee in the old narrow streets of Gassin or Le Plan-de-La-Tour on foot! Other buyers may choose one of the stunning gated estates (Guerrevieille, Beauvallon or La Nartelle to name just a few) with fully equipped club houses offering tennis courts, swimming pools and restaurants.

The appeal of marinas

And yet there is more to the Gulf of Saint-Tropez than the postcard image it projects. Its harbours have been busy hubs for fishing and pleasure boating for generations, making them key drivers of the local economy well beyond the tourist season. The Gulf is also home to a number of leading shipyards, including Monaco Marine in Cogolin and Medyacht and Simons in Grimaud. These shipyards do much to enhance the appeal of the Gulf all year round, making it a pleasure to stroll along the quaysides in winter to watch the fishing boats, sailing boats and yachts being refitted.
When it comes to attracting property buyers, the ‘back’ of the gulf also boasts marinas such as Les Marines de Cogolin, Les Marines de Gassin, Port Cogolin and the famous seaside town of Port Grimaud. This neo-Provençal-style town, which covers 90 hectares (220 acres) of former marshland and built with some 2,000 houses, is a major architectural achievement of the twentieth century, designed by François Spoerry. ( source ) This visionary architect from Alsace acquired the land in 1964 to build what every sailor dreams of: “a house with a boat moored at the bottom of the garden”. It goes without saying that 60 years on, Port Grimaud, with its 7 kilometres (4.4 miles) of canals and 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) of quays providing 2,350 moorings, is a property market in its own right, with its own specific characteristics and devotees.
The Gulf of Saint-Tropez also has plenty of attractions inland, largely thanks to its proximity to the Massif des Maures mountain range, covering 160,000 hectares (just under 400,000 acres) of hills, valleys, rivers, maquis (scrubland) and lakes within the Var département, between Saint-Tropez and Hyères. Managed for its cork oak and chestnut trees, it is one of the most beautiful forests in Provence and arguably even in the south of France. Closer to the coast, the public forest of Sainte-Maxime and the maquis that can be explored from Cavalaire appeal to those looking for an alternative to water sports! 
If you're planning to buy or invest in property in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, you'll probably need to spend time exploring the villages, beaches and footpaths to work out exactly what you're looking for. Unless a specific property steals your heart, which can easily happen in this enchanting setting!