Avoid High season – Autumn is the most beautiful time to kick back on the French Riviera where I looked to get inspiration for my last collection.

 STAY.

For a luxurious, relaxing stay, check in to Hotel de Paris Saint Tropez. The five-star hotel’s chic interiors pay homage to Matisse and Bonnard, and its Clarins Spa has everything from Turkish baths to an ice fountain, for total rejuvenation. Nestled in the heart of Provence, it is THE gem of the French Riviera. At the center of the village on the emblematic Place de la Gendarmerie, Hotel de Paris-Saint-Tropez is your invitation to happiness, refinement, and luxury.

 VISIT.

L’Escalet and Cap Taillat beaches. Just ten minutes outside Saint Tropez, in the village of Ramatuelle, these sandy stretches beaches are quiet and beautiful.

 SHOP.

In Autumn, when the weather is not yet hot, the Cote d’Azur is heavenly. The market at Place des Lices, every Tuesday and Saturday, is calmer, filled with locals and their products instead of the crowds. Seek out traditional espadrilles, good leather and wide-brimmed sun hat.

 EAT.

Brasserie Le Sporting is a regular local hangout and offers reasonably priced Provencal dishes, especially seafood. For a splurge, head to Club 55 on Pampelonne beach: the restaurant was originally a fisherman’s hut and provided meals for Brigitte Bardot and the crew while “Et Dieu créa la Femme” was being filmed in 1955.