Adieu To Brigitte Bardot: The Starlet Sex Kitten Who Put St Tropez On The Map For Mediterranean Yacht Charters

By Anna Ingles 7 January 2026

A defining sex symbol of the 1950s and 1960s, Brigitte Bardot leaves behind a legacy that continues to attract Mediterranean yacht charters to the sun-kissed shores of St Tropez every summer.

Shooting to fame with her 1956 film And God Created Woman, directed by Roger Vadim, Brigette Bardot was an icon with almost 50 movies under her belt before she retired from acting in the early 1970s.

The living embodiment of 'sex kitten', Bardot effectively transformed a quiet fishing village in the South of France into one of the most highly sought-after hotspots for luxury yacht charters.

Often referred to simply as “BB”, Bardot broke norms with her alluring style and appeal, which effectively turned her into an overnight sensation with her tousled hair and barefoot glamour still being replicated today.

Constantly photographed in St Tropez, Brigette Bardot was the French girl that every man wanted to take home, and every woman wanted to be like. As an actress, model, singer, and cultural icon, YachtCharterFleet looks back at Bardot's influence on the charter industry and where her effortless style is still seen today in the Côte d'Azur.

Brigitte Bardot: Timeline of a Riviera Icon

1934 – Born in Paris, France, on 28 September.

Early 1950s – Begins career as a fashion model before moving into film.

1956 – Breaks out internationally with And God Created Woman, filmed in Saint-Tropez. The film’s success and Bardot’s magnetic presence bring global attention to the once-sleepy fishing village.

Late 1950s–1960s – Becomes one of the world’s most photographed women. Lives part-time in Saint-Tropez, where paparazzi images of her barefoot on beaches and aboard boats help define the French Riviera lifestyle.

1960s – Saint-Tropez evolves into a magnet for celebrities, artists, and wealthy French Riviera yacht charter guests. Luxury yachts begin appearing in growing numbers, marking the early rise of the charter scene.

1973 – Retires from acting at age 39, at the height of her fame.

Late 1970s–2000s – Devotes her life to animal rights activism, founding the Brigitte Bardot Foundation.

Later years – Lives reclusively in Saint-Tropez, remaining a symbolic figure of the town she helped transform.

December 2025 – Dies at age 91. Tributes highlight not only her film career but her lasting impact on Saint-Tropez’s global image and luxury economy.

Before the Boom: Saint-Tropez as a Working Port

Before it became one of the most recognisable names in West Mediterranean yacht charters, Saint-Tropez was a modest fishing village with a functional harbour serving local boats and seasonal trade.

Its port had little relevance beyond the French Riviera, and there was no infrastructure or international demand to support a leisure-led marine economy. The town was picturesque but largely unknown, certainly not a destination for the global elite, and far removed from the hub for motor yacht charters it would later become.

Long before superyachts and global charter fleets arrived, Brigitte Bardot gave Saint-Tropez something even more powerful than infrastructure; she gave it desire. The luxury world followed.

The Bardot Effect: When Global Attention Reached the Waterfront

The quiet, unknown appeal of St Tropez changed in the mid-1950s, when Brigitte Bardot arrived to film And God Created Woman. Bardot did not simply pass through; she lived there, returned often, and was photographed constantly against the backdrop of its beaches and harbour.

Those images travelled the world, transforming Saint-Tropez into a symbol of glamour, freedom, and effortless Riviera style.

Elevated view of the marina at St Tropez

As BBs fame grew, so did the town’s visibility, drawing Hollywood stars, European aristocracy, artists, and designers. France yacht charters began appearing alongside working boats, and the port started to shift from purely practical to aspirational.

From Fame to Fleet: The Rise of a Charter Destination

As Saint-Tropez’s reputation grew, so too did demand for access, not ownership, to the lifestyle it represented.

Visiting elites wanted to arrive by sea, cruise the coastline, and be seen in the port, helping to drive early charter activity, which now often witnesses the arrival of the world's largest yachts for charter.

Over time, marina facilities expanded, luxury services followed, and Saint-Tropez became a natural stop on the Riviera charter circuit.

Today’s concentration of superyachts and high-end charter operations can be traced back to that initial surge of attention, when image created demand and demand reshaped the waterfront. In that sense, modern Saint-Tropez, as a charter destination and luxury brand, remains inseparable from Bardot’s legacy.

Booking a St Tropez yacht charter

Already opening books for the forthcoming Mediterranean summer season, St Tropez yacht charters offer the epitome of indulgence, and a unique opportunity to be right where all the action was in BBs prime.

To be part of the glamor of St Tropez in 2026, reach out to your preferred yacht charter broker today for the latest availability, early booking offers, and information surrounding yacht charter costs.

Alternatively, if you'd like more inspiration to find your ideal yacht, browse over 4,000 yacht rentals on YachtCharterFleet, the biggest collection of luxury yacht charters.

Inspiration for St Tropez yacht charters