The history of the Michelin-starred restaurant Colette in Saint-Tropez: the legacy of the Sezz Hotel

Why is the fine-dining restaurant at the Sezz Hotel called Colette? What does this name reveal about the identity of one of Saint-Tropez’s most distinctive Michelin-starred restaurants?

Behind every great restaurant lies a story. In Saint-Tropez, far from the hustle and bustle of the harbour, the fine-dining restaurant at the five-star Sezz Hotel bears a name that resonates with literary and Provençal heritage: Colette.

Awarded one Michelin star since 2021 and two toques by Gault & Millau, this sleekly designed venue does more than simply serve exceptional Mediterranean cuisine. It brings the spirit of an era back to life, driven by the vision of Chef Philippe Colinet and his team.

The Colette restaurant, at a glance:

• - Location: Hôtel Sezz Saint-Tropez (5 minutes from the town centre, 10 minutes from the beaches of Pampelonne)
• - Awards: 1 Michelin star, 2 Gault & Millau toques
• - Chef: Philippe Colinet, Maître Restaurateur
• - Service: dinner, from 7.30 pm to 9.30 pm
• - Opening times: Wednesday to Sunday in July and August, Thursday to Monday in September and October
• - Capacity: Up to 45 guests on the terrace, 30 seats indoors
• - Concept: Plant-based, seafood-focused and refined cuisine, rooted in the Var region
• - Signature experience: La Table du Chef (an immersive dining experience overlooking the kitchen)
• - Facilities: Free car park, valet parking, free fibre-optic Wi-Fi, pets welcome (under 10kg)

Who was Colette? The historical link with Saint-Tropez and the Sezz​

This is the story of a house unlike any other. In the mid-1920s, a fundamentally free-spirited woman of letters discovered Saint-Tropez, with its unassuming charm and authenticity. Her name was Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette.

The writer, the second woman to become a member of the Académie Goncourt, settled at La Treille Muscate. This house, which she loved passionately, happens to be the immediate neighbour of the present-day Hôtel Sezz, overlooking the Baie des Canebiers. Beneath the wisteria on her terrace, Colette would entertain the leading figures of her time over simple dishes, cooked with vegetables from her own kitchen garden.

A century later, the restaurant at the Hôtel Sezz was named in her honour. The magic of the place defies the passage of time to nurture the same passion: a love of Provence, the senses and authentic produce.

Literature lovers can also extend this journey by exploring the area around La Treille Muscate, just a stone’s throw from the Hôtel Sezz, where the novelist stayed in the 1920s, before rediscovering this legacy through the experience offered today at the Colette restaurant.

Philippe Colinet: the story of a Michelin-starred chef with a passion for local produce

‘My earliest memories? I must have been about three years old...’ says Philippe Colinet. From his childhood, the chef retains memories of summers spent travelling south, of fruit sellers, and of the unspoilt flavour of seasonal peaches, apricots and tomatoes.

Whether by chance or fate, this chef worked for many years in the Loiret, a region where the novelist Colette also owned a house, before settling in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. He joined Le Sezz in 2020 and was awarded a Michelin star in 2021.

His approach as a Maître Restaurateur is based on absolute naturalness:

• - Knowledge of the land: Understanding how produce grows before cooking it.
• - Foraging: The chef is particularly fond of sea fennel (harvested along the beach near the Sezz), wild fennel, blackberries and burnet.
• - Ultra-short supply chains: The Sezz hotel now has its own herb garden to supply the kitchens.

Local producers: the chef’s commitment​

Which fine-dining restaurant should you try during a stay in Saint-Tropez? Where can you find truly local cuisine in Saint-Tropez, straight from the sea to your plate? At Restaurant Colette, the answer begins even before the chef steps into the kitchen.

At Restaurant Colette, we don’t talk about suppliers, but about partners. Chef Colinet spends the winter months travelling the region to build genuine relationships based on trust with local farmers, livestock breeders, fishermen and oyster farmers.

This environmentally conscious and quality-focused approach helps to preserve the region’s artisanal culinary heritage. It is thanks to this local network that the chef’s creations come to life, showcasing everything from a simple tomato grown by Yann Ménard (Jardin de la Piboule) to a cheese supplied by cheesemonger Loïc, as well as squid and ‘poivrade’ artichokes.

Tasting menus: an expression of the Var region’s terroir​

The menu at Colette restaurant comprises two main tasting menus, designed as sensory journeys where the raw ingredients take centre stage:

• - The Substances Menu (5 courses – €165): An exploration ranging from smoked aubergine to gamberoni, via red mullet with ink and fennel.
• - The Sens Menu (7 courses – €205): A complete multisensory experience (touch, sight, smell, taste, hearing) featuring matured beef, saffron-infused squid, and a signature dessert made with 86% Peruvian chocolate and buckwheat praline.

To accompany these creations, the restaurant offers food and wine pairings (€66 for 3 glasses, €110 for 5 glasses, €145 for 7 glasses), an option that is proving increasingly popular with international guests.

The Chef's Table: an immersive gastronomic experience in Saint-Tropez

For lovers of fine dining looking for a different kind of experience, the Colette restaurant offers “La Table du Chef”.

Seated around a solid brushed oak table, bespoke-designed by interior designer Christophe Pillet, diners are treated to a front-row seat, right in front of the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the kitchens.

From this privileged vantage point, dinner becomes a spectacle:

• - Watch the kitchen team and Chef Colinet at work in real time.
• - An exclusive discussion on the conception of the dishes and the sourcing of ingredients.
• - A chance to discover the astonishing ‘lemon experience’, a multi-sensory moment built around a single ingredient, conceived as a nod to his philosophy of using unprocessed produce.

It is a rare immersion in the rigour and precision of Michelin-starred cuisine, ideal for a memorable dinner on the French Riviera.

Why does the Colette restaurant tell a different story of Saint-Tropez?​

When people think of the ‘almost-island’, they often picture the harbour, the yachts and the bustling beaches of Pampelonne.

Le Colette offers a different side to the destination. For travellers seeking a gourmet restaurant steeped in history in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, this establishment offers an experience where heritage, local produce and culinary creativity come together naturally.

Situated on the Route des Salins, just a few minutes from the Canebiers and the coastal path, it invites you to discover a more intimate side of Saint-Tropez, where fine dining, nature and heritage take centre stage.

In this unspoilt setting, far from the hustle and bustle of the town centre, dinner becomes a true respite, true to the Provençal spirit that once inspired Colette. The restaurant is now one of the few Michelin-starred establishments on the Riviera where the cuisine draws so heavily on history, local heritage and regional producers.

For those seeking a Michelin-starred restaurant that truly reflects Provençal heritage on the Riviera, the answer lies here – and it is also evident on the plate.

Why does learning about Colette’s story change your dining experience?​

Discovering the restaurant’s history before taking your seat transforms the way you experience your meal.

At Colette, every detail takes on a special meaning once you understand the connection between the novelist, Provence and Chef Philippe Colinet’s philosophy. Seasonal produce, herbs foraged in the region, the emphasis on plant-based ingredients and the apparent simplicity of the dishes all echo the world that Colette loved to describe.

The meal is no longer merely a succession of courses. It becomes an immersion in a place, a story and a heritage that naturally extend the Saint-Tropez experience.

Practical information — Colette Restaurant​

• - Address: Hôtel Sezz Saint-Tropez, 151 route des Salins, 83990 Saint-Tropez
• - Access: 5 mins from the centre of Saint-Tropez, 10 mins from the beaches of Pampelonne
• - Service: Dinner only
• - Capacity: 45 seats on the terrace, 30 seats indoors
• - Prices: Tasting menus updated each season 
• - Booking: Strongly recommended, particularly forThe Chef's Table. Open to residents and non-residents.

Book a table at a Michelin-starred restaurant steeped in history​