In short
An old money photoshoot recreates the quiet luxury of mid-century Riviera summers: natural fabrics, no logos, neutral colours. In Saint-Tropez, where Vadim filmed Bardot in 1956, the best settings are the old harbour in the late afternoon, La Ponche in the morning, the Place des Lices outside market days and the vineyard roads of Ramatuelle with a Méhari, hired from €110 a day nearby.
Linen, a silk scarf, a cream knit over the shoulders, an open-top Méhari on a pine-lined road, a red café terrace on the port. The old money aesthetic is one of the most copied looks on Instagram and TikTok, and much of its reference library was shot in one village. Saint-Tropez is where the look was filmed, worn and photographed first. Here is how to do the shoot properly on the peninsula: the places, the props, the wardrobe, and the mistakes that turn it into a costume.
What is an old money photoshoot?
A session styled on the quiet wealth of mid-century European summers: no visible logos, natural fabrics, neutral colours, a little navy, good shoes, and settings that look inherited rather than rented. The photographs should look like moments from a long summer, not like a campaign.
Why is Saint-Tropez the home of the old money look?
Because the image was made here. In 1956 Roger Vadim directed Brigitte Bardot in And God Created Woman, which the Tourism Office describes as the first feature film shot entirely in Saint-Tropez; an exhibition for its 70th anniversary runs at the Musée de la Gendarmerie et du Cinéma until 7 March 2027, open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, €5. Club 55 opened on Pampelonne in 1955. The Hôtel Byblos opened in 1967. The hotel La Ponche, on the little beach of the fishermen's quarter, welcomed Françoise Sagan, Brigitte Bardot, Gunther Sachs and Romy Schneider. And every year the harbour still fills with classic yachts for Les Voiles at the end of September, and with wooden runabouts for gatherings such as the 2026 parade on the theme of the Bardot years.
Where are the best old money settings in Saint-Tropez?
Old money photoshoot settings in Saint-Tropez (2026)
| Setting | What it gives you | Best hour | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old harbour, Quai Jean-Jaurès | Wooden pointus, ochre facades, red café awnings | Late afternoon | Café terraces are private: ask before shooting at a table |
| La Ponche | Fishermen's houses, shutters, a small beach | Morning | The only setting in the village that works at noon |
| Place des Lices | Plane trees, pétanque, café terraces | Late afternoon | Market on Tuesday and Saturday mornings |
| The Citadelle | Ramparts and the whole gulf below | Opening, or the last hour | Paid, €5, closed 2 Nov to 18 Dec 2026 |
| Pampelonne, Ramatuelle | Pale sand, beach clubs, the summer postcard | Sunrise | Beach club decks need the venue's agreement |
| The vineyard roads of Ramatuelle and Gassin | Pines, vines, a road for the car | Late afternoon | Stop where it is safe and legal to park |
| On the water | Teak, chrome, the village seen from the sea | Golden hour | Classic runabout outings leave from the harbour |
From our guide to the best photo spots in Saint-Tropez, the Citadelle 2026 leaflet and the Tourism Office. Checked October 2026.
Which props make the look: a Méhari, a wooden boat?
One strong prop beats five. The two that belong to Saint-Tropez:
- An open-top Méhari or a 2CV. The car of the peninsula's summers. Beau Virage in Sainte-Maxime rents electric Méharis from €210 a day out of season, €230 in June and September and €260 in July and August (2026 prices), and Les Deuch'moiselles in Cogolin offers 2CVs and Méharis, with or without a driver, from €110.
- A classic wooden runabout. The most old money object on the water. Private two-hour outings on a 1962 runabout leave from the harbour of Saint-Tropez, with captain and fuel included; prices are on request and vary by season. If you are already on a yacht, our guide on why hire a private yacht photographer explains how a session on board works.
Whatever the prop, check where you are allowed to stop: a car parked in a pedestrian lane of the village ends the session faster than any town hall.
What should you wear for an old money photoshoot?
Natural fabrics, no logos, a tight palette. For women: a linen or silk dress, wide trousers with a fitted top, a cream or navy knit, a silk scarf, flat sandals or espadrilles, gold rather than silver. For men: a linen shirt open at the neck, light trousers, a navy knit or blazer for the evening, loafers without socks. Keep to three or four colours across the whole outfit, white, cream, navy, a touch of sand or red, the red of the café awnings on the port. Pressed clothes matter more than expensive ones. Our guide on what to wear for a photoshoot goes into fabrics and colours.
What are the mistakes that ruin the look?
- Visible logos. The whole aesthetic is the absence of them.
- Midday light. Hard shadows and squinting eyes, and in July and August a harbour too crowded to work. Shoot before 10:00 or after 18:00.
- Posing. Old money pictures look like moments: walking, talking, reading at a café table, stepping out of a car. We direct movement, not poses.
- Too many props. A car, a scarf, a straw basket and a bottle of rosé in one frame turns the picture into a costume.
Do you need a permit?
For a professional session on public land in Saint-Tropez, yes: the town asks for an application at least seven days ahead with insurance, bank details and a company registration extract, plus a daily fee. We handle it. Cafés, hotels, beach clubs and boats need their owner's agreement instead. Drones are not flown over the village without prefectoral authorisation. Details in our Saint-Tropez photographer guide.
How much does an old money photoshoot cost in Saint-Tropez?
Riva rates for a themed session, 2026
| Format | What it covers | Edited photos | Price, all taxes included |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 hour | One location, one or two outfits | 30 | 790 € |
| 2 hours | Two locations, outfit changes | 60 | 1,290 € |
| Half day, 4 hours | Several locations, sunrise or golden hour | 120 | 1,890 € |
Riva published rates, October 2026. No travel fee anywhere between Saint-Tropez and Menton. First images within 48 hours.
Two hours is the usual format: an hour between La Ponche and the harbour, and an hour on the vineyard roads with the car or on the water. Vehicle and boat hire are booked directly with the rental companies.
Frequently asked questions
Where can you do an old money photoshoot in Saint-Tropez?
The old harbour and its café terraces in the late afternoon, the lanes of La Ponche in the morning, the Place des Lices outside market mornings, the ramparts of the Citadelle, Pampelonne at sunrise and the vineyard roads of Ramatuelle and Gassin with a vintage car.
Why is Saint-Tropez associated with the old money aesthetic?
Because much of the look was filmed and photographed there: And God Created Woman with Brigitte Bardot, directed by Roger Vadim in 1956, Club 55 on Pampelonne since 1955, the Hôtel Byblos since 1967, and the classic yachts and wooden runabouts that still gather in the harbour every year.
Can you rent a vintage car for a photoshoot near Saint-Tropez?
Yes. Beau Virage in Sainte-Maxime rents electric Méharis from €210 to €260 a day depending on the season (2026), and Les Deuch'moiselles in Cogolin offers 2CVs and Méharis from €110, with or without a driver.
What do you wear for an old money photoshoot?
Natural fabrics and no logos: linen, silk and fine knits in white, cream, navy and sand, flat sandals, espadrilles or loafers, gold jewellery. Keep to three or four colours and make sure everything is pressed.
How much does an old money photoshoot cost in Saint-Tropez?
With Riva, 790 € all taxes included for one hour and 30 edited photos, or 1,290 € for two hours and 60 photos, the usual format for this look. The municipal permit is handled when needed.
Want the Saint-Tropez of the sixties, in your photos?
Tell us your dates and the look you have in mind. We plan the places and the hour, file the permit, and tell you honestly what will work and what will look like a costume. From 790 € all taxes included, first images within 48 hours.
Plan my sessionMore reading: the flying dress photoshoot in Saint-Tropez, the best photo spots in Saint-Tropez, and Instagram photoshoots in Saint-Tropez.
Sources
Times, rules and figures in this guide come from these official sources. Checked in October 2026.
- Saint-Tropez Tourism Office, 70th anniversary exhibition of And God Created Woman (1956), dates, hours and price.
- Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Tourism, the Musée de la Gendarmerie et du Cinéma in the former gendarmerie.
- Club 55, the beach restaurant on Pampelonne, created in 1955, 2026 season dates.
- Wikipedia, Hôtel Byblos, opened in 1967.
- Saint-Tropez Tourism Office, La Ponche hotel and the guests it welcomed.
- Boat International, the 2026 gathering of classic wooden runabouts in Saint-Tropez on the theme of the Bardot years.
- Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, the yearly regatta of modern and classic yachts.
- Golfe de Saint-Tropez Tourisme, Beau Virage, Méhari hire in Sainte-Maxime, 2026 prices.
- Côte d'Azur France, Les Deuch'moiselles, 2CV and Méhari hire in Cogolin.
- Wotif, a private two-hour outing on a 1962 wooden runabout from Saint-Tropez.
- Citadelle de Saint-Tropez, official 2026 leaflet: opening hours, closures and prices.
- Ville de Saint-Tropez, official notice for photo and film permits: lead time, documents, fee schedule.