Der kopflose Mann von Saint-Tropez

Saint-Tropez got its name from an early Christian martyr, Saint Torpes of Pisa. Saint Torpes was a tax collector for the Roman Emperor Nero. As legend has it, he was a sort-of Robin Hood, collecting tax money (which often included beatings) in the name of Nero, and going out after dark to give handouts to the poor.

In the year 68, Paul the Apostle Torpes bekehrte sich zum Christentum, woraufhin er Nero in einer heidnischen Zeremonie seinen neuen Glauben bekannte. Nero forderte ihn auf, seinem Glauben abzuschwören, und befahl seine Enthauptung, als er sich weigerte.

Saint Torpes’ head was tossed into the Arno, a river in Tuscany, and his body was sent out into the Mediterranean on a rotten boat with a rooster and a dog, who they expected to further desecrate the body.

Im heutigen St. Tropez träumte eine heilige Frau von der Ankunft des Leichnams und erzählte es den Dorfbewohnern. Man erwartete, dass sein Leichnam gegessen werden würde, doch als er die heutige Stadt, unweit des Seemannsfriedhofs, erreichte, blieb er nach seiner 18-tägigen Reise unberührt.

Die Einheimischen sahen darin ein Zeichen von Torpes' Rechtschaffenheit und benannten ihr Dorf nach ihm (Saint Tropez ist die französische Bezeichnung für seinen Namen). Saint Torpes wurde außerdem zum Schutzpatron der Seefahrer ernannt.

Amazingly, the animals somehow lived; the cock flew away towards the village later named Cogolin  (meaning “little rooster”) after it, and the dog headed towards the town that became Grimaud (“old dog”), later named in honor of this dog.

To this day, there are still two festivals to celebrate Torpes:

In mid-May, at a festival called Les Bravades (which commemorates the time of the creation of the army and its achievements — and involves plenty of gunfire), locals parade his bust down the streets to venerate him. Les Bravades dates to the 15th century and is a traditional (and loud) Provencal religious and military celebration held over three days each May. Apparently, it gives grown men a good excuse to don old military uniforms and fire muskets. Backed by a drum corps, parades and jubilant onlookers, this celebration is a beloved St-Tropez event, honoring military history as well as the town’s patron saint, Saint Torpes, whose bust is marched through the narrow lanes.

And in mid-June he is celebrated during ceremonies to commemorate the victory of the Tropezian militia over the Spaniards in 1673.

The iconic and oft-photographed bell tower of St-Tropez belongs to the Italian baroque-style Notre Dame de l’Assomption , which contains a wooden bust of Saint Torpes.

Möchten Sie mehr? Read our guide to St-Tropez’s modern history, the crazy stories of the slaves, pirates and painters in St. Tropez’s ancient historyund erfahren Sie mehr über the scandal that made St-Tropez famous.