In 1927 Dominique Rondini designed the model that became the Tropezian sandal. His son Serge widened the range, Alain took over the workshop in 1983, and the house is now led by the following generation. The sole leather is French, oak-bark tanned for twelve months. Assembly, stitching and gluing are done by hand, pair by pair, in the workshop adjoining the shop.
The value of the stop lies in that continuity: you walk into a place of production, not a retail outlet. Straps are fitted to the foot, an older pair can be taken back and restored, and the leather goods extend the same craft. The work does not depend on the beach season, which makes the visit just as relevant in the shoulder months, when the town empties and real conversation with the craftsmen becomes possible. Reached on foot from the port of Saint-Tropez.
Other experiences in Port de Saint-Tropez
At the foot of Ramatuelle village, an estate certified organic and Demeter, presented as the only certified biodynamic vineyard on the Saint-Tropez peninsula.
Culture & HeritageChartreuse de la Verne, a monastery in the heart of the MauresFounded in 1170 in the heart of the Maures massif, the charterhouse has been home since 1983 to a monastic community of Bethlehem living under a vow of silence.
Adventure & OutdoorsCap Taillat and Cap Lardier, coastline protected by the ConservatoireTwo preserved headlands between Ramatuelle and La Croix-Valmer, owned by the Conservatoire du littoral and managed with CEN PACA and the town of Ramatuelle.
Shopping & CraftsmanshipCh. Courrieu, the master pipe maker's workshop in CogolinA Cogolin family house shaping briar pipes since 1802, holder of the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant label, with a guided tour of the workshop.
Wellness & Private RetreatsLily of the Valley, a wellness stop above GigaroOn the heights of Gigaro in La Croix-Valmer, a five-star house open year-round whose wellness programme combines nutrition, treatments and sport.