Bravade des Espagnols

A little history ... In 1618, the Thirty Years' War broke out. But it wasn't until 1635 that France declared war on the Habsburgs (Spain and Austria), and the Spanish offensive was not long in coming.

The defense of Saint-Tropez in the event of an attack is therefore organized jointly by the military authorities and the community council...

On June 15, 1637, twenty-one Spanish galleys entered the gulf and headed for Saint-Tropez to destroy four of the King's ships that had come to the port to carry out repairs. The battle lasted three hours and saw the defeat of the Spanish, who were unable to sink the French King's ships.
Aware of the importance of this battle, on July 12, 1637, the Tropezians decided in a community council "to thank the Sovereign God for the grace and favor he did us, on the fifteenth day of the month of June last morning, to have given us the strength to defend ourselves from the attack made on us by twenty-one Spanish galleys, which fought us for about three hours.
We therefore request the aforementioned council to deliberate that, in the future, this day will be celebrated in this place, with a general procession in thanksgiving...".

(1637, July 12, Archives communales de Saint-Tropez, BB8 f°44V° (extract/transcription: Bernard Romagnan, Syndicat Mixte du Golfe de Saint-Tropez, Pays des Maures. In 1641, the town commissioned three paintings (in the council chamber) to preserve the memory of this glorious day.

Program :

9:00 am: Procession in arms for the bravadors and in Provençal dress for the ladies, through the streets and lanes of the old town, celebrating the victory of the Tropezians over 21 Spanish galleys on June 15, 1667.

10:30 am: Return to the church for mass.

Sunday 15 June 2025 at 9 am.

Free of charge.