The origins of the "Fête des Belges" in Saint Tropez

The Origins

The festival is organized every year on July 21st, Belgium's National Day, which commemorates the swearing-in of the first King of the Belgians, Leopold I, in 1831.

According to several local sources, the modern version of the Fête des Belges in Saint-Tropez was launched in the early 1990s by Olivier Saxe, a Belgian living in the region. Archives indicate that the event has been organized since 1992.

Why Saint-Tropez?

The answer is simple: at this time of year, there is already a massive Belgian presence in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. Testimonies from organizers suggest around 3,000 Belgians are in town around July 21st.

In the 1970s and 1980s, Saint-Tropez became a favored holiday destination for wealthy Belgian families, particularly from Flanders. When the national holiday coincided with their summer stay, the idea of celebrating Belgium under the Mediterranean sun came naturally.

The Evolution of the Festival

Initially, the spirit was relatively spontaneous. A Belgian organizer recalls that some of the earliest celebrations were like a big meal among friends on the beach, featuring a spit-roast pig and a few dozen participants. Over the years, the event became more structured and professional.

In the 2000s and 2010s, the festival regularly attracted several hundred, sometimes over a thousand people. The venues shifted from year to year: private beaches, the harbor, Place des Lices, or other event spaces in Saint-Tropez. The program featured music, DJs, Belgian artists, gastronomy, and a celebration of Belgian identity.

A Significant Social Role

Beyond the party itself, the event has become a true gathering point for the Belgian diaspora on the French Riviera:

• Second-home owners;

• Entrepreneurs settled in the Var department;

• Holidaymakers;

• Belgian business and entertainment personalities.

It plays a similar role to the gatherings of Belgians in Knokke, Marbella, or Ibiza: celebrating the national holiday in a place where the community is already highly concentrated.

An Interesting Historical Note

The Fête des Belges is therefore not the cause of the Belgian presence in Saint-Tropez; rather, it is the consequence of it.

This is why some residents of the gulf humorously say that July 21st has become, in Saint-Tropez, a sort of "second local national holiday."