Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez is an amazing rendezvous of yachts, first run twenty-five years ago with the famous the challenge set by the 12m Ikra and the Swan Pride. This legendary encounter gave rise to the Nioulargue, which has since become Les Voiles de Saint Tropez; a regatta that gathers together the most extraordinary modern sailing boats alongside the most beautiful traditional yachts during the first week of October. A host of racers and sailing enthusiasts come from all the corners of the globe to do battle in the bay of Saint Tropez.

La Grande Classe Trophy was created in 2004 and is traditionally held on the Thursday, bringing together the most beautiful traditional ‘racers’, in the spirit of the English races from 1880 to 1930. An invited group of the "big class" yachts race in real time along a 25 mile course which sends the fleet around the Nioulargue, the most famous shallows in the Mediterranean. In 2004, the 36m Fife cutter, Mariquita was victorious, while the 23m Cambria won, and is the current trophy holder from 2005.