The "Cercle du Littoral" is the oldest association of the commune. It was founded in 1885 and later became a philanthropic association.

At the end of the 19th century with the 3rd Republic there was a rapid increase in the number of associations (or clubs) where men (women and strangers were not allowed) of the same social background and way of thinking would meet to talk, read and enjoy themselves at a lower price than at the local cafés.

Nearly every village had its own club and at the beginning of the 20th century. There were over 300 in the Var. At first there were two rival associations at Ramatuelle : the "Bourgeois" club and the "Republican" club. But quite quickly they merged and chose a neutral name "cercle du Littoral" (the Coast club).

The club had its headquarters for a long time in the rue Georges Clemenceau. Whatever their political or social background, the villagers would gather there in the evenings to read the local paper or play dominoes. The members took turns to clean and serve drinks.

Then Madame Roumieu served and cleaned for the club during 40 years from1911 to1951. Her husband was the last driver of the stagecoach that delivered the post and travellers between Ramatuelle and St-Tropez.

The second Sunday of December the traditional celebration of the "Saint Dindon" takes place. Legend tells that once upon a time the year's harvest was at the mercy of an invasion of locusts. To get rid of these insects the local farmers had an idea : use their turkeys to eat all the locusts. This had a double effect : the harvest was saved and the turkeys fattened. .

The villagers decided to celebrate this event by giving a feast at which the turkey would have the place of honour (on the menu). But their wives refused to kill and pluck the birds and were therefore excluded from the feast. Since that day only men attend the traditional lunch of the "Saint-Dindon". However husbands and wives gather for the evening meal symbol of their reconciliation.

Many of these associations have now dissapeared. The association of Ramatuelle is one of the rare survivors thanks to the dedication and the tenacity of its members.

The Church of Notre Dame

The parish church of Ramatuelle leans angainst the ancient fortifications of the village. The entrance used to be a little door that you can see just under the porch.
The church was completely modified at the beginning of the 17th century during the reconstruction of the village after its destruction in 1592. The inscription of the year 1620 over the main doorway indicates the year that the door was made through the fortifications and not the date at which the church was built. The portal is made of serpentine, green porphyry (veined magnesium silicate) of which there are still a few quarries in the Maures Hills. The stone is said to come from the "Chartreuse de la Verne". This monastery was abandoned during the Revolution and is now partly restored. It is situated in the heart of the Maures Hills on the commune of Collobrières about forty kilometers from Ramatuelle.

Many signs lead to think that the church was layed out in an inverse order originally. The high altar would have then been where the actual entrance doorway is (little recesses used to evacuate water from the altar are still visible on the sides). The sacristy did not exist and in its place was a gallery overlooking the vault of the church dominated by a cross-shaft of stone still visible over the sacristy. The "oeil-de-boeuf" (round window) looking out onto the bell tower street served to give light to the church.

The bell tower was probably one of the four watchtowers of the fortified wall of the village. They were used to watch the sea to prevent pirate raids. The fact that the tower is not built in the central axis of the church and that on the first level of the tower a loophole is still visible confirms this theory.

As you go into the church you will see four blind arches on the left wall built on the old fortifications.
In the second arch is the statue of Saint-André with his X-form cross, the village Patron Saint, carved in a fig tree trunk. Next to the Saint are three marble plaques on which are ingraved the names of the soldiers of Ramatuelle that died for France. Next to them three paintings of the wreckage of the three French submarines off Cape Camarat : the Sybille (1952) – the Minerve (1968) – the Eurydice (1970).

Under the third arch are the statues of Saint-Tropez and Sainte-Maxime who used to be carried in a procession through the village on the day of the Patron Saint (as the statue of Saint-André still is).

Two loopholes are hidden under the roughcast at the back of the two arches, their narrowest part turned towards the interior of the church which means this side was the outerside of the wall. This prooves that the fortified walls (that the loopholes are part of) were built before the church. The latter could date from the 15th or 16th century.
In an alcove built by the villagers on the right wall and protected by security glass are two listed statuettes of Saint-Joseph and the Virgin Mary. These two statues are figures from a 16th century Christmas crib. A statue of baby Jesus has been added, a gift of Jean-Claude Brialy.

The Memorial

Memorial of the "Anciens des Services Spéciaux de la Défense Nationale (A.S.S.D.N)" (Veterans of the Special Services of the National Defence). A unique French monument by Courbier was inaugurated May 3rd 1959.

It commemorates the French submarine missions during the Second World War. A groupe of local Resistants helped a submarine who was transporting secret agents from Algiers to land.

At l' Escalet you can see memorials commemorating these events (take the coastal footpath from the little harbour to the Escudelier rock).

Gérard Philipe's Tombstone

Gérard Philipe was a French actor (4 December 1922 – 25 November 1959).

Gérard Philipe used to come to Ramatuelle to his wife's family's villa during the holidays with his wife Anne and his two children.

This villa cannot be visited.
Gérard Philipe was present during the inauguration of the wine cooperative of Ramatuelle in September1959.

The village school inaugurated in 1982 by Anne Philipe was given his name.

The presence of this actor in the commune has had a great impact touristically but also culturally : in 1985 under Jean-Claude Brialy's direction the Gérard Philipe Theatre Festival was launched (since 1992 the festival is called The Theatre Festival of Ramatuelle).

Note :
- theatre plays : Le Cid, Le Prince de Hombourg
- cinema : Le Rouge et le Noir, Fanfan la Tulipe, La Beauté du Diable etc.