1 in 4 Britons mistake St Ives for St Tropez

A recent survey by First Great Western has found that 25 per cent of Britons thought that a photo of St Ives was actually St Tropez. St Ives’ Harbour Beach looked so similar to the French Riviera that it fooled a quarter of those asked in the survey, and, as this image shows, it is little wonder why.

The picturesque seaside town has won the Best UK Seaside Town accolade in both 2010 and 2011 and has seen an increased number of St Ives cottage holidays visitors in recent years thanks to its beautiful beaches and the popularity of The Tate art gallery there.

This survey just goes to show that many UK residents are unaware of the staggering beauty close to home, as a spokesman for First Great Western said in this article, “We live in a fantastic country, but this research shows that many of us simply aren’t aware of the amazing places on our doorstep just waiting to be discovered”.