Le Lavandou on the French Riviera – beaches and the Golden Isles

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: September 2026 | Le Lavandou on the French Riviera attracts with fine sandy beaches, small coves and boats to the Golden Islands of Port-Cros and Île du Levant. We came here by camper van during the height of summer and stayed at a campsite at Pramousquier, where an evening swim in the Mediterranean was just what we needed after a dramatic journey through the mountains.

Le Lavandou on the French Riviera

Le Lavandou is located on the Mediterranean Sea in the Var department, between Toulon and Saint-Tropez. The resort is located at the foot of the Massif des Maures mountain range and has developed from a fishing village into a popular seaside resort on the French Riviera.

Above all, Le Lavandou is known for its beaches. Along 12 kilometers of coastline there are 12 named sandy beaches, from L'Anglade in the west to Pramousquier in the east. It was at Pramousquier that we ended up when we arrived here with a camper van in the summer of 2018. But the way there was a little adventure in itself.

By motorhome over the mountains to Le Lavandou

We came from Belgentier in Provence and were going south towards the coast. It was the beginning of August, really hot and in the middle of the French high season. I had emailed almost ten campsites before we found one that had any vacancies at all. In addition, there was a warning about a lot of traffic on the roads.

Our GPS apparently had a solution to the problem: Mountains. Instead of ending up in queues, we were sent up small winding roads with hairpin bends, steep cliffs and encounters that were much more exciting than we would have liked with a motorhome. It was beautiful! It wasn't fast...

Every now and then, fantastic views opened up of the mountains and the blue Mediterranean Sea far below, so at least we were well paid in views for the extra heartbeats.

Camping Parc de Pramousquier

In the end, we came up with Pramousquier Camping Park, east of central Le Lavandou. Here we managed to get a campsite near the entrance and were finally able to turn off the engine.

The campsite had a shop and restaurant and, above all, was close to the beach. The latter turned out to be exactly what we needed.

Parc Camping de Pramousquier is still there and accepts campers, caravans and tents. The campsite also has a restaurant and is located near the sea. We visited the campsite in 2018, so always check the current prices, rules and availability before your trip.

Evening swim at Plage de Pramousquier

It had been over 30 degrees during the day and we were starting to get quite tender from the heat. So it was fantastic to walk down to Pramousquier Beach and throw yourself into the Mediterranean. And what a beach!

Pramousquier is located about eight kilometers from the center of Le Lavandou and is the easternmost of the resort's 12 beaches. The beach is sheltered at Cap Nègre, surrounded by greenery and pine trees. It is a bit hidden and accessed via small walkways, which has given it the nickname The Mysterious, the mysterious one.

We were particularly drawn to the fine sand, the small coves, the greenery and the restaurants down by the water. After the mountain roads and the heat, the evening swim was hard to beat. ”We like this place,” we wrote back then. We still do when we look at the pictures.

Beaches in Le Lavandou

Pramousquier is far from the only beach. Le Lavandou has a total of 12 sandy beaches along 12 kilometers of coastline, and they have different characteristics. These include Saint-Clair, La Fossette, Aiguebelle, Cavalière and the large beach in the center of Le Lavandou.

The central beach is wide and shallow and is right next to restaurants and other parts of the city center. Of course, we didn't have time to try all twelve. And it still feels a bit excessive to have to swim through an entire municipality for the sake of research. Even though it's a job someone has to do.

Central Le Lavandou

We also made our way into Le Lavandou itself. It is a classic holiday resort with a harbour, shops, restaurants and a sandy beach right next to the centre. When we were here it was full of summer life and boats out on the Mediterranean.

For us, the city center itself wasn't really the highlight of the trip. We were more drawn to the coastal landscape and the beach at Pramousquier. But Le Lavandou had another big advantage. From here we could get further out to the islands.

Boat from Le Lavandou to the Gold Islands

Off the coast lies Hyeres Islands, which is also commonly called Iles d'Or, the Gold Islands. The three main islands are:

• Port-Cros, which is largely part of the Parc national de Port-Cros and attracts with hiking and protected nature.
• Levant Island, where part of the island is occupied by the naturist area Héliopolis.
• Porquerolles, the largest and most visited of the three, with beaches, bike paths and nature.

From Le Lavandou, boats go to Port-Cros and Île du Levant, among others. And that was exactly why we had come here. In the following days, our journey would continue out to the islands. It turned out to be much more adventurous than we had imagined…

More to see and do in Le Lavandou

We mainly used Le Lavandou as a base for swimming and excursions to the islands, but there is more to discover in the area.

• Saint Clair is one of the resort's most famous beaches and is located closer to the center.
• Cavaliere has a long sandy beach and offers various water activities.
• Coastal Trail follows parts of the coast and is suitable for those who prefer to discover the landscape on foot.
• Bormes-les-Mimosas is located very nearby and is a historic village that climbs the slopes above the coast.
• Massif des Maures is the mountainous area that rises behind the coast and offers a completely different environment than the beaches down by the Mediterranean Sea.

Le Lavandou with a campervan

We stayed at Parc Camping de Pramousquier, which worked well for us because we wanted to stay close to the beach and at the same time use the area as a starting point for the Golden Islands.

During the high season, the pressure on the campsites was great. We had to contact many campsites ourselves before we found a free spot. It was 2018 and a lot may have changed since then, but during July and August we would still rather book camping in advance than take a chance.

Driving a campervan in the popular coastal resorts is not always the easiest thing to do. We were therefore happy to leave the campervan parked once we had found a spot. And after our GPS expedition through the mountains, it was quite deservedly parked.

Is Le Lavandou worth a visit?

Yes, especially if you like beaches and want to combine a few days by the Mediterranean with excursions to the Golden Islands. For us, Le Lavandou was not a place where we ran around and checked off attractions.

Instead, it became a place for swimming, warmth, sand between your toes and a break from traveling. We remember the winding road through the mountains. We remember the relief when we finally arrived at the campsite. But above all, we remember the evening swim at Pramousquier. And sometimes, a really good evening swim is actually enough to secure a place.

See more near Le Lavandou

If you are in Le Lavandou and want to see more nearby, there is so much to discover! Here are our best tips:

• Saint-Tropez
• The Esterel Mountains and the Corniche d'Or
• Guide to the French Riviera