Twelve beaches for a single day: that's the dilemma of Le Lavandou. This resort in the Var, a former fishing community that has become one of the best-loved shores of the Provençal coast, lines up its sands along twelve kilometres of coastline, from Fort de Brégançon to Cap Nègre. The smaller ships that stop here offer their passengers a human-scale Mediterranean France, where everything plays out between the sea, the pines and the stalls of a market.

The Old Village and the Taste of Provence

Behind the quays lined with fishing boats and excursion boats, the old village unfolds its lanes of pastel façades. You can walk around it in a few minutes, between little squares shaded by plane trees, artisans' shops and patios where the accent sings. On Thursday mornings, the Provençal market turns the streets into a feast for the senses: olives, tapenades, soaps, melons, dried herbs and nougats compete for attention, and the producers happily offer tastings with a kind word. It's the ideal place to put together a picnic before heading to the coves, or to bring a little sunshine in a jar back on board.

The Coastal Path

The finest activity of the port call costs nothing: a three-kilometre coastal path starts at the quays and winds its way to La Fossette beach. The trail hugs the rocks, dips beneath the pines and opens onto coves of crystal-clear water, and your gaze reaches all the way to the islands of Port-Cros and Le Levant floating on the horizon. You walk to the rhythm of the surf, amid the mingled scents of warm pine and sea spray, passing early-morning swimmers and hurried lizards, stopping to photograph the turquoise reflections between the branches. Allow an hour of easy walking, more if the temptation to swim wins out, which it almost always does.

Twelve Beaches, Twelve Atmospheres

Each of the town's beaches has its own character: fine, family-friendly sand near the centre, wilder coves to the east, colours that change with the seabed. The Grande Plage, closest to the landing, is perfect for those who want to alternate swimming with trips back to the village; umbrellas, showers and pedal-boat rentals make the day easier for families. Those seeking tranquillity will head to Saint-Clair, prized for the clarity of its water and its feet-in-the-sand restaurants. Everywhere, the Mediterranean remains the main attraction: warm from late spring, transparent, framed by hills covered in maquis where mimosa bursts into yellow at the end of winter.

Toward the Golden Isles

Le Lavandou also serves as a maritime gateway to the neighbouring islands, nicknamed the Îles d'Or, or Golden Isles. Shuttles reach Port-Cros, the heart of a national park where marked trails and protected seabeds attract hikers and snorkellers, as well as Île du Levant and Porquerolles. Other boat trips follow the Maures coast toward the Bay of Saint-Tropez, its villas and its sailboats. These excursions require keeping an eye on the all-aboard time, but they reward you with unspoiled island landscapes, among the most beautiful on France's Mediterranean coast.

When it's time to go back on board, the sun sinks behind Cap Nègre and the umbrella pines blaze with golden light. Le Lavandou demanded no effort: it simply offered a day of Provence, with salt on your skin, thyme in your bags and that particular lightness of places where you had nothing to prove. Some port calls impress; this one soothes, and that memory stays with travellers long after the Var coast has disappeared in the wake.