landmark
Saint-Tropez
A legendary Riviera fishing village turned jet-set playground, known for its pastel harbor and Pampelonne Beach.
27 km · about 30 min drive
EuropeFranceProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Le Lavandou
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France · Europe
About Le Lavandou
Le Lavandou is worth a stop: 20 minutes from La Londe-les-Maures, 55km from Corniche de l'Esterel.
Le Lavandou is in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France, with about 5,900 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is La Londe-les-Maures, about 11 km away.
Le Lavandou (pronounced [lə lavɑ̃du]; Occitan: Lo Lavandor) is a seaside resort town and commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in Southeastern France. Le Lavandou derives its name either from the flower lavender (lavanda in Provençal) that is prevalent in the area, or more prosaicallyRead more
from the local form of the Occitan name for lavoir, lavandor (for lavador, a public place for washing clothes).
The (then) village is where the famous popular song A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square was written in the summer of 1939. The words were by Eric Maschwitz and the music by Manning Sherwin, with its title "stolen" from a story by Michael Arlen. The song had its first performance in a local bar, where the melody was played on piano by Sherwin with the help of the resident saxophonist. Maschwitz sang the words while holding a glass of wine, but nobody seemed impressed.
In the spring of 2002, an attempt was made to find the bar where this classic song was first performed with the view to having a blue plaque set up. With the help of the local tourist office, elderly residents were questioned, but it proved impossible to establish the venue.
In September 2000, the mayor passed an unusual bylaw making it illegal to die in the town. The mayor described his own bylaw as "absurd ... to counter an absurd situation"; the "absurd situation" was that with the town's cemetery already full, a court in Nice had denied permission for a new cemetery because it would mar the beauty of the selected site.
After the fall of nobility, the title of Duke of Lavandou was passed on the Governor of Provence and Languedoc, and from there by primogeniture to the Duchess of Gandia. She married Lev Obolensky in 1980 and had a son, Arnaud Henry Salas-Perez, Prince Obolensky, who became Duke of Gandia, Languedoc and Lavandou, making a Russian prince the titleholder for Le Lavandou.
Where to Stay in Le Lavandou
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Le Lavandou?
Within an hour or so of Le Lavandou: Saint-Tropez (27 km), Mont Faron Summit (35 km), Circuit Paul Ricard (48 km), Corniche de l'Esterel (55 km).
Are there any good drives near Le Lavandou?
The nearest famous roads are Corniche de l'Esterel, Route des Crêtes (Cassis) and Route des Cretes, Verdon Gorge.
Where is Le Lavandou?
Le Lavandou is in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France, about 11 km from La Londe-les-Maures.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 5,902
- Continent
- Europe
- Country
- France
- Region
- Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
- Timezone
- Europe/Paris
- Coordinates
- 43.1370, 6.3660
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in France
Carrying a warning triangle and hi-vis vest in your vehicle is mandatory. Motorway emergency phones connect to official breakdown services only.
Full driving guide for FranceTags
Worth the detour from Le Lavandou
4 notable places within an hour's drive.
scenic viewpoint
Mont Faron Summit
A 584 m limestone mountain looming over Toulon, climbed by a narrow corniche road of tight hairpins beloved of the Tour de France; the summit offers superb views over one of Europe's finest natural harbours.
35 km · about 40 min drive
racetrack
Circuit Paul Ricard
French Formula 1 circuit near the Côte d'Azur famous for its distinctive blue and red run-off stripes.
48 km · about 55 min drive
coastal drive
Corniche de l'Esterel
A spectacular coastal road winding through the red porphyry rocks of the Esterel massif between Cannes and Frejus.
55 km · about 65 min drive
Driving roads near Le Lavandou
7 named roads, passes and coastal drives within 100km.
- 35 kmMont Faron SummitA 584 m limestone mountain looming over Toulon, climbed by a narrow corniche road of tight hairpins beloved of the Tour de France; the summit offers superb views over one of Europe's finest natural harbours.
- 55 kmCorniche de l'EsterelA spectacular coastal road winding through the red porphyry rocks of the Esterel massif between Cannes and Frejus.
- 66 kmRoute des Crêtes (Cassis)A clifftop corniche from Cassis to La Ciotat climbing the highest sea cliffs in France with stunning overlooks.
- 68 kmRoute des Cretes, Verdon GorgeA one-way clifftop loop above Europe's deepest canyon with 14 belvederes, exposed and unforgettable.
- 69 kmGorges du Verdon ViewpointEurope's deepest canyon with 700-metre limestone walls and turquoise water, viewed from multiple pull-offs along the Route des Cretes.
- 70 kmCorniche Sublime (D71)The southern rim road of the Verdon Gorge, running along the cliff edge with balcony views down to the green river.
Driving in France
- Drives on
- the right
- Petrol
- ~€1.85/litre
- Motorway tolls
- ~€10.00/100km
When to drive here
April to October
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