Evening Sunset Catamaran Cruise with Swim Cavalaire-sur-Mer

Cavalaire-sur-Mer: harbour and long sandy beach

Cavalaire-sur-Mer is a family seaside town on the Var coast, between the Saint-Tropez peninsula and Le Lavandou, set around a wide bay with one of the longest sandy beaches in the area. Its harbour, lined with palm trees and pontoons full of sailing boats, is where your evening cruise begins at 6:30 PM.

Arrive 20 minutes before departure and allow for summer traffic in town. As the catamaran slips out of the harbour you see the whole curve of the beach and the town climbing the green slopes behind it. Many visitors searching for a Cavalaire boat trip want exactly this kind of simple, relaxed outing: no long transfers, just the sea a few steps from the beach.

The coast of the Massif des Maures

Behind Cavalaire rises the Massif des Maures, a range of low wooded hills covered in cork oaks, chestnuts and pines that runs down to the sea in rocky headlands and small coves. This stretch of shoreline, followed on land by the scenic road known as the Corniche des Maures, is one of the least built-up parts of the Riviera.

From the deck of the catamaran the evening light turns the hills gold and then violet, and on clear evenings you can see the outline of the islands that lie offshore, part of a protected national park. The exact route is chosen by the skipper each evening according to the wind and the sea, so that the boat finds calm water and the best view of the sunset.

The swim stop and the aperitif on board

During the cruise the catamaran anchors so that you can take a refreshing evening dip in the sea, with a ladder at the stern to climb back on board. The water is at its warmest from July to September, but it can feel cool once the sun goes down, so bring a jacket or sweater for afterwards.

An aperitif is served on board with soft drinks, and you are welcome to bring your own meal to enjoy on deck as the sky changes colour. From the Cogolin departure only, a meal box can be pre-ordered 48 hours ahead (paid separately; not vegetarian). Around the longest days of the year, in the two weeks around 21 June, the sun may not have fully set when you return.

Cogolin and Le Lavandou: the other departure points

The same evening cruise also leaves from Cogolin and Le Lavandou, so you can choose the harbour closest to where you are staying. Cogolin's marina lies on the bay of Saint-Tropez, at the foot of a Provençal village known for its craft traditions, and is the only departure offering the optional meal box.

Le Lavandou, to the west of Cavalaire, is an old fishing port turned lively resort, with a string of fine beaches along the coast and the islands of Port-Cros and Le Levant on the horizon. Whichever harbour you choose, the experience is the same: about two hours on the water, a swim and the sunset over the sea.