Le Lido de Toulon

Le Lido is on the Corniche Frederic Mistral at Le Mourillon, the run of sheltered sandy coves that Toulon built along its eastern shore, and it is a working city beach club rather than a resort one. That shows in the pricing and the pace: thirty euros gets a lounger and a parasol for the full day, which is a fraction of what the same thing costs an hour east, and the crowd is largely local. The bay here faces south into the harbour approaches, so the water is calm and the coves are shallow enough for children while still giving swimmers something to aim at. The day is structured rather than open-ended. Beach access runs from ten to six, every day except Sunday, the restaurant works a proper menu until half two, and after that a lounge and snack card takes over through the afternoon alongside the cocktail bar. Private parking with a valet is available for ten euros, which matters at Le Mourillon in July when the free spaces disappear before nine. Reserving a lounger by phone is the only way to guarantee one in high summer, and the club says so plainly.