Cavalaire-sur-Mer, France

Cavalaire is the southernmost beach resort along the Cote d’Azur, and takes pride in its distinction from nearby St. Tropez. Where the latter is all about glamour and glitz, and notably expensive in season, Cavalaire has a family-friendly atmosphere that mainly exploits its three-mile sandy beach and a wide variety of watersports to be enjoyed in the clear, clean waters. The beach was used by the Allies during the invasion of the Provence coast in 1944, but today it hosts a battalion of tots with sand pails and couples with coolers. Along the coast in both directions are a scattering of the hidden coves with creeks and small sandy beaches that give privacy to those with skills to handle the descents. Others, such as Bonporteau and Le Dattier are more easily accessed. Offshore, the playgrounds of the Iles d’Or beckon, and Porquerolles is a short ferry ride away. In the Massif des Maures behind the town, villages like Collobrieres and La Mole invite a pleasant stroll. The 17-acre Domaine de Rayol contains a variety of the sorts of scenic seaside gardens that are the pride of the Cote d’Azur.