The people of Le Lavandou demanded their independence from Bormes-les-Mimosas in 1907. After 4 years of sometimes difficult discussion, the State Council finally passed a law making Le Lavandou a town and the French President, Raymond Poincaré, signed the decree on May 25th 1913. Since then, several mayors have run the 2965 ha area. Le Lavandou has expanded from a hamlet with 974 fishermen to a sea resort with a population of 6047 which was home to the former French President’s summer residence in Cap Nègre. Le Lavandou has been part of the Mediterranean-Porte des Maures Interregional Council since 2013.
Mayors of Lavandou since 1913
1913-1920
Doctor
Paul Reynaud
1920-1925
Hotelier
Célestin Carrere
1925-1926
Diplomat
Maurice Rivaud
1926-1929
Hotelier
Germain Fabre
1929-1938
Doctor
Paul Daydé
1938-1944
Treasurer
Albert Bluzet
1944-1944
Tax inspector
Ulysse Richard
1944-1945
Accountant
Armand Bertora
1945-1955
Pharmacist
Marius Dorie
1955-1959
Doctor
Paul Daydé
1959-1971
Pharmacist
Marius Dorie
1971-1975
Doctor
Marc Legouhy
1975-1976
Teacher
Georges Blanchard
1976-1977
Doctor
Paul-Emile Duroux
1977-1995
Entrepreneur
Louis Faedda
1995-2026
Writer
Gil Bernardi
Because of their skills and disinterest, many of La Lavandou’s mayors were given departmental or regional mandates as the role (unpaid) was voluntary and only for candidates free from want. Most of them were educated humanists who worked for the common good, without recognition, and very few of them were born in La Lavandou. Over the course of the mandates, the topography of the locations changed massively, especially in terms of accommodation which went from luxury villas to collective housing; from the public arena to private occupation of the coastline and the development of Le Lavandou port. Mass tourism opened the doors to developers signed off by magistrates who were constantly in search of new revenue streams.
Marius Dorie was born in 1887 and died in Le Lavandou in 1982. He was an activist in the French Section of the Workers’ International, twice elected Mayor of Le Lavandou (1945-1955 and 1959-1971), General Councillor of the Var, member of the Rotary, epicurean, humanist and extensive traveller to whom we owe Le Lavandou’s coat of arms. He wrote several books including "Lettres du Japon - Voyage aux Indes" which was published in 1964 and one of the last copies was sold at auction in 2010 in Paris.
