Le Lavandou, France – May 21, 2025 — At least three people have died and hundreds have been displaced after torrential rain and violent storms triggered flash floods across southern France, causing widespread destruction from the Var department to southwestern regions.
Local authorities confirmed Tuesday that the bodies of an elderly couple were found in Le Lavandou, a popular seaside resort town on the French Riviera. The couple reportedly attempted to evacuate their home but were overtaken by the rapidly rising floodwaters.
“They were surprised by the very rapid rise in water levels,” said the Toulon public prosecutor, who has opened an investigation into the deaths.
Elsewhere in the region, a third victim died in the town of Vidauban after a vehicle became stranded on a flooded road. According to Vidauban Mayor Claude Pianetti, the car drove into a ditch filled with floodwater. A passer-by managed to rescue the driver but was unable to save the passenger, who was later found dead.
Emergency services in the Var department have received over 500 calls in the past 24 hours as they contend with widespread flooding, power outages, and structural damage.
More than 600 homes remained without electricity as of Tuesday afternoon. Several hundred rescue personnel, including reinforcements from nearby cities such as Cannes, have been deployed to assist with relief efforts.
Le Lavandou has been one of the worst-hit areas, with 256mm of rain falling in just one hour, devastating the Cavalière district. Images from the town show flattened trees, torn-up roads, and broken bridges. The town centre remains inaccessible, and the main road is still submerged under water.
“We are in shock at the scale of the natural disaster that struck this morning,” said officials from Le Lavandou. Local mayor Gil Bernardi described the storm as “truly violent, nasty, and incomprehensible,” adding that the town is still facing electricity and water supply outages.
Train services have also been impacted. In the Var region, at least two regional trains were halted overnight due to damage on the tracks. Further west, hailstorms and heavy rains in southwestern France disrupted travel along the Bordeaux-Toulouse railway line, with several services cancelled in the coming days.
Meteorological services had placed the Var under emergency weather alerts for thunderstorms and flooding on Tuesday morning, though these were later downgraded to the lowest warning level as conditions stabilized.
Despite the downgrade, authorities continue to urge caution as cleanup operations begin and damage assessments continue. The regional government has pledged support for affected towns and is expected to seek state aid for recovery efforts.
As southern France braces for the long recovery ahead, the deaths and destruction have cast a somber mood over an area normally bustling with tourists in late spring.
Officials are reminding residents and visitors to avoid flooded areas and to heed safety instructions as emergency crews continue to work around the clock to restore normalcy.