A year 2026 marked by resilience
During the New Year's address to the population, the mayor looked back on the severe weather that hit the Var coastline hard.
Between the urgency of reconstruction and the defense of his social record, he called for unity and humility in the face of environmental challenges. It was in a context marked by the scars of the storm at the end of 2025 that Gil Bernardi presented, on January 5, his New Year's wishes to the Lavandourains. Facing a packed room, the mayor addressed the topic concerning the municipality: the violence of the natural elements. "What a year!", he exclaimed, mentioning the heavy damage caused by the swell on the beaches of Cavalière and the town center, highlighting the vulnerability of a coastline exposed to the East.
CLIMATE ADAPTATION
For the mayor, these repeated events are no longer exceptional but structural. The speech took on a tone of gravity regarding the management of the coastline. He defended a strategy combining "passion and humility". While repairs are underway to save the summer season, the municipality is considering long-term solutions, even suggesting a necessary "strategic retreat" in Saint-Clair and the relocation of certain parking areas. The mayor praised the "24/7" mobilization of municipal services and security forces, as well as the solidarity of neighboring municipalities and private companies. He also sought to silence controversies over sand management, reminding that the beach nourishment permits obtained from the State are the result of long-term work.
TAX SHIELD
Beyond the climate emergency, the mayor reviewed his socio-economic actions, welcoming the fact that he had activated levers to support purchasing power. He recalled the flagship measures of his mandate: maintaining school canteen prices at 1 euro, a 10% decrease in water prices, and a 6% reduction in local taxation over six years. "No Var municipality has lowered local taxes by 6% in six years," he hammered home, valuing the redistribution to Lavandourains households at €1.7 million. This attractiveness seems to be bearing fruit, with INSEE confirming a population growth of more than 11% over the 2020-2026 period, with the population reaching 6,712 inhabitants. A dynamic that the mayor attributes to the success of the eco-district and the housing policy for working people. The security aspect occupied an important place in the address. With 17 municipal police officers and 75 video protection cameras, Le Lavandou boasts a law enforcement ratio five times higher than the national average. The mayor insisted on the Army-Nation bond, justifying the municipality's financial support for national Defense in a tense geopolitical context. "Security is the guarantee of our Freedom," he asserted. Despite a note of optimism and "gross local happiness". He confirmed that the traditional Corso Fleuri will take place as planned on March 1st. A symbolic event that intends to celebrate, in the words of Gil Bernardi borrowed from Baudelaire, the "intoxication of happiness" and the resilience of a close-knit village facing adversity.