On the beach
Right now
Live conditions from Open-Meteo, refreshed hourly.
7-day outlook
7-day marine forecast from Open-Meteo.
Sea temperature
Next 7 days, °C
Wave height
Next 7 days, metres
View as table
| Day | Sea temp (°C) | Wave height (m) |
|---|---|---|
| Wed 2 | 26.7 | 0.5 |
| Thu 3 | 27.0 | 0.3 |
| Fri 4 | 27.2 | 0.2 |
| Sat 5 | 27.0 | 0.2 |
| Sun 6 | 27.0 | 0.2 |
| Mon 7 | 27.4 | 0.2 |
| Tue 8 | 27.4 | 0.3 |
Water quality history
Official EEA classification, one rating per bathing season, 2015–2025 — real data reported by national authorities.
- 2015: Excellent2015
- 2016: Good2016
- 2017: Excellent2017
- 2018: Excellent2018
- 2019: Good2019
- 2020: Excellent2020
- 2021: Excellent2021
- 2022: Excellent2022
- 2023: Good2023
- 2024: Sufficient2024
- 2025: Good2025
Good in the most recent season, and 10 of 11 classified years rated Excellent or Good.
- Excellent
- Good
- Sufficient
- Poor
- Not classified
View as table
| Year | Classification |
|---|---|
| 2015 | Excellent |
| 2016 | Good |
| 2017 | Excellent |
| 2018 | Excellent |
| 2019 | Good |
| 2020 | Excellent |
| 2021 | Excellent |
| 2022 | Excellent |
| 2023 | Good |
| 2024 | Sufficient |
| 2025 | Good |
Typical sea temperature by month
Modeled estimatePlausible seasonal climatology derived from latitude, for illustration — not a measured average.
Monthly sea temperature
Typical range across the year, °C
View as table
| Month | Typical sea temp (°C) |
|---|---|
| Jan | 16 |
| Feb | 15 |
| Mar | 16 |
| Apr | 18 |
| May | 20 |
| Jun | 23 |
| Jul | 25 |
| Aug | 26 |
| Sep | 25 |
| Oct | 23 |
| Nov | 20 |
| Dec | 18 |
Location & nearby beaches
Nearby beaches
- 80 m
- Les Graniers661 mVar
- 1.6 km
- 1.7 km
Distances calculated as straight-line (haversine) from official coordinates.
Getting there & around
- Easy by car — there's parking close to the beach.
- Bus stop: Citadelle, about ~170 m away.
- Ferry: Saint-Tropez, about ~210 m away.
Food, stays & town
- Nearest village: Saint-Tropez, about ~100 m away.
- 52 places to eat within 1 km Closest is La PeSQuière, Le Mazagran et Lou Revelen, about ~30 m away.
- 25 places to stay mapped nearby Closest is Hôtel de la Ponche, about ~50 m away.
- 3 shops nearby, the closest about ~470 m away
What kind of beach is this?
This beach sits in a built-up resort setting, with hotels, restaurants and services clustered around it — a full-service stretch of coast that tends to be busy in peak season and quieter outside it.
Estimated from OpenStreetMap surroundings data (ODbL).
- Full-service days
Is the water clean at La Ponche?
La Ponche sits on a stretch of coast classed as a coastal bathing site, carrying an official EU Bathing Water rating of Good for the 2025 season. Under the EU Bathing Water Directive, national authorities test for intestinal enterococci and E. coli through the season and report the results the following spring — the 2025 rating was published in spring 2026, and 2026's won't follow until spring 2027. In addition to that yearly rating, some national authorities — for Croatia, the national environmental authority — publish individual water sample results during the season itself, ahead of the annual report. It sits in Var. You can park about ~160 m away.
Looking to avoid the busiest weeks? The water is typically warmest around August, with the most reliable swimming window running July–September; outside that stretch you'll find a cooler sea but a quieter beach. Over the 11 classified seasons on record, 10 have come back Excellent or Good — a track record worth checking each year rather than assuming. On site you'll find Sandy shore, Toilets, and Beach bar. Saint-Tropez — the closest town — sits about ~100 m from here.
“Good” is one point on a four-step scale — Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor — assigned once per year from that season's water samples, not a live reading. It describes how the site performs on average across the season, not the exact water quality this afternoon; for day-to-day sea conditions, see the “Right now” and 7-day outlook panels above. There are 52 places to eat within a kilometre — La PeSQuière, Le Mazagran et Lou Revelen is the closest, about ~30 m away.
Frequently asked questions
Is La Ponche a safe beach for swimming?
It's a solid yes: La Ponche is rated Good for 2025, the second tier on the EU scale, backed by 10 of 11 classified seasons at Excellent or Good. Its rating has also been trending the right way, moving from Sufficient to Good in 2025.
How warm is the sea at La Ponche right now?
Right now, the sea at La Ponche is measuring around 26°C; see the “Right now” panel above for the latest conditions. That's the reading right off Var.
Which month has the warmest sea at La Ponche?
July–September tends to be the sweet spot for swimming here, with sea temperatures usually peaking later in that stretch. That applies to the water around Var.
What's behind the water quality rating shown above?
The annual classification — Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor — is built from a full season of official testing for intestinal enterococci and E. coli, reported to the European Environment Agency each spring. Some national authorities (Croatia's IZOR among them) also publish individual samples during the season itself; La Ponche isn't yet covered by that in-season feed.
How do I get to La Ponche without a car?
By car, it's easy — parking is right by the beach. By bus, the nearest stop is Citadelle, about ~170 m away. By ferry, the nearest landing is Saint-Tropez, about ~210 m away. The nearest town is Saint-Tropez, about ~100 m away.