Between the Bouches-du-Rhone to the west, the Alpes-Maritimes to the east and the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence to the north, the department of Var is the perfect union of Provence and the cote d ' Azure. From Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer to Saint-Raphaël, it runs 400km of coastline on the Mediterranean and deploys, from north to south, 400 000 ha of wooded areas, which make it the second forest department of France.
The Var coastline, particularly protected, has preserved a wild nature but accessible notably by the path of the Littoral. Also, diversified as its coast, the hinterland combines wooded massifs, agricultural plains, lakes, rivers and vertiginous gorges. It is this mosaic of varied landscapes and all in contrasts that makes the character, anthenticity and identity of this colorful department and which places it in 2nd position of tourist destinations of France after Paris.
Local specialties
Both Provence and Côte d'Azur, all over the Var, we find on the tables the products and the cuisine of these two terroirs, such as:
Daube provençale : made of beef often marinated in red wine, carrots and herbs of the soil.
Pesto soup : soup with summer vegetables and pasta, in which is incorporated the pistou, a crushed mixture of garlic, olive oil and basil.
Aioli : "mayonnaise" based on garlic, coarse salt, egg yolks and olive oil. Accompanied by desalted and poached cod fillets, sea snails and cooked vegetables
Anchoïade : Garlic sauce, anchovy fillets, capers and olive oil, accompanying raw vegetables cut into sticks.
Ratatouille : dish made with eggplant, courgette, tomato, olive oil and aromatic herbs
Cade : Toulon equivalent of the Socca niçoise. These are pancakes made from chickpea flour.
Oil Pump : Brioche is one of 13 Christmas desserts made from flour, olive oil, sugar and orange blossom.
The pie of Tropezienne .... The recipe of the real Tart Tropezienne is secret. It is a mixture of two creamy creams between two slices of airy brioche, sprinkled with large grains of sugar ...
And of course the herbs of Provence, garlic, basil, olive oil, truffle, figs, honey, chestnuts ... as well as the wines of the 3 prestigious AOP : Bandol, Côtes de Provence And Coteaux Varois, who have made the big names in the production of wine from the Var, including the world famous Rosé.
Major events and venues
MAIN EVENTS :
The Var offers throughout the year numerous events, festivities, events and corsos of the South, some of world famous, others traditional and part of the heritage.
THE CORSO FLEURI OF BORMES-LES-MIMOSAS : for nearly 80 years it usually takes place on the last Sunday of February. It is one of the most important and oldest flower corsos.
ART AND WINE : In July and August, art is invited in the vineyards. Artistic and wine tourism in the Domaines et Châteaux du Var. On this occasion concerts, theater and dance shows, themed conferences, wine tours, picnics winemakers are organized in the fields...
THE FESTIVAL : Every year, on the last weekend of August, Solliès-Pont celebrates its divine "violet". On the village square a large fig-based meal, a large market gathering producers and artisans in the alleys of the village and guided tours of fig fields.
THE GOLDEN BOLD : the mythical 24-hour international motorcycle race is back in the Var on the famous Paul Ricard circuit at Le Castellet. It closes the FIM Endurance World Championship. Beyond the race, the Bol d'Or is an atmosphere. Concerts, fair, modern and vintage villages, ephemeral museum ... Every year, in mid-September.
THE SAILS OF SAINT-TROPEZ : attract at the end of September more than 300 modern and traditional boats, among the most beautiful units of the world. 4500 sailors, more than 260 press accreditations and a public coming by thousands share the village and the regattas.
WEEK VAROISE DE LA RANDONNEE PEDESTRE : For more than 10 years, during the week between the end of September and the beginning of October, the Var offers free guided walks and hikes to discover its massifs and its littoral.
LE ROC D'AZUR : For more than 30 years, Fréjus welcomes the Roc d'Azur every year on its Nature Base, in October! For 5 days, we live there to the rhythm of the bicycle: 20 000 cyclists, 300 exhibitors, 150 000 visitors !
FETES DE LA CHATAIGNE : every year between October and November the villages of the Massif des Maures and Var celebrate this fruit symbol of autumn. Collobrières "capital" of the chestnut is one of the must-see.
THE FESTIVAL OF THE WINE OF BANDOL : Every 1st Sunday of December, it is the privileged rendezvous of all the friends of the Appellation, invited to discover the birth of the wines, resulting from the last harvest.
FESTIVALS OF LIGHT : Free and open to all, the Fêtes de la Lumière offer 20 years of shared friendliness in a beautifully illuminated environment (in Saint-Raphaël in December).
MAIN VISITS :
The Var is an indispensable nautical destination, for the exceptional quality and beauty of its landscapes and seabed. More than 400 km of coastline and 300 days of sunshine per year, 5 inhabited islands (the Embiez, Bendor, Porquerolles, Port-Cros and the Levant), beaches, authentic coves and creeks, Toulon harbor, The Giens peninsula and the red rocks of the Esterel, fifty marinas, clubs and nautical bases and 7 "Nautical Stations" is the Mediterranean on the Var side. Lovers of sport and fresh air, nature in the Var has answered you. The department offers an incredible number of exceptional walks, on foot, by bike, on horseback, in the air or on the water ...
THE 11 UNCONTOURNABLE SITES :
SAINT-TROPEZ AND HIS GULF: Saint-Tropez is unveiled once the summer crowd dissipated. Sentinel of the sea, it keeps the entrance of the Gulf and watches over its neighbors, perched on the heights or huddled at the foot of the massif of the Moors.
CORNICHE DE L'ESTEREL : Between the red of the Esterel rocks and the deep blue of the Mediterranean, the "Corniche d'Or" reveals magnificent landscapes. The coastline carries beaches and small coves.
LES GORGES DU VERDON : In the heart of the Regional Natural Park this gigantic cut is the result of the fantastic erosion of the Verdon on the limestone plateaux of Provence. The depth of the gorges, up to 700 m, and their geographical location have favored an extreme richness of fauna and flora.
THE RADE OF TOULON : The harbor of Toulon is one of the most beautiful natural harbors of Europe. A climbing by cable car to the summit of Mont-Faron allows to admire the panorama. Then embark at the port of Toulon for a commented tour of the harbor and the military port.
THE ISLANDS OF HYERES : Porquerolles, Port-Cros and Le Levant, offer idyllic landscapes. Beaches of fine sand, turquoise waters, cliffs and pine trees punctuate the landscape, punctuated by many forts.
LE MASSIF DES MAURES : It is one of the wildest and most ancient lands in Provence. Covered with cork oaks and chestnut groves.
ABBEY OF THE THORONET : True Cistercian wonder of the 12th century, it was built according to an ancestral technique, all made of carved stones, without mortar.
FREJUS, CITY OF ART AND HISTORY : Frejus has retained the imprint of the centuries it has passed through and today offers the visitor a real journey through time.
THE BASILICA OF SAINT-MAXIMIN AND THE SAINTE-BAUME : Take the Chemin des Rois and climb to the cave where Saint Mary Magdalene ends her life.
THE PERCHES VILLAGES OF THE COUNTRY OF FAYENCE : On the first foothills of the Alps stand the eight perched villages of the Country of Fayence.
AROUND THE DRACENIA : Around Draguignan, the hills offer typical Provence landscapes and a terroir of excellence: wines, olive oil, honey and other farm cheeses.
