Travel guide Var

More than a simple moment before the meal, the aperitif is an art of living to which the Var people are very attached. A direct expression of the region's southern conviviality, it is also and above all an opportunity to enjoy the mild summer evenings, in settings of often unsuspected beauty. A social and family activity.

Land of tradition, the Var is rich in its many talented craftsmen. A know-how often secular, transmitted in family, which gives birth to productions without equal. Pottery, ceramics, Christmas crib figures, fabrics, but also soaps and sculptures, all a precious living heritage that you will find from villages to markets.

The song of the cicadas is characteristic of the Mediterranean regions in summer. Of course, you will hear them everywhere in the Var during the summer season. It is in fact the males that sing to attract the females, the sound is emitted by the cymbals located in the abdomen of the insect. This is why it is called "cymbalization".

The Var is proud to produce an exceptional olive oil, among the best in Provence. A true cultural and culinary identity, this oil benefits from several PDOs in the department. Olive oil is also renowned for its health benefits and brings a touch of sunshine to your cooking.

The Var has several islands, including Bendor, les Embiez, etc. The most famous Var islands are the Golden Islands off Hyères, starting with Porquerolles, renowned for its crystal clear waters. Port-Cros,^1st national park of Europe, is also very popular while the Ile du Levant, welcomes naturist tourists.

Its mauve colour colours the fields in the summer, its delicate perfume perfumes the interiors of Provençal homes, lavender is an emblem of the Var and Provence. The delicate fragrance of this plant and its derivative, lavandin, is frequently used in perfumery. 84 tons of PDO essential oil are produced each year.

Ah the sweet perfume of the mimosa! These small flowers in the shape of yellow buttons were introduced from Australia on the French Riviera and one finds many in the Var. They grow in winter and are even the subject of festivals such as the corso fleuri in Bormes-les-Mimosas where 12 tons of yellow sprigs and 80,000 flowers dress up a dozen floats.

It is impossible to evoke the Var region without mentioning the wild nature that has developed there for millions of years. A beautiful, raw and preserved nature. Unique landscapes that take your breath away, breathtaking cliffs and elegant rivers. A stay in the Var is a good breath of fresh air between scrubland, pines and cypresses.

This emblematic tree of the Mediterranean is very common in the Var. You will see them along the streets and on the coast of most of the towns in the Var, the most famous being Hyères-les-Palmiers, which has the largest number of palm trees in France. There are so many of them on some of the avenues in Hyères that you might think you're in Miami!

This famous game typically from Provence was born in 1907. A player, suffering from rheumatism and unable to move, drew a circle around himself and threw his ball "with his feet fixed" in the ground. Thus was born this derivative of the Provençal ball that Pagnol evoked in his works. More than a simple leisure activity, petanque is a real sport.

The Var coast, which stretches over more than 400 km of sea front, is shaped by numerous capes and bays dotted with islands. The beaches are numerous and varied: creeks, fine sand or pebble beaches, windy or calm beaches, with deep waters or for families... Everyone will find something to enjoy on the beaches of the Var!

It is probably the first wine that comes to mind when one evokes the Var. A nice fresh rosé on a terrace or by the water, that immediately puts you in a vacation mood! Minuty, Bandol... Several Var AOC appellations are world famous and several Var rosés are considered the best in the world.