Var Holiday Guide
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Easy access, well developed and lots to offer holidaymakers
The airports of Nice, Marseille and the department's own airport of Toulon make it easy to reach by air, while the Var also has excellent rail links and auto routes. Its resort towns are well developed for tourism, and offer a level of sophistication rarely found along the other coasts. Inland there are lovely, historic towns and villages, a feast of gastronomic delights to try and a culture that can only be found in the true south of France.
Top 5 things to see and do in the Var
1. Enjoy the seaside
Inland Provence is beautiful, but the Var's Côte d'Azur coastline is absolutely stunning, and offers world famous resorts such as St Tropez. There are sophisticated resorts where you can spot stars of stage and screen on holiday, dramatic cliffs dropping to lovely beaches and azure seas, water sports and seafood. There is something to suit everyone in the Var's seaside areas, and the coast here is blessed with a supremely sunny and warm climate on top.
2. Gorges of Verdon
The Var is home to the south of France's very own Grand Canyon, the jaw dropping Gorges of Verdon. An entire holiday can be based here, with the possibility of boating on the intensely blue waters of the lake and adventurous activities such as canyoning, rock climbing and paragliding all on offer. In fact swimming and sunbathing, art and photography, camping, walking, horse-riding and just about every outdoor pastime you can dream up is available. The canyon is some 700 metres deep, and with its pure, turquoise waters, has to be one of the most amazing and beautiful places on earth.
3. Sample the nightlife
The resorts and larger towns of the department have a sophisticated and lively social scene, with nightlife enough to keep even the most dedicated party animals happy. Sip cocktails on the seafront, dine out in the best of restaurants, try your luck in a casino or simply dance the night away in a discothèque or nightclub, the choice is yours.
4. Explore picturesque villages
The Var is part of the legendary Provence, and inland it offers a taste of this region that is quite unlike that found at the coast. Inland, the countryside can be rocky and dramatic, but also soft and pretty as a picture, with olive groves, vineyards, lavender and mimosa. The old villages are unchanged by the years, and days spent wandering the ancient, cobbled streets, looking at pastel-coloured houses, lovely churches, ancient fortifications, fountains and wash houses, once the hub of village life, is as educational as it is entertaining.
5. Taste the wines
The Var produces a significant number of good wines, with the area round Bandol being one of the best in France for a delicious rosé (although the reds and whites are also very good). The rosé wine from here is pale and crystalline, delicate in flavour and texture and quite, quite different from those robust "almost reds" found in many other places. They say that once you have discovered a Bandol rosé, you will never want to drink anything else. Whether or not this is true is up to you, but it is certainly well worth testing the theory for yourself!
Top 5 towns and cities in the Var
1. Toulon
Toulon is the Var's capital city, and is important in several ways. Its naval base and fishing fleet are hugely significant, but the city is also a centre for various industries, one of which is tourism. The old town offers a rich heritage, while the modern sectors are great for finding a large vast collection of superb museums, and there are plenty of lovely beaches close by to make it a really perfect holiday destination.
2. St Tropez
The seaside resort of St Tropez is quite possibly one of the most famous in the world. It features in songs, films, novels, art and, of course, in history books and often in the modern day news! The peak of its popularity has passed, perhaps, but there are still possibilities to spot the stars and celebrities as they enjoy the sunshine, and to shop and enjoy the beaches of this elegant resort.
3. Bandol
Bandol may be slightly less famous, but it is a vibrant and very attractive seaside resort in its own right. Its fine, sandy beaches are ideal for family holiday fun, while the seas are clear and calm and perfect for swimming, scuba diving or snorkelling. The town offers plenty of entertainment, and the famous wines of Bandol are just waiting to be tasted. It is also possible to arrange vineyard trips and wine courses to learn about Bandol wines.
4. Castellet
Castellet is an old fortified village that is utterly typical of the inland area of the Var. Brimming with charm, its old, twisting streets wind around and between soft, stone walls of the houses (enlivened further by colourful wisteria and bougainvillea), ancient churches, and finally open onto picturesque squares where you can rest and sip a cooling drink. Castellet is full of arts and crafts shops, and it can also be a little too full of tourists in peak season, but a visit is never less than a delight.
5. Le Lavandou
Le Lavandou is a charming market town, but it is its selection of twelve stunning beaches that make it an unmissable holiday attraction. No matter who you are, what your idea of a perfect day at the beach entails, Le Lavandou has the beach for you.
Food and drink in the Var
This is Provence, and the flavours of Provence are as robust and romantic as the countryside itself. Think ripe, red tomatoes, oozing sweet juices, crisp courgettes, colourful peppers drizzled with fragrant olive oil, add a bouquet of fresh herbs and a good handful of garlic and you are beginning to get the idea. Then add the tastiest of fish and seafood, freshly brought to land, pour yourself a glass of pale, clear rosé and there you have it, Provence on your plate.
How to get to the Var
There are several airports that can be used to get to the department of the Var, but the airport at Toulon lies within the department itself, and is served by Ryanair which means flying is a cheap and quick way to arrive. The airports at Nice and Marseille are alternative options, offering a greater choice of airline and departure point. The department is also linked to the TGV rail service as well as local services, and has an excellent national and toll road network.
