Your property in the Var
Classic Provençal houses and newly built, contemporary villas feature among the exceptional property in the Var.
The area stretches from the Mediterranean coast on the Côte d’Azur to the Verdon Natural Regional Park at its northern border, meaning low-key rural properties with large gardens are available in villages like Grimaud, La Croix-Valmer and Cavalaire-sur-Mer, as well as fantastic apartments in bustling coastal towns like St Tropez.
Inside the Var
The captivating region of the Var encompasses medieval villages amid jaw-dropping rural expanses through to glamourous and bustling coastal towns such as Sainte-Maxime and St Tropez.
The Mediterranean coast makes the region perfect for those who love the water, with sailing, fishing and a multitude of water sports on offer, while the outdoor expanses of Plaine des Maures and Sainte-Baume regional park provide peerless escapism.
Inland, the area is dotted with stunning medieval villages, including La Garde-Freinet and Le Plan-de-la-Tour, as well as larger conurbations such as Draguignan and Brignoles.
Landscape
The Var offers a varied landscape, with its southern Mediterranean coastline including some of the most sought-after destinations on the Côte d’Azur.
Away from the coast, enchanting medieval villages sit perched on hilltops, while true escapism is widely available in its numerous regional parks.
Education
For families relocating to the area, there are limited options in terms of international schools within the Var.
However, several excellent international schools are in towns and cities close to the Var region, notably the highly sought-after Mougins School, an international institution located near the high-tech park of Sophia Antipolis, which teaches students aged 3 – 18 and follows the British curriculum.
In terms of further education, the Aix-Marseille University in neighbouring region Bouches-du-Rhône, is ranked among the top 10 universities in France, while the University of Côte d’Azur in Nice is considered among the top 20 universities in the country. It includes 13 member institutions, including the prestigious Nice Sophia Antipolis University.
Activities and Entertainment
This exceptionally diverse département caters to countless interests, with its captivating coastline and stunning islands, glitzy port-towns and jaw-dropping countryside.
The area’s ancient architecture is truly wondrous, with the Monastère de la Verne in the Massif des Maures to the Abbaye de Thoronet providing an insight into the past.
There are boundless opportunities for true adventure, with the Grotte de Ste-Madeleine caves near La Ste-Baume said to be where Mary Magdalene spent her final years, the Vallon Sourn nature reserve in Correns, which offers walking, cycling, canoeing, wild swimming and even rock climbing, and France’s first marine national park on the island of Île de Port-Cros.
Art and Culture
Whether it’s a religious festival or a modern, international celebration, the Var has an outstanding calendar of must-see events covering culture, music, art and sport.
The costumed parade as part of Festival of Saint-Marcel in Barjois is one of its many traditional spectacles, while the Corsos Fleuris, where chariots decorated with flowers and scattered with mimosa blossoms parade through the streets of Bormes-les-Mimosas is a real treat particular to the region.
Throughout the year, various music events including jazz festivals take place, while the region also hosts the French Formula 1 Grand Prix at Ciruit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, and the Bol d’Or 24-hour endurance motorcycle race.
Food and Drink
Agricultural the Var generates an exceptional amount of produce, with local specialities including figs, honey, wine, olive oil, chestnuts, truffles and cheese, not to mention the abundant array of fruit and vegetables it also grows.
This means its restaurants, bistros and cafés serve exceptional food inspired both by its coastal and rural influences, with ratatouilles, fish soups, and anything with truffle often gracing menus, alongside excellent meat dishes, and locally-inspired desserts such as pain d’épices (a cinnamon and fruit bread) and traditional Provençal frangipane.
The region boasts the oldest vineyards in France, meaning its wine is renowned across the country and around the world: The Côtes de Provence, Bandol and Côteaux all have PDO, or Protected Designation of Origin, accreditation, with rosé making up most of the production, but reds and whites developing solid reputations.
Accessibility
The area is most easily accessed via Toulon Hyères Airport, while the larger Marseille Provence Airport sits further west in Bouches-du-Rhône. Nice Côte d’Azur Airport is roughly 100 kilometres away from Grimaud in south-eastern the Var.
Toulon is also on the country’s high-speed train network, with the 430-mile journey to Paris possible in just over 6 hours.
For those arriving by sea, St Tropez marina is for private and pleasure boats and has 734 moorings, while Port Grimaud has 280 visitor berths from a total of 1,100.
By road, the département is served by the A8 and A57 autoroutes.