Treat your taste buds to the tastes of the South!
The Var region has a wide range of Provence products grown under the generous sunshine of the Côte d’Azur. Olives, chestnuts, vegetables, fruits, honey and wine… A holiday in our region will introduce you to the cuisine of the south of France and its light, colourful dishes and picture-perfect Provençal markets…. You’ll have just one desire… to take the magic of the Southern France away with you… To be enjoyed without moderation (more or less)!
Vineyards in the Var regionMust-try flavours!
When you picture yourself on holiday in the Var region, you’ll probably be imagining yourself on the beach, on a sunny terrace, on a walk outside and enjoying a delicious glass of rosé! And you’d be right! The wines of the Var are lovingly produced by friendly wine-growers keen to introduce you to their products. They will be delighted to tell you the story of their grapevines and wines! In fact, the Var is the world’s top producer of rosé wine and the sixth main producer of wine in France thanks to its hot climate and exceptional sunshine. Var wines are a reflection of the Var way of life in our sunny region. We also have superb red wines that age well, and aromatic, full-bodied whites. Wine production in the Var region and its four protected designations of origin (AOC Vins de Bandol, AOC Côtes de Provence, AOC Coteaux Varois and AOC Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence in the north of the region, as well as one protected geographical indication, Vins de Pays du Var). For those who wish to visit the region’s vineyards, the Chambre Régionale d’Agriculture de PACA has launched the Route des Vins de Provence, a leading wine tourism route in France. The aim of the project? To promote the terroirs of the Var region and Provence, and to introduce amateurs to the history of the vines, wines, culture and heritage of the Provence wine-growing area. 435 cooperative cellars and vineyards in the region are at your service to make sure you find what you are looking for! In the East Var, the Maison des Vins Côtes-de-Provence (a wine collection with 800 AOP Côtes-de-Provence wines sold at “producer” prices) offers a free guided tour and tasting of 16 wines every week.
Wine in FréjusSpotlight on our wine partner!
Just 5 minutes from the campsite, you will find Château Paquette, a magnificent vineyard midway between the Mediterranean Sea and the Esterel mountains. This unique location between sea spray and volcanic rock has led to the creation of the Côtes de Provence Fréjus appellation, a symbol of the wines’ character. At Château Paquette, the experience of the Fréjus winegrowers has led them to choose typically Porvençal grape varieties such as Tibouren, Mourvèdre, Grenache and Syrah for reds, and Rolle for whites. Enjoy a glass of rosé on the banks of our beach lagoon with your feet in soft, white sand.
The Provençal way of lifeAn exceptional region
The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region is a major farming region, the largest in France for the production of fruit and vegetables, rice and cut flowers… One of the area’s leading products are the chestnuts produced primarily in the Var region in the Maures mountains, in Alpes Maritimes in Tinée, and in Alpes de Haute-Province in the Annot mountains and the Albion plateau. They boast a unique flavour and are produced in the Var under the collective trademark “Châtaignes et Marrons du Pays des Maures – Producteurs du Var”. The Solliès fig (encompassing over 700 different varieties of fig) is unique and produced by more than 100 producers in the Var in orchards spanning 306 hectares. This fruit, a symbol of the Mediterranean way of life, is purple, almost black in appearance and slightly flattened, with sweet, juicy red flesh, and makes delicious jams, dried fruits, ice cream and juices (even better, it’s organic). It has had a Protected Designation of Origin since 2011, making it the only fig DPO in France.
Unique flavours and aromasBreathe, taste, cook...
It wouldn’t be possible to go the south of France without bringing home some of it’s famous olive oil. Olive oil from Provence (Provence olive oil AOC*) is grown across the four departments of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, the Vaucluse, Bouches-du-Rhône, the Var, and various communes in Alpes Maritimes. This makes the Var the third largest department in France for olive-growing, responsible for 13.7% all of France’s production. Its 4,700 hectares produce 10-30% of the country’s olive oil. 143 out of 153 communes in the Var produce olive oil. There are also 43 olive mills, 18 cooperatives, 20 private mills and 5 communal mills. Some of these still use a traditional extraction method, grinding the olives with a millstone (the Flayosquet mill*) and pressing the paste to produce the oil. Others use more modern techniques, such as continuous production chains, to increase productivity. Today 32 varieties of olive tree are grown in the Var region. Herbes de Provence are another key ingredient in summer cuisine. The Label Rouge designation applies to a mix of herbs including rosemary, savory, oregano and basil.
* A Protected Designation of Origin (PDO/AOC) is the geographical designation of a country, region or locality which applies to a local product whose quality or characteristics are primarily or exclusively a result of the geographic location, including natural and human factors. It implies a close link between the product, the terroir and local expertise, the preeminence of the soil and terroir, and the notion that the product cannot be produced elsewhere.
DiscoverProvençal specialities
In the Var region, producers in the network “A la découverte des terroirs du Var” (Discovering the Var Terroirs) have opened their doors and invite you to discover their seasonal farming products and farms. These include the Route de la Truffe, where you’ll discover the aromatic and prized truffle for which Haut Var is renowned! The Var truffle trail will also give you an opportunity to experience the splendour of the area’s landscapes. The same goes for the region’s honey, with some 33,000 hives and 110 professional apiarists who produce almost 800 tons of honey a year. Var honey at the head of the pack nationally not only in terms of quantity but also in terms of quality, and this famous honey is found in products such as Provence nougat, honey sweets and artisan spice bread… Which is why Var honey has its own Protected Geographical Indication, “Miel de Provence (lavender, rosemary, tree heath, Darley Dale heath, chestnut and Provençal wild honey).