Exploring the Var Read about the best outings in the Provence and the French Riviera
La Baume - La Palmeraie is ideally located to discover the Var, the Mediterranean Sea and the hinterland with lovely Provençal scents. A few minutes from the campsite, you can enjoy the splendid beaches and unspoiled bays edging the Esterel massif and further along the French Riviera. You can also visit the pleasant towns and villages along the coast, such as Cannes, Saint-Tropez or Saint-Raphaël. In the hinterland, you can stroll through Tourtour, a high perched village, Sillans and its waterfall and of course the spectacular Gorges du Verdon. Lovers of art and history will also find enough reasons to book a holiday in the Var; they’ll appreciate the art galleries of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, the Musée de l'Annonciade and the Roman monuments of Fréjus. Gourmets can visit the Provençal markets and discover the regional products, as well as the local gastronomy.
Porquerolles Island
A nature getaway in the Mediterranean
Extending 7 kilometres in length and 2.5 in width, Porquerolles is the biggest of the Hyères Islands. Accessible by ferry, the island can be explored on foot or by bicycle. Beaches lined with pines and heather stretch out along its northern coast, while a few easy-to-reach coves are carved into the steep-walled southern coast. Around the port, restaurants await, as well as shops where you can rent a bicycle to tour the island.
Toulon
One of the loveliest harbours on the Mediterranean
Toulon is tucked away in one of the most beautiful harbours on the Mediterranean Sea that can be visited by boat. Marked by its past as a military city, Toulon is home to the Naval Museum, which revisits the history of the French Navy. The Mont Faron Cable Car will take you to the top of the mountain, where a viewpoint treats you to the superb sight of the town and the harbour.
Sillans-la-Cascade
A heavenly outing
Surrounded by forests, Sillans-la-Cascade is an exquisite village enclosed within ramparts and criss-crossed by cobblestone streets with authentic charm. At the entrance to the village, the River Bresque rushes down the topography of the Var hinterland, forming a waterfall that flows into a small emerald lake from the height of its 42 metres.
Tourtour
A traditional Provence village
Like a tightrope walker on a wooded ridge, Tourtour is a stunning mediaeval village dotted with old homes, squares and fountains, where the narrow streets are interconnected by arched passages. This village offers all the authentic charms of a Provence village in the land of Fayence. Stop a while on the esplanade in front of the church to appreciate the gorgeous panoramic views from the Luberon region to the Maures mountains.
Monaco
A principality between land and sea
The Principality of Monaco is split in two. Protected by the ramparts of its old town, Monaco receives its visitors in a network of lanes lined with 16th to 18th century houses in pink hues, whilst Monte Carlo features luxury hotels and a superb casino designed by Charles Garnier, the architect of the Paris opera house. The Oceanographic Museum is a must for any trip to the principality, as are its splendid exotic gardens clinging to the rocks facing the sea.
Verdon Gorge
Nature’s masterpiece
A gigantic furrow carved out of the limestone rocks of the Var and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence departments by the emerald waters of the Verdon, this canyon is one of the most beautiful nature sites in all of Europe. The sight of the towering cliffs is equally spectacular, whether seen from the riverbed or the viewpoints scattered around its heights. It offers a unique setting for a hike or a white water sport like canoeing.