.gif)
Var (département)
Encyclopedia
The Var is a French department in the region
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
in Provence
, in southeast France. It takes its name from the river Var, which used to flow along its eastern boundary, but the boundary was moved in 1860. The Var is bordered on the east by the department of Alpes-Maritimes
; to the west by Bouches-du-Rhône
to the north of the Verdon River
by the department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
, and to the south by the Mediterranean Sea.
Toulon
is the largest city and administrative capital of the Var. Other important towns in the Var include Fréjus
, Saint-Raphael
, Draguignan
, Brignoles
and Hyères
.
The Var is known for the harbour of Toulon, the main port of the French Navy
; for its seaside resorts, the most famous of which is Saint-Tropez
; for some fine examples of Romanesque and medieval architecture, such as the Le Thoronet Abbey
and Fréjus Cathedral
; and for its wines, particularly the wines of Bandol
.
, on March 4, 1790, from a portion of the former Royal province of Provence. Its capital was originally Toulon, but this was moved to Grasse
in 1793 to punish the Toulonnais for having handed the town to British in 1793. The capital was moved to Brignoles in 1795, then to Draguignan in 1797. It was not returned to Toulon until 1974.
56% of the Var is covered with forest. Its geological formations are divided into two regions; one composed of limestone to the west of a line between Toulon and Draguignan; and of crystalline rock (quartz) to the east.
The department is in the foothills of the Alps and is largely mountainous. The major mountains include:
The Plain of Canjuers is located in the north of the Var, and gradually rises from 500 to metres. In the south and west there are several plateaus, such as the plateau of Siou Blac to the north of Toulon, which rise from 400 to 700 metres in altitude.
, slightly warmer, dryer and sunnier than Nice and the Alpes-Maritime, but also less sheltered from the wind. Toulon has an average of 2899.3 hours of sunshine each year. The average maximum daily temperature in August is 29.1 °C, and the average daily minimum temperature in January is 5.8 °C. The average annual rainfall is 665 mm. Winds exceeding 16 m/s (57.6 km/h) blow an average of 116 days per year in Toulon, compared with 77 days per year at Fréjus further east.
In 2004–2005, the population of the urban area of Toulon was estimated at persons, of whom lived in Toulon itself: in La Seyne-sur-Mer
; in Hyères
; and in Six-Fours-les-Plages.
The population of other important towns, according to the 2004–2005 estimate:
The construction industry employs workers in the Var of which work alone. companies employ the salaried employees. Industry generates an annual turnover of €2.5 billion. Of this, €500 million is derived from public works.
Other important agricultural products include olives (cultivated on 42 km2 of land—a quarter of all French olive groves—and processed in 40 mills), figs (the Var produces 80% of France's figs), and honey (800 tonnes per year). There are also 9 km2 of market gardens.
Agricultural turnover in the Var is 610 million per year, of which 45% is sales of wines and 42% of horticultural products.
In 2008 the Var received approximately €15 million in farm subsdies under the EU Common Agriculture Policy, an average of about €6000 per recipient farm. This compares with an average across France as a whole of over €18,000 per farm.
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur or PACA is one of the 27 regions of France.It is made up of:* the former French province of Provence* the former papal territory of Avignon, known as Comtat Venaissin...
in Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, in southeast France. It takes its name from the river Var, which used to flow along its eastern boundary, but the boundary was moved in 1860. The Var is bordered on the east by the department of Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes
Alpes-Maritimes is a department in the extreme southeast corner of France.- History : was created by Octavian as a Roman military district in 14 BC, and became a full Roman province in the middle of the 1st century with its capital first at Cemenelum and subsequently at Embrun...
; to the west by Bouches-du-Rhône
Bouches-du-Rhône
Bouches-du-Rhône is a department in the south of France named after the mouth of the Rhône River. It is the most populous department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Its INSEE and postal code is 13.-History of the department:...
to the north of the Verdon River
Verdon River
The Verdon is a 166 km long river in south-eastern France, left tributary of the Durance. Its source is at an altitude of 2819 m, in the south-western Alps , between the col d'Allos and the Trois Eveches mountain, south of Barcelonnette...
by the department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence is a French department in the south of France, it was formerly part of the province of Provence.- History :Nord-de-Provence was one of the 83 original departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
, and to the south by the Mediterranean Sea.
Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
is the largest city and administrative capital of the Var. Other important towns in the Var include Fréjus
Fréjus
Fréjus is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It neighbours Saint-Raphaël, effectively forming one town...
, Saint-Raphael
Saint-Raphaël, Var
Saint-Raphaël is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Immediately to the west of Saint-Raphaël lies another, older, town called Fréjus, and together they form an urban agglomeration known as Fréjus Saint-Raphaël...
, Draguignan
Draguignan
Draguignan is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in southeastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department and self-proclaimed "capital of Artillery" and "Porte du Verdon".The city is only from St...
, Brignoles
Brignoles
Brignoles is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.It was the summer residence of the counts of Provence...
and Hyères
Hyères
Hyères , Provençal Occitan: Ieras in classical norm or Iero in Mistralian norm) is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France....
.
The Var is known for the harbour of Toulon, the main port of the French Navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
; for its seaside resorts, the most famous of which is Saint-Tropez
Saint-Tropez
Saint-Tropez is a town, 104 km to the east of Marseille, in the Var department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. It is also the principal town in the canton of Saint-Tropez....
; for some fine examples of Romanesque and medieval architecture, such as the Le Thoronet Abbey
Le Thoronet Abbey
Le Thoronet Abbey is a former Cistercian abbey built in the late twelfth and early thirteenth century, now restored as a museum. It is sited between the towns of Draguignan and Brignoles in the Var Department of Provence, in southeast France...
and Fréjus Cathedral
Fréjus Cathedral
Fréjus Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral, and a national monument of France, situated in the town of Fréjus in the Var department of Provence, in southeast France....
; and for its wines, particularly the wines of Bandol
Bandol
Bandol is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...
.
History
The Department of the Var was created at the time of the French RevolutionFrench Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, on March 4, 1790, from a portion of the former Royal province of Provence. Its capital was originally Toulon, but this was moved to Grasse
Grasse
-See also:*Route Napoléon*Ancient Diocese of Grasse*Communes of the Alpes-Maritimes department-External links:*...
in 1793 to punish the Toulonnais for having handed the town to British in 1793. The capital was moved to Brignoles in 1795, then to Draguignan in 1797. It was not returned to Toulon until 1974.
- 1815 - Following the defeat of Napoleon at WaterlooBattle of WaterlooThe Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
the department was occupied by Austrian troops until November 1818. - 1854 – The first railroad reaches Toulon.
- 1860 – With the creation of the new department of Alpes-MaritimesAlpes-MaritimesAlpes-Maritimes is a department in the extreme southeast corner of France.- History : was created by Octavian as a Roman military district in 14 BC, and became a full Roman province in the middle of the 1st century with its capital first at Cemenelum and subsequently at Embrun...
, following the annexation by France of Nice, the eastern part of the department, including Grasse, was moved to the new department. This move also shifted the Var River, which had given the department its name, to the new Department. - 1884 – A choleraCholeraCholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
epidemic struck Toulon. The leader of the fight against the epidemic was Georges ClemenceauGeorges ClemenceauGeorges Benjamin Clemenceau was a French statesman, physician and journalist. He served as the Prime Minister of France from 1906 to 1909, and again from 1917 to 1920. For nearly the final year of World War I he led France, and was one of the major voices behind the Treaty of Versailles at the...
, a doctor and a member of the National Assembly for the Seine region. He was elected Deputy from the Var from 1888 to 1893 and Senator from 1902 to 1920, during which time he also served as Prime Minister. - 1914–1918 – The First World War stimulates growth in shipyards and military industries in the region, but weakens the agricultural and food industry.
- 1942 – The German Army moves from Occupied France into the Unoccupied Zone, including the Var. The French Fleet is sabotaged in Toulon Harbor to keep it from falling into German hands. The Maquis VallierMaquis VallierThe Maquis Vallier was one of the maquis groups of resistance fighters during World War II. The maquis operated in the north of the Var département, particularly in the Verdon valley....
, a group of maquisMaquis (World War II)The Maquis were the predominantly rural guerrilla bands of the French Resistance. Initially they were composed of men who had escaped into the mountains to avoid conscription into Vichy France's Service du travail obligatoire to provide forced labour for Germany...
resistanceFrench ResistanceThe French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
fighters, is active. - August 15, 1944 – American and Free French forces land at Cap Nègre, at Trayas, at Saint-TropezSaint-TropezSaint-Tropez is a town, 104 km to the east of Marseille, in the Var department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. It is also the principal town in the canton of Saint-Tropez....
, at Sainte-MaximeSainte-MaximeSainte-Maxime is a commune and city in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. I.e. on the French Riviera in southeastern France from Nice and from Marseille.-Village:...
and at Saint-RaphaëlSaint-RaphaëlSaint-Raphaël can refer to the following French communes:* Saint-Raphaël, Dordogne, a French commune in the Dordogne département* Saint-Raphaël, Var, a French commune in the Var départementIt is also the name of:...
. The Free French fleet arrived at Toulon on September 13. - 1960s – About one hundred thousand French citizens were repatriated from AlgeriaAlgeriaAlgeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
following the Algerian War of IndependenceAlgerian War of IndependenceThe Algerian War was a conflict between France and Algerian independence movements from 1954 to 1962, which led to Algeria's gaining its independence from France...
, and settled in the Var Department.
Geography
The Department of the Var has a surface area of , and 420 km of coastline, including the offshore islands.56% of the Var is covered with forest. Its geological formations are divided into two regions; one composed of limestone to the west of a line between Toulon and Draguignan; and of crystalline rock (quartz) to the east.
The department is in the foothills of the Alps and is largely mountainous. The major mountains include:
- Massif des Maures (771 m) and Massif de l'Esterel, along the coast, (618 m) are made of quartz rock.
- The Sainte-BaumeSainte-BaumeThe Sainte-Baume is a mountain ridge spreading between the départements of Bouches-du-Rhône and Var in southern France...
mountain ridge , which lies in the west. - Mountain of Lachens , in the northwest of the department, and the highest point in the Var.
The Plain of Canjuers is located in the north of the Var, and gradually rises from 500 to metres. In the south and west there are several plateaus, such as the plateau of Siou Blac to the north of Toulon, which rise from 400 to 700 metres in altitude.
- The Canyon du Verdon, the gorge of the Verdon River, is a popular place for hikers, kayakers, and nature lovers.
- The Îles d'HyèresÎles d'HyèresThe Îles d'Hyères is a group of three islands off Hyères in the Var département, in the south-east of France. The three mediterranean islands are named Porquerolles, Port-Cros and Île du Levant. Together, they make up an area of .-See also:...
(or Porquerolles) is a group of three islands off HyèresHyèresHyères , Provençal Occitan: Ieras in classical norm or Iero in Mistralian norm) is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France....
The islands are named Porquerolles, Port-Cros, and Île du Levant. Together, they make up an area of 26 km2. They can be reached by boat from either Hyeres or Toulon.
Climate
The Department of the Var has a Mediterranean climateMediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate is the climate typical of most of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, and is a particular variety of subtropical climate...
, slightly warmer, dryer and sunnier than Nice and the Alpes-Maritime, but also less sheltered from the wind. Toulon has an average of 2899.3 hours of sunshine each year. The average maximum daily temperature in August is 29.1 °C, and the average daily minimum temperature in January is 5.8 °C. The average annual rainfall is 665 mm. Winds exceeding 16 m/s (57.6 km/h) blow an average of 116 days per year in Toulon, compared with 77 days per year at Fréjus further east.
Population
In 2007, the population of the Var was estimated at , of whom nearly half live in and around Toulon.In 2004–2005, the population of the urban area of Toulon was estimated at persons, of whom lived in Toulon itself: in La Seyne-sur-Mer
La Seyne-sur-Mer
La Seyne-sur-Mer, or La Seyne is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. It is part of the agglomeration of Toulon, and is situated adjacent to the west of this city.-Economy:...
; in Hyères
Hyères
Hyères , Provençal Occitan: Ieras in classical norm or Iero in Mistralian norm) is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France....
; and in Six-Fours-les-Plages.
The population of other important towns, according to the 2004–2005 estimate:
- Fréjus –
- Saint-Raphael –
- Draguignan –
- Brignoles –
Industry
The principal industry of the Var is tourism, thanks largely to the enormous summer influx of tourists to the Mediterranean coastal towns, and to the Verdon River Canyon and hilltop villages of the Var.The construction industry employs workers in the Var of which work alone. companies employ the salaried employees. Industry generates an annual turnover of €2.5 billion. Of this, €500 million is derived from public works.
Agriculture
800 km2 or 13% of the total area is dedicated to agriculture, on which people (14% of the Var working population) depend for their livelihoods. The department also has 10 km2 of horticultural land (of which 4 km2 are covered). The Var is France's largest grower of cut flowers, producing some 500 million stems a year. Livestock farming is mainly sheep ( head) and goats ( head). Vines and viticultural related activities account for 345 km2 of farmland. The 450 domaines / cooperatives and the 4 AOCs (appellation d'origine controlleé) produce 150 million litres of wine a year. The Var leads the world in the production of rose wine.Other important agricultural products include olives (cultivated on 42 km2 of land—a quarter of all French olive groves—and processed in 40 mills), figs (the Var produces 80% of France's figs), and honey (800 tonnes per year). There are also 9 km2 of market gardens.
Agricultural turnover in the Var is 610 million per year, of which 45% is sales of wines and 42% of horticultural products.
In 2008 the Var received approximately €15 million in farm subsdies under the EU Common Agriculture Policy, an average of about €6000 per recipient farm. This compares with an average across France as a whole of over €18,000 per farm.
Viticulture
- AOC Coteaux varois en Provence is a recent in Provence. The name Coteaux Varois was first used in 1945, and became an AOC in 1993. the name was changed to Couteaux Varois en Provence in 2005. The red wines principally use the grenacheGrenacheGrenache is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world. It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditions such as those found in Spain, the south of France, and California's San Joaquin Valley. It is generally spicy, berry-flavored and soft on the palate with a relatively...
, cinsautCinsautCinsaut or Cinsault is a red wine grape, whose heat tolerance and productivity make it important in Languedoc-Roussillon and the former French colonies of Algeria and Morocco...
, mourvèdreMourvèdreMourvèdre , Mataró or Monastrell is wine grape variety used to make both strong, dark red wines and rosés. It is an international variety grown in many regions around the world....
and syrah grapes. White wines use the clairetteClairette-People:*Clairette , a French-Canadian actress and singer-Wines:*Clairette de Die AOC, a French sparkling wine appellation*Clairette blanche, a white grape variety* Clairette Ronde, synonym for the grape variety Trebbiano...
, grenache blancGrenache BlancGrenache blanc is a variety of white wine grape that is related to the red grape Grenache. It is mostly found in Rhône wine blends and in northeast Spain. Its wines are characterized by high alcohol and low acidity, with citrus and or herbaceous notes. Its vigor can lead to overproduction and...
, rolle blanc, Sémillon Blanc, and Ugni Blanc. There are 22 km2 in this AOL. It produces 80% rosés, 17% red wines, and 3% white wines. - Bandol AOC, is grown on the coast west of Toulon, mostly around the villages of La Cadière-d'AzurLa Cadière-d'AzurLa Cadière-d'Azur is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It is situated north-west of Toulon next to Le Castellet and Saint Cyr Sur Mer.-Wine:...
and CastelletCastelletCastellet is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Geography:The river Calavon forms all of the commune's northern border. Castellet is situated above the Cote d'Azur on a hill.-References:*...
. Wines of this appellation must have at least 50% MourvèdreMourvèdreMourvèdre , Mataró or Monastrell is wine grape variety used to make both strong, dark red wines and rosés. It is an international variety grown in many regions around the world....
grapes, though most have considerably more. Other grapes used are GrenacheGrenacheGrenache is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world. It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditions such as those found in Spain, the south of France, and California's San Joaquin Valley. It is generally spicy, berry-flavored and soft on the palate with a relatively...
, Cinsault Syrah and Carignan.
Tourism
Popular tourist attractions in the Var include:- The port and beaches of Saint-TropezSaint-TropezSaint-Tropez is a town, 104 km to the east of Marseille, in the Var department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. It is also the principal town in the canton of Saint-Tropez....
- The beach of Cavalaire-sur-MerCavalaire-sur-MerCavalaire-sur-Mer is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-History:During World War II, on August 16, 1944, it was one of the sites of a beach landing in Operation Dragoon, the Allied invasion of southern FranceCavalaire-sur-Mer is probably...
, the longest sand beach on the coast. - Boat tours of the Rade, or harbor, of Toulon, the main anchorage of the French Navy.
- Wind-surfing offshore of the peninsula of Giens
- Le Thoronet AbbeyLe Thoronet AbbeyLe Thoronet Abbey is a former Cistercian abbey built in the late twelfth and early thirteenth century, now restored as a museum. It is sited between the towns of Draguignan and Brignoles in the Var Department of Provence, in southeast France...
, one of the best-preserved medieval Cistercian monasteries in France. - The Baptistery of Fréjus CathedralFréjus CathedralFréjus Cathedral is a Roman Catholic cathedral, and a national monument of France, situated in the town of Fréjus in the Var department of Provence, in southeast France....
, the oldest Christian structure in Provence. - The hilltop village of Bormes-les-MimosasBormes-les-MimosasBormes-les-Mimosas is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It has a Mediterranean climate.Bormes-les-Mimosas is a city in bloom and won the 2003 Gold Medal awarded by the Entente Florale...
- The Iles d'HyeresÎles d'HyèresThe Îles d'Hyères is a group of three islands off Hyères in the Var département, in the south-east of France. The three mediterranean islands are named Porquerolles, Port-Cros and Île du Levant. Together, they make up an area of .-See also:...
, including the underwater natural park around the Ile de Port-Cros. - Hiking in the Massif de l'Esterel
- The hilltop villages of MontaurouxMontaurouxMontauroux is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Its neighbor town is the picturesque Callian which can be seen across a small valley.-Geography:...
, FayenceFayenceFayence is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Fayence is one of a series of "perched villages" overlooking the plain between the southern Alps and the Esterel massif, which borders the sea between Cannes and Saint-Raphaël. Fayence is a...
, CallianCallian, VarCallian is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-See also:*Communes of the Var department*-References:*...
, SeillansSeillansSeillans is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It is a ville perché overlooking the plain between the southern Alps and the Esterel, which borders the sea between Cannes and Saint-Raphaël...
, TourrettesTourrettes, VarTourrettes is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Tourrettes is one of a series of "perched villages" overlooking the plain between the southern Alps and the Esterel massif, which borders the sea between Cannes and Saint-Raphaël....
, Saint-Paul-en-ForêtSaint-Paul-en-ForêtSaint-Paul-en-Forêt is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...
, MonsMons, VarMons is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Geography:Situated at an altitude of 814 metres the commune of Mons encompasses a vast territory of in the Var, Provence, ranging from 214 metres to 1715 metres at the summit of Mont-Lachens...
and TanneronTanneronTanneron is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...
in the FayenceFayenceFayence is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Fayence is one of a series of "perched villages" overlooking the plain between the southern Alps and the Esterel massif, which borders the sea between Cannes and Saint-Raphaël. Fayence is a...
region. - The Canyon du Verdon, Lac de Sainte-Croix, and the hilltop villages of the upper Var.
- The hilltop villages, wine caveWine caveWine caves are subterranean structures for the storage and aging of wine. They are an integral component of the wine industry world wide. The design and construction of wine caves represents a unique application of underground construction techniques....
s and vinyards near BandolBandolBandol is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...
.
See also
- Cantons of the Var department
- Communes of the Var department
- Arrondissements of the Var department