This year some of my French family and I treated ourselves to a post Christmas holiday in the Var, the department to our east, which has a milder climate than here in the Bouches du Rhône, but isn’t quite as touristy as the Côte d’åzur, further east.
We rented a luxurious villa on the coast, with a 180° degree view over the Mediterranean. It took only a couple of hours to drive there, and we left promptly on Boxing Day, to give us a nice afternoon for a hike. This day we crossed the Corniche to walk along the pedestrian way that extends almost 200 kilometers. The government has done a beautiful job converting the old railway bed to a cyclable and walkable path. Of course we walked further down the hill to one of the many beaches along the way. We lucked out with the weather for the four days we explored this area.
Just below our airbnb was the fabulous Domaine du Rayol, a 20 hectare garden where one can visit a variety of Mediterranean-climate gardens, from New Zealand’s to California’s. Until the railroad was built in 1890, this coast was wild and, because of the sharp inclines, not very accessible. The property was sequentially owned by a few wealthy entrepreneurs. Finally, in 1989, it was purchased by the Conservatoire du Littoral, and made available to the public. Dotted around the hillside are handsome 1920’s style buildings—the one we most lusted after was that of the Master Gardener.
Nearby was the Canadel beach of the august 1944 embarquement. Hard to imagine these tranquil Mediterranean beaches participating in a war.
We devoted one day to exploring nearby Saint Tropez, visiting the charming port on the Gulf, site seeing at the 17th century Citadel, and ogling the rich.
Our last day, when we had to exit our rental by 10:00, we took a ferry to Porquerolles, hiking over the island, and picnicking on the rocks before heading back to Aix.
