The Sainte-Baume Massif
Between Marseille and Toulon, the Sainte-Baume massif culminates at more than 1150 meters. The Regional Park offers an incredible playground for lovers of nature activities: hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, paragliding… The fauna and flora are remarkable, with a great variety of animal species: Tengmalm’s owl, roe deer, Osprey, Grey Gobemouche, Bonelli’s eagle, Scops owl, diving owl, owl owl, bunting proyer… But the Sainte-Baume is also remarkable with a unique heritage in Europe. Mary Magdalene, a character from the Gospels, is said to have come to take refuge in a cave near the summit, which is now occupied by a church and a monastery. The Basilica of Saint-Maximin is the largest Gothic building in Provence. This remarkable monument protects part of the relics of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine. During your walks in the Park, you will sometimes come across cylindrical constructions that are mostly buried. These coolers once produced the ice loaves for the inhabitants of Marseille, Toulon or Aix-en-Provence.
Museums in the Var department
Landscapes and beaches must not overshadow the cultural attractions of the Var. The many Museums in the Var department will surprise you. The Jean Aicard / Paulin-Bertrand museum in La Garde, the Maison monsoise in Mons, the Balaguier museum in La Seyne-sur-Mer, the Espace Castellas de Forcalqueiret, the Queen Victoria museum in Hyères, the Asian arts museum in Toulon, the Musée des Gueules Rouges in Tourves, and many more…