| Var | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coat of arms of the Var department | |
| Location | |
 | |
| Administration | |
| Department number: | 83 |
| Region: | Provence-Alpes- Côte d'Azur |
| Prefecture: | Toulon |
| Subprefectures: | Brignoles Draguignan |
| Arrondissements: | 3 |
| Cantons: | 43 |
| Communes: | 153 |
| President of the General Council: | Horace Lanfranchi |
| Statistics | |
| Population | Ranked 21st |
| -2007 -March 8, 1999 census | 990,000 |
| Population density: | 377/km² |
| Land area¹: | 5,087 km² |
| ¹ French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries, and lakes, ponds, and glaciers larger than 1 km². The term administration, as used in the context of Government, differs according to Jurisdiction. In the context of the political and geographic organization of France and many of its former colonies a department (département depaʁtǝmɑ̃ is an Administrative division France is divided into 26 regions or régions (in French of which 21 are in continental Metropolitan France, one is the island of Corsica, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (PACA ( Provençal Occitan: Provença-Aups-Còsta d'Azur in classical norm or Prouvènço-Aup-Costo d'Azur in Mistralian A prefecture ( préfecture) in France can refer to: the Chef-lieu de département, the town in which the administration of a ''département'' Toulon ( Provençal Occitan: Tolon in classical norm or Touloun in Mistralian norm is a city in southern France and a large Subprefectures (sous-préfectures are the administrative towns of arrondissements in France that do not contain the prefecture for its department. Brignoles is a town and commune of southeastern France, in the Var département, of which it is a sous-préfecture Draguignan is a French city in the Var département, of which it is a Sous-préfecture, self-proclaimed "capital The 100 French departments are divided into 342 arrondissements, which may be translated into English as districts. The 3 arrondissements of the Var department are Arrondissement of Draguignan, ( subprefecture: Draguignan) The cantons of France are territorial subdivisions of the French Republic's 341 arrondissements and 100 departments. The following is a list of the 43 cantons of the Var department, in France, sorted by arrondissement: Arrondissement The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. The following is a list of the 153 communes of the Var département, in France. In France, the President of the General Council (French Président du conseil général) is the locally-elected head of the General Council, the assembly As of January 1, 2008, 64473140 people live in the French Republic. To help compare Orders of magnitude of different geographical regions we list here areas between 1000 km2 and 10000 km2 An estuary is a semi-enclosed Coastal body of Water with one or more Rivers or Streams flowing into it and with a free connection to the open | |
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The Var is a French department in Provence, in southeast France. In the context of the political and geographic organization of France and many of its former colonies a department (département depaʁtǝmɑ̃ is an Administrative division It takes its name from the Var River, which used to flow along its eastern boundary, but which now flows into the Mediterranean further to the east. The Var (Latin Varus) is a River located in the southeast of France. The Var is bordered on the east by the department of Alpes-Maritimes; to the west by Bouches-du-Rhone to the north of the Verdon River by the the department of Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, and to the south by the Mediterranean Sea. Alpes-Maritimes ( Occitan: Aups Maritims) is a department in the extreme southeast corner of France. Bouches-du-Rhône ( Occitan: Bocas de Ròse, lit "Mouths of the Rhône River" is a department in the south of France named after the The Verdon is a 166 km long River in south-eastern France, left tributary of the Durance. Alpes-de-Haute-Provence ( Occitan: Aups d'Auta Provença) is a French department in the south of France, it was formerly part of the province
Toulon is the largest city and administrative capital of the Var. Toulon ( Provençal Occitan: Tolon in classical norm or Touloun in Mistralian norm is a city in southern France and a large
Other important towns in the Var are:
The Var is known for the harbor 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 Frejus Cathedral; and for its wines, particularly the wines of Bandol
Contents |
History
(For the early history of the Var before the French Revolution, see Provence; the French Riviera; and Toulon. Fréjus can also refer to the Fréjus Road Tunnel and the Fréjus Rail Tunnel in the Alps Draguignan is a French city in the Var département, of which it is a Sous-préfecture, self-proclaimed "capital Brignoles is a town and commune of southeastern France, in the Var département, of which it is a sous-préfecture The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale ( National Navy) and often called La Royale ( The Royal Navy) is the maritime arm San Tropez redirects here For other uses see Saint-Tropez (disambiguation Saint-Tropez ( Sant Tropetz in Occitan language Thoronet Abbey (French L'abbaye du Thoronet) is a former Cistercian Abbey built in the late twelfth and early thirteenth century now restored Fréjus Cathedral ( Cathédrale Saint-Léonce de Fréjus) is a Roman Catholic cathedral and a national monument of France situated in the town of Fréjus Bandol is a French commune located on the coast in the Var department Provence ( Provençal Occitan: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm is a region of southeastern France The French Riviera (Côte d'Azur Occitan: Còsta Azzura) is one of the most famous resort areas in the world extending along the Mediterranean Sea west Toulon ( Provençal Occitan: Tolon in classical norm or Touloun in Mistralian norm is a city in southern France and a large )
the Department of the Var was created at the time of the French Revolution, on March 4, 1790, from a portion of the former Royal province of Provence. The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an Provence ( Provençal Occitan: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm is a region of southeastern France 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. Grasse ( Provençal Occitan: Grassa in classical norm or Grasso in Mistralian norm is a town and Episcopal see in southeastern The capital was moved to Brignoles in 1795, then to Draguignan in 1797. It was not returned to Toulon until 1974.
*1854. The first railroad reaches Toulon.
*1860. With the creation of the new department of Alpes-Maritimes, following the annexation by France of Nice, the eastern part of the department, including Grasse, was moved to the new department. Alpes-Maritimes ( Occitan: Aups Maritims) is a department in the extreme southeast corner of France. This move also shifted the Var River, which had given the department its name, to the new Department.
*1884. A cholera epidemic struck Toulon. Cholera, sometimes known as Asiatic cholera or epidemic cholera, is an infectious Gastroenteritis caused by the Bacterium The leader of the fight against the epidemic was Georges Clemenceau, a doctor and a member of the National Assembly for the Seine region. Georges Benjamin Clemenceau ( Mouilleron-en-Pareds ( Vendée) 28 September 1841 24 November 1929 was a French statesman physician and Journalist 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. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All
*1942. The German Army moves from Occupied France into the Unoccupied Zone, including the Var. The German occupation of France in World War II occurred during the period between May 1940 to December 1944 The French Fleet is sabotaged in Toulon Harbor to keep it from falling into German hands.
*August 15, 1944. American and Free French forces land at Cap Nègre, at Trayas, at Saint-Tropez, at Sainte-Maxime and at Saint-Raphaël. San Tropez redirects here For other uses see Saint-Tropez (disambiguation Saint-Tropez ( Sant Tropetz in Occitan language Sainte-Maxime is a commune of the Var département located on the French Riviera in the south of France, 90 km from The Free French fleet arrived at Toulon on September 13.
*1960s. About one hundred thousand French citizens were repatriated from Algeria following the Algerian War for Independence, and settled in the Var Department. Algeria ( ar [[Arabic]] الجزائر, Al Jaza'ir ælʤæˈzæːʔir Amazigh: ⴷⵥⴰⵢⴻⵔ Dzayer) officially the People's
Geography
The Department of the Var has a surface area of 6032 square kilometers, and 420 kilometers of coastline, including the offshore islands.
Over half (56 percent) 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 crystaline rock (quartz) to the east.
The department is in the foothills of the Alps. is largely mountainous. The major mountain ranges are:
- The Massif des Maures (highest point, 771 meters) and the Massif de l'Esterel, along the coast, (highest point - 618 meters) are made of quartz rock.
- The Massif of Saint-Baume, lies in the west, with its highest point at 1,147 meters.
- The mountain of Lachens (1,715 meters), is in the northwest of the department, and is the highet point in the Var. is in the north of the Department, To the west of the *The Mountain of Lachens (1,715 meters) .
The Plain of Cajuers is located in the north of the var, and gradually rises from 500 to 1000 meters. In the south and west there are sveral plateaus, such as the plateau of Siou Blac to the north of Toulon, which rise from 400 to 700 meters in altitude.
- The Canyon du Verdon, the gorge of the Verdon River, is a popular place for hikers, kayakers, and nature lovers. The Verdon Gorge (in French Gorges du Verdon or Grand canyon du Verdon) in south-eastern France ( Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) is a river
- The Îles d'Hyères (or Porquerolles) is a group of three islands off Hyères The islands are named Porquerolles, Port-Cros, and Île du Levant. The Îles d'Hyères (or Îles d'Or) is a group of three islands off Hyères in the Var département, in the south-east of France Hyères ( Provençal Occitan: Ieras in classical norm or Iero in Mistralian norm is a town and commune in the southeast of France 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 climate, slightly warmer, dryer and sunnier than Nice and the Alpes-Maritime, but also less sheltered from the wind. A Mediterranean climate is one that resembles the Climate of the lands in the Mediterranean Basin, which includes over half of the area with this climate type world-wide Toulon has an average of 2899. 3 hours of sunshine a year, making it the sunniest city in metropolitan France, [1]The average maximum daily temperature in August is 29. 1 degrees C. , and the average daily minimum temperature in January is 5. 8 degrees C. The average annual rainfall is 665 millimeters, with the most rain from October to November. Strong winds blow an average of 118 days a year in Toulon, compared with 76 days at Frejus further east. The strongest Mistral wind recorded in Toulon was 130 kilometers an hour. [2]
Population
In 2007, the population of the Var was estimated at 990,000, of whom nearly half live in and around Toulon.
In 2004-2005, the population of the urban area of Toulon was estimated at 403,743 persons, of whom 160,639 lived in Toulon itself: 60,188 in La Seyne-sur-Mer; 52,500 in Hyères; and 32,742 in Six-Fours-les-Plages. La Seyne-sur-Mer, or La Seyne is a town and commune of the Var département, in France. Hyères ( Provençal Occitan: Ieras in classical norm or Iero in Mistralian norm is a town and commune in the southeast of France
The population of other important towns, according to the 2004-2005 estimate:
- Frejus - 49,100
- Saint-Raphael - 32,200
- Draguignan - 35,500
- Brignoles - 15,540
Industry and Agriculture
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.
800 km² or 13% of the total area is dedicated to agriculture, on which 38,000 people 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 (50,000 animals) and goats (4,200 animals). 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 (3. 3 m UK gallons) of wine a year.
Other important agricultural products include olives (42 km², a quarter of all French olive groves, and some 40 mills), figs - the Var produces 80% of France's figs, and honey (800 tonnes a year). There are also 9 km² of market gardens.
Agricultural profit is 610 million euros per year, of which 45% is sales of wines and 42% of horticultural products.
Wines of the Var Department
- AOC Coteaux varois en Provence is a recent AOC 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. Tthe red wines principally use the grenache, cinsaut, mourvèdre and syrah grapes. Grenache (pronounced gren-ash) (in Spanish, Garnacha, in Catalan, Garnatxa) is probably the most widely planted variety of red wine Cinsaut or Cinsault (pronounced "san-so" is a red Wine Grape, whose heat tolerance and productivity make it important in Languedoc-Roussillon Mourvèdre, is a variety of red Wine Grape grown around the world Syrah is a dark-skinned variety of Grape used in Wine. Syrah is grown in many countries and is primarily used to produce powerful Red wines which enjoy White wines use the clairette,grenache blanc, rolle blanc, Sémillon Blanc, and Ugni Blanc. Grenache blanc is a variety of white Wine Grape that is related to the red grape Grenache. There are 2200 hectares in this AOL. It produces 80 percent rosés, 17 percent red wines, and 3 percent white wines.
- *Bandol AOC, is grown on the coast west of Toulon, mostly around the villages of La Cadiere d'Azur and Castellet. Provence (Provençal wine comes from the French wine -producing region of Provence in southeast France. Toulon ( Provençal Occitan: Tolon in classical norm or Touloun in Mistralian norm is a city in southern France and a large Castellet is a commune of the Vaucluse département in southern France. Wines of this appellation must have at least fifty percent Mourvèdre grapes, though most have considerably more. Mourvèdre, is a variety of red Wine Grape grown around the world Other grapes used are Grenache, Cinsault Syrah and Carignan. Grenache (pronounced gren-ash) (in Spanish, Garnacha, in Catalan, Garnatxa) is probably the most widely planted variety of red wine Cinsaut or Cinsault (pronounced "san-so" is a red Wine Grape, whose heat tolerance and productivity make it important in Languedoc-Roussillon Syrah is a dark-skinned variety of Grape used in Wine. Syrah is grown in many countries and is primarily used to produce powerful Red wines which enjoy Carignan is a red Wine grape that originated in Cariñena Aragon and was later transplanted to Sardinia, elsewhere in Italy, France
Tourism in the Var
Popular tourist attractions in the Var include:
- The port and beaches of Saint-Tropez
- The beach of Cavalaire-sur-Mer, the longest sand beach on the coast. San Tropez redirects here For other uses see Saint-Tropez (disambiguation Saint-Tropez ( Sant Tropetz in Occitan language Cavalaire-sur-Mer is a commune in the Var département, in southeastern France, part of the French Riviera.
- 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 Abbey, one of the best-preserved medieval Cistercian monasteries in France. Toulon ( Provençal Occitan: Tolon in classical norm or Touloun in Mistralian norm is a city in southern France and a large Thoronet Abbey (French L'abbaye du Thoronet) is a former Cistercian Abbey built in the late twelfth and early thirteenth century now restored
- The Baptistery of Frejus Cathedral, the oldest Christian structure in Provence. Fréjus Cathedral ( Cathédrale Saint-Léonce de Fréjus) is a Roman Catholic cathedral and a national monument of France situated in the town of Fréjus
- The hilltop village of Bormes-les-Mimosas
- The Iles d'Hyeres, including the underwater natural park around the Ile de Port-Cros. Bormes-les-Mimosas is a commune of the Var département, in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of France. The Îles d'Hyères (or Îles d'Or) is a group of three islands off Hyères in the Var département, in the south-east of France
- Hiking in the Massif de l'Esterel
- The hilltop villages of (Montauroux, Fayence, Callian, Seillans, Tourrettes, Saint-Paul-en-Forêt, Mons and Tanneron in the Fayence region. Montauroux is a small town and commune in the hills in the Var département in the South of France. Fayence is a commune of the Var département, in southeastern France. Seillans is a small " ville perché " (perched hill-top village overlooking the plain between the southern Alps and the Esterel, which borders Tourette syndrome (also called Tourette's syndrome, Tourette's disorder, Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, GTS or more commonly simply Tourette's Saint-Paul-en-Forêt is a French commune, located in the Var département and the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Tanneron is a village and commune in the Var département of southeastern France. Fayence is a commune of the Var département, in southeastern France.
- The Canyon du Verdon, Lac de Sainte-Croix, and the hilltop villages of the upper Var. The Verdon Gorge (in French Gorges du Verdon or Grand canyon du Verdon) in south-eastern France ( Alpes-de-Haute-Provence) is a river
- The hilltop villages, wine caves and vinyards near Bandol. Bandol is a French commune located on the coast in the Var department
References and Sources
- ^ source: infoclimat.fr precipitations a Toulon.
- ^ Météo-France. site
See also
External links
Var at the Open Directory Project
- (French) Website of the General Council - The departments governing body
- (French) Community / portal website for people living in or visiting Var - forums, housing and webcams
- (French) www.toulonnais.com - The monuments, the past, the plans of the city of Toulon. The following is a list of the 43 cantons of the Var department, in France, sorted by arrondissement: Arrondissement The following is a list of the 153 communes of the Var département, in France. The 3 arrondissements of the Var department are Arrondissement of Draguignan, ( subprefecture: Draguignan) The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory Many photographs inside
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