Village houses, traditional bastides, renovated farms and contemporary villas – it would be almost impossible not to find that rare gem for active, sporting and cultural family holidays. Particularly in the part of the département known as “La Provence Verte”, irrigated by the river Argens and its tributaries, earning it the nickname of the “château d’eau du Var”, the region’s water tower, where omnipresent forests create a haven of permanent greenery that tugs at the heartstrings of nature lovers. The region certainly lives up to its name, given that everything in La Provence Verte is centred around nature. And it’s no coincidence that this is where you’ll find Correns, France’s first organic village whose economy is based on vineyards, olive oil, honey, market gardening and tourism. La Provence Verte is also an image fitting of its villages, such as Pontevès, Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, Entrecasteaux and Cotignac, all of which hold the promises of walks through countrysides untouched by time. Each has its own personality and history, as well as its own closely guarded traditions respected by its residents. And its own top-quality rental property portfolio at prices that are still reasonable compared to the market on the French Riviera and even compared to the Alpilles and Luberon.

Breath-taking surroundings

Dracénie is a case in point, encompassing twenty-three towns in the Var département including Draguignan, from which it takes its name (the inhabitants of Draguignan are known as Dracénois). Dracénie has a whole host of cultural, tourist and natural qualities, its terroir and Provençal markets, its craft professions and its villages tucked up against the foothills of the Verdon with its forests and museums. Higher up in the Var you’ll find Les Arcs, Flayosc, Lorgues, Montferrat, Le Muy and La Motte. No holiday would be complete of course without a visit to the village of Tourtour, listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France with its 360° panoramic vista spanning 100km (62 miles), Cotignac, at the foot of a troglodyte cliff face, and Le Thoronet, with its extraordinary Cistercian abbey. Not forgetting Les-Arcs-sur-Argens, a former medieval city whose little streets wind up to the château, reputed for being one of the hotspots of wine making in the Côtes de Provence appellation. 
The north of the Var département, known as the Haut-Var, is the perfect fusion of wild nature and traditional, sustainable crops set against a breath-taking landscape and immersed in a sometimes harsh Mediterranean climate but with abundant sunshine. Renting a traditional house or a villa with a pool here in the spring or summer (and why not in late autumn to make the most of the stunning light) at the heart of a village or in a secluded spot surrounded by nature not only fulfils a quest for authenticity but will almost certainly lead to an epic love affair with the region! 
To make sure you don't miss out on any of the cultural, sporting and tourist events in Haut-Var Verdon, download the application Tour in Provence.