Plan de la Tour, Var

Most of the village centre is found near the church and the old Presbytère where occasional art exhibitions are held. Wandering about, you will find yourself in narrow streets, connected by archways, lined with neat houses that in general are well kept and colourfully painted. Most of the buildings are from the 19th or 20th century with a few exceptions such as the bell tower from the 16th century.

Plan de la Tour is more than its small centre. Spread out over an area of almost 37km² it consists of 25 original hamlets with names such as Préconil, les Pierrons or le Vernet, These hamlets were established from the 16th century, first as a farmhouse or Bastide, always near a water well, later growing with more dwellings until today. Some hamlets may have just a few houses, others have grown and expanded to a major settlement.

In between the hamlets is the countryside of Plan de la Tour ascending with the wild Massif des Maures, dry, rocky and steep, full of pins parasol, cork oak and olive trees. But there's also the countryside of rolling vineyards, narrow, winding roads and breathtaking views of the Mediterranean sea.

Back to the village: even though you will not find a supermarket, you can buy all the necessary provisions here. There are boulangeries, a butcher, an épicerie, several restaurants, crêperies, a weekly market (Thursday morning) and a library to buy your newspaper and maps. At the end of your shopping you can relax on the town bench.

A little gem in Plan de la Tour is a hidden section yet more colourful and quiet. It's on the edge of the village off the main road towards Le Muy. There is a small parking area, just over the bridge with a sign d'Emponse. Or you can just take a stroll from the village centre; it's no more than 10 minutes. Wander about through the narrow streets and enjoy this secret oasis.