Trails in the Var

Scenery straight out of a movie between sea and red mountains

Did you know that the Var is the second most wooded department in France after the Landes? It's crazy but it's true 🌲. Forget concrete, here it’s all about trail running, reigning supreme between earth and the Great Blue 🌊. From the Esterel massif with its volcanic red rock dating back to the primary era to the Maures massif, your pupils will vibrate as much as your quadriceps 🌋. With its 5,973 km², this territory offers incredible biodiversity where wild boars are sometimes more numerous than tourists in the winter 🐗. Toulon, the prefecture, is not just a historical military port, it’s also the gateway to Mount Faron watching you at 584 meters 🚠. It's a raw environment where thyme and rosemary whip your calves with every stride, a true free natural spa 🌿.

Culture, sunshine girls, and chestnuts

Let's speak little but speak well, because running really works up an appetite 😋. After tackling that elevation gain, you can guiltlessly indulge in a Tarte Tropézienne, this cream-filled brioche delight invented by a Pole in Saint-Tropez in the 1950s 🥧. Indeed, it’s on these lands that French cinema has its best habits, from the "Gendarme" series with the legendary Louis de Funès to the iconic scenes of Brigitte Bardot 🎬. Here we speak with a melodic accent and sometimes sprinkle in a few words of Provençal, the famous dialect that smells like garrigue and olive oil 🗣️. Don't leave without tasting the figue de Solliès or the chestnuts from Collobrières, they’re the ultimate local fuel to get you going again 🌰.

Technical trails where legends are made

The trail calendar in the Var is more packed than a café terrace on the port of Hyères in August 🗓️. It's a land of champions where elite athletes like Thibaut Garrivier have come to shine on the technical and rocky trails of the Sainte-Baume 🧗. This mystical massif even houses the cave of Mary Magdalene, a sacred pilgrimage site that may give you faith on the steepest climbs 🙏. Whether you’re looking for a rolling race in the Var or a technical enterprise worthy of the Alps, you’ll find your happiness between the song of cicadas and the shade of cork oaks 🦗. Watch out for the Mistral that can blow hard, it’s the invisible training partner that toughens the mind 🌬️.

The must-dos for your next challenge

So, which event will you proudly pin to your trophy board this season? 🎯. You can embark on the mythical Trail de la Sainte Baume to measure yourself against the local legend in a thrilling atmosphere 🔥. If you prefer the autumn, opt for the Trail des Maures in Collobrières, renowned for its festive ambiance and wild trails 🍂. For a unique experience in the heart of a wine estate, the Trail de l’Escarelle will have you running among protected vineyards (we promise, it’s water at the refreshment stations) 🍷. If you want grandeur and vertigo, the Var Verdon Canyon Challenge offers you the most spectacular gorges in Europe for an unforgettable memory 🛶. Finally, the Trail de Bormes-les-Mimosas guarantees breathtaking sea views, literally, with a start often with your feet in the sand 👟.

It’s time to stop scrolling on your phone and come wear out your soles on the South’s limestone 📱. It’s time to book a bib below and show everyone what you're really made of ✨.