Love Letter to France: the Green Var

Carol Drinkwater reveals what she loves about the lush green department neighbouring her own.

I love the Var for several reasons. The Var (shhh – you didn’t hear it from me) is the real Provence. It neighbours our Côte d’Azur department, sitting west of us, and was named after the River Var, though for historical reasons, the river doesn’t run through the Var! There was a move to rename the region but that was rejected. Never mind. It changes nothing of the natural beauty and diversity of the area. The Var – where, in Aubagne, the great literary figure Marcel Pagnol was born – offers over 400km of beaches dotted with small ports as well as the port-city of Toulon. Bandol, for example, down along the coast has some lovely bays to swim in and excellent rosé wines to discover. It is usually our first stop – Moulin de la Roque, a cooperative since 1950, is a firm favourite. Inland, thousands of hectares of vineyards and olive groves greet us. Higher up, the hills and mountains are hued with lavender in June when the purple flowers are at their most vibrant.

An organic revolution

My favourite season is autumn after the grapes have been picked and the vine leaves are turning a gorgeous russet-red. The olives are still to come and we’ll be home, of course, for that. Meanwhile, we take a few Var days for ourselves, wine shopping. Over the years, we have built a good relationship with viticulturists at some of the smaller vineyards and domaines in the area. Michael Latz is one such friend, and a local hero who has dedicated more than 30 years to creating the Green Heart of the Var. In 1995, Michael became mayor of the sleepy village of Correns. He was a winemaker with a dream. He realised that alone, his efforts would make little difference so he encouraged fellow inhabitants – beekeepers, goatherds, wine or olive producers, cheesemakers to accompany him along his path to organic production. In the early days he was confronted by much resistance, and not only from adjacent farmers. Nonetheless, he persisted. With time, small miracles occurred: fish appeared in the river that flows through the village. Birds and insects followed. Pollinators flew in, the soil was thriving and farm budgets were no longer over-burdened by expensive pesticides.

So very Provençal

Their produce was declared organic. Neighbouring villages followed. Slowly, the Green Heart of the Var became a reality. It is an extraordinarily satisfying success story and Michael was the driving force behind it. No wonder he has such dancing eyes.

We love to stroll through Correns. It is quintessentially Provençal. Small Citroëns, belonging to local workers, are parked in every corner of the square, which is awash with colourful flowers, butterflies and birdsong. There is an air of peace. Everybody waves and smiles. Every time I am there I think I have stepped into a fairy story. Except that this is real. Michael’s partner runs a bookshop in Brignoles, another reason to browse and take the day at a leisurely pace. She stocks books from tiny publishers: local stories that narrate the soul and folklore of this lovely region. She speaks with a thick Provençal accent. Her laugh is loud. We follow Michael to his cave, his estate’s wine shop, run by his sons, sip the Aspras cuvées, and fill our car with cartons of rosé, white and red. We watch the red sun slip silently behind the vineyards, knowing that tomorrow, or perhaps the next day, we must hit the road for home.

Carol Drinkwater is an award-winning actress and the best-selling author of The Olive Farm series. Her latest work is An Act of Love, set in WWII France.

From France Today Magazine