La Casa Mille et Une Nuits

First stop on your exploration of the Var may well be hilltop Mons (15 minutes’ drive); at 800 metres above sea level, it’s the highest village in the region and has spectacular views over forested hills to the Mediterranean coastline. Learn about the Provençal way of life in the Maison Monsoise, topped with a gaily tiled steeple, and sample regional tapenade on fougasse flatbreads in auberges looking out over the valley. When you need to work off a long lunch, head for the scenic Gorges de la Siagne (20 minutes), where you can walk alongside the river and dip into its clear waters to cool off. Lovers of history may prefer to take a hike up to the Roman aqueduct (10 minutes to the nearest section), which meanders across the Var countryside for 42km. Watersports more your style? Best make for Lac de St Cassien (half an hour), where you can spend a leisurely day swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking and windsurfing (when conditions are right). There are several bars and cafés around the lake, so you can keep nicely fed and watered too.