From the Var a Rosé Toast to Summer Sports in Provence

Just 10 minutes down the road from Cotignac is the charming village of Carcès, home to the stunning Lac de Carcès. The views are simply breathtaking and you don’t find many more romantic spots to watch a sunset in the area. But today I wasn’t after of romance. I wanted adventure, so continuing on through the village, 5 minutes further along the road you will come across a bright yellow and green canoe with a sign saying ‘New Evasion’.

Nature Evasion (formerly New Evasion) is a company that organizes great activities such as canoeing, kayaking, zip-lining, biking and VTT (mountain biking) all around Provence.

…continue reading here to learn about options for canoeing, kitesurfing, biking, hiking and other fitness activities in the Var and along the coast near Bandol. Charlie tested out the fun but made sure to pack along a bottle of Mirabeau rosé.

Fun Activities in the Var

Susana Iwase Hanson lives in Cotignac, the founder of Provence Living Cotignac. She shares the following for family activities in the Var. Provence is blessed with cobalt blue skies and almost rain-free summers. The weather makes it the ideal outdoor destination for nature lovers and families with kids. One of many reasons why France is a popular holiday destination is you can drink wine or beer at lakes and beaches. Just remember to drink lots of water too, and use that SPF crème solaire! My top 10 family-friendly things to do in the Var this summer.

Looking other things to while you are in the Var? Here, are a few not-to-be-missed sites including on the Thoronet in the Var one of three Cistercian abbeys in Provence. L’Abbaye du Thoronet was classified as a French historical monument in 1840. Restoration work started the year after and still continues today.

Maison Mirabeau Wine

Stephen had been in the corporate world for 15 years and in August 2008 turned down a promotion that would have meant more money but also more stress, longer hours and less time with his young family. For many years the Cronks had been dreaming and talking about moving to France to make their own wine, but the moment never seemed quite right to make the big leap.

Soon after, a good redundancy offer seemed the perfect opportunity to turn the dream into reality and after selling their beloved house, they left the leafy suburbs of south-west London in August 2009. Their worldly possessions were packed up on the back of a truck and with barely a word of French between them, the family headed south to a small village called Cotignac, in the heart of Provence.

The Cronks spent a year getting their bearings, learning to live the provençal way, as Stephen was criss-crossing the country researching and finding the best vineyards to work with. The next step was setting up a small wine business with the principle objective of making a Provence rosé that would be regarded as one of the very best from the region, while building a brand that people would grow to love. In order to achieve this aim, they put together a highly experienced winemaking team and threw their heart and soul into the brand and innovative communications with their customers. Mirabeau is now being sold in more than 30 markets, has won medals and earned acclaim from some of the world’s toughest wine critics, but what really makes Stephen happiest is that their wines are an integral part of people having a great time together.

Read more about the Mirabeau Wine story here.