GASSIN
At an altitude of 200 metres, Gassin belongs to the exclusive Plus Beaux Villages de France club. A bell tower, town hall, post office and picturesque shops create the postcard image of a charming Provencal village. Yet Gassin has that extra soul that makes poets of us all, like the narrow cobbled streets, androuno in Provencal, serpentine porches, the stone facades of houses awash with bougainvillea, plumbago and Virginia creeper, all clustered round the church as if they don’t want to slip down the slope. Then there’s Place deï Barri, a superb balcony with famous restaurants, hundred-year-old Mediterranean hackberry trees, and below the intimate Hardy-Denonain botanical garden that watches over the Blessed Marie-Thérèse, with only a couple of Hermann tortoises as gardeners; here the Lys are black…
A superb panoramic view
From the orientation tableau, the azure blue sea stretches out over 240 of the 360o: you are definitely on a peninsula! It contrasts with shades of green in the vineyards, forest and Massif des Maures hills spread out over the remaining 120o, dotted with splashes of ochre-red tiles in the surrounding villages. In the distance, the legendary coastal road links the Gassin/Cogolin Marines marina to Saint-Tropez, with the sailing school and its catamarans beached on the shore under the quaint name “La Moune”.
Outstanding vineyards
Gassin has remained faithful to its viticulture. Seven vineyards protected by the nearby hills flourish on the plain or on the slopes, caressed by the soft southern light. These are ideal conditions for producing the grand crus of Côtes de Provence. The high point, the Route des Vins (wine route), is an opportunity to discover the history of these estates, before sampling their delicious wines.