Discover Gonfaron

Gonfaron offers different ways to shape your stay: historic buildings, the Parcours de la Nasque and the Terres Ailées de Gonfaron winery. If you’re looking for a hotel in Gonfaron, you can plan your stay around whether cultural history, outdoor activities or wine culture is the deciding factor. These themes represent different sides of the town: buildings with dated histories, nature trails with archery, and wine experiences that can be arranged.

Nature Trails and Archery

The 6-hectare Parcours de la Nasque comprises two nature trails, each about 1.5 kilometres long. The routes follow paths and wooded tracks. The area refers to the site, while the length refers to each loop. Each loop has 24 targets. The course in the municipality of Gonfaron is also a venue for three official outdoor archery disciplines. For a stay focused on the outdoors, you can therefore consider the nature of the routes, the number of targets per loop and the disciplines offered. The two courses can be compared by their approximate length; the 24 targets, however, apply to each loop individually.

Architectural History and Local Tradition

The foundation stone of Gonfaron’s parish church, Notre-Dame-de-L’Immaculée-Conception, was laid in 1862; it was consecrated in July 1865. The Chapelle Saint-Quinis has different key dates: it was demolished in 1848 and completely rebuilt in 1849. The chapel is said to stand on the site of a 12th-century parish church. This connection should be understood as a possibility. The historical references for the two buildings thus differ: the parish church is associated with its foundation stone and consecration, while the chapel is associated with its reconstruction and a possible predecessor building.

The Tour de l’Horloge can also be understood through specific details. The limestone used for the tower came from a quarry north of the village; there is a fountain at the foot of the Tour de l’Horloge. The source of the material and the fountain offer two different perspectives on the building. Another aspect of local culture is reflected in Gonfaron’s nickname as the land of flying donkeys: the legend dates back more than three centuries. While the church, chapel and tower are connected with architectural history, the legend represents a long-standing local identity passed down through generations.

Fountains and a Walking Route

Gonfaron has 16 fountains whose water flows practically all year round. A walking route currently being developed is intended to make it possible to visit them. If you plan to include this route in your itinerary, check its current status in advance. The number of fountains and the walking route provide different kinds of information: one describes the fountains in the town, while the other is the planned way to visit them.

Wine Tradition in Gonfaron

The Terres Ailées de Gonfaron winery was founded in 1921. The wines it markets come from four different terroirs. The founding year and the wines’ origins in several terroirs offer two different insights into the wine tradition: the winery’s history and the variety of the areas where its wines originate. Wine tastings, introductions to wine tasting and cellar tours can be arranged at Terres Ailées de Gonfaron. If one of these experiences is important to your stay, make arrangements with the winery in advance.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Martin, Nans-Les-Pins, Meounes-Les-Montrieux, Pignans, Solliès-Ville, Draguignan, Hyères, Cotignac

For the broader travel overview: Var.