The Grand Margès

Since the 16th century, Aiguines has been the town of woodturners. The presence of the forest has allowed the use of several species including boxwood. Wood cutters would go all the way into the Gorges to cut it. It was mostly used for manufacturing the studded petanque ball, which made the reputation of the town. To relive this exciting saga, visit the woodturners museum, artist studios and the Escoulen school which mark the revival of the activity.

The beech forest of Aiguines is a Mediterranean beech forest. It's pretty rare, the beech being a species that loves moderate temperatures and high humidity. The freshness and moisture of the Gorges allowed this species to expand into the north facing slopes, above the Verdon, in the town of Aiguines. This mature forest is home to beautiful old trees, a remarkable diversity of vegetation and a wide range of animal species. A biodiversity home!

Margès and the Plan of Canjuers are a place of memory of the French Resistance movement of Haut-Var during World War II. Between 1943-1944, the maquis (rural guerrilla bands of French Resistance fighters) of the Secret Army, link to an entire organization of the Resistance, is established. It will be called the Maquis Vallier, in reference to its Lieutenant, Gleb Sivirine said Vallier. Composed of many Resistance fighters of the Compulsory Work Service (Service de Travail Obligatoire - STO), the group will reach to hundreds of men and will operate as a military training camp.

The fairy ring, (also known as fairy circle, elf circle or pixie ring) is a naturally occurring phenomenon, consisting of a colony of fruit bodies aligned in a roughly circular form, appearing in woodlands or in grasslands. They can be seen in the grasslands of Mount Grand Margès.

Vue imprenable sur le lac de Sainte-Croix, le plateau de Valensole et les collines du Haut-Var. A plus de 1500 m d'altitude, il n’est pas rare de croiser le vol des vautours… sensations garanties !

Depuis le sommet, une vue à couper le souffle sur les gorges du Verdon : falaises vertigineuses, méandres encaissés, et là-bas, les Préalpes en toile de fond. Un décor de carte postale… avec en prime, parfois, un vautour qui passe comme pour surveiller le panorama.

From Margès, a stunning view of the Canyon, the Valensole plateau and Lake Sainte Croix.

Créé en 1970, le site de Canjuers, d’une surface de 35 000 ha, est le plus grand camp d'entraînement militaire d'Europe occidentale. Il est interdit d’accès au public, sauf exceptions : exploitation du bois, transhumance d’ovins, etc. C’est aujourd’hui un symbole d’expropriation. Habitations, fermes, terres... autant de lieux perdus par les habitants, comme en témoigne l’ancien village de Brovès. Une activité rurale qui a laissé le site presque inhabité où la nature prédomine.