Vars Sainte-Catherine

The south-facing hamlet is the highest of the three mountain villages. Known in the past as “La Fortune” because Sainte Catherine benefits from exceptional sunshine, the village is seductive because of its location. Vars Sainte Catherine is said to be the old granary of Vars, as it is still the village with the most arable and cultivated fields. Hay, rye, hemp, oats and vegetables (cabbage, potatoes…).

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Le Balcon de Vars

Choosing Sainte Catherine for your vacation means treating yourself to one of the most beautiful balconies in Vars, with the Crêtes de l’Eyssina, the real backdrop to the Vars destination, on one side, and the Ecrins massif, which rises to over 4000m, on the other. You’ll be the last to enjoy the setting sun, thanks to a south-western exposure that’s just right for sunset lovers.

The narrow, sloping streets of this mountainside village, known as “charrières”, allow you to stroll along and discover the treasures that the most curious of you will be able to unveil: the sundials bear witness to the very strong relationship that the inhabitants had with the sun, a veritable natural clock for them, whose illustration on the walls of farmhouses was often accompanied by moralist phrases full of wisdom.

You can see the magnificent traditional larch wood balconies that run along all the facades, and the gruates (pulleys used to rack the haystacks).
The communal oven used to bake bread backs onto one of the village’s washhouses, a handy place to get water when making bread. It is relit twice a year in July and August to perpetuate the tradition of bread-making at village festivals.