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Cabasse is a Central Var village tucked into the green forested hills of the Issole valley. The main village square has a tall mossy fountain in front of Medieval arched passages through the ancient stone buildings. There are many little streets for wandering, picturesque little shops and shady parks along the river for relaxing.
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Nearby: |
Besse-sur-Issole 11 km |
Brignoles 19 km |
Carcès 13 km |
Flassans-sur-Issole 8 km |
Lorgues 20 km |
Sainte Anastasie-sur-Issole 16 km |
Le Thoronet 12 km |
Thoronet Abbey 7 km |
Le Val 17 km |
Vins-sur-Caramy 11 km |
Below: |
Prehistoric Sites |
History |
Wine |
Sports |
Hiking |
Dining |
Lodging Hotels |
Cabasse is an interesting village to visit, dating back to Roman times (not counting the extensive prehistoric history). It doesn't have the maze of narrow Medieval so common in Provence, but there are still ancient things to discover.
The most picturesque part is the main square in front of the Mairie and the post office [Photo-02]. The old fountain has a central pillar with high, mossy layers dripping water, and shaded by tall platan trees.
Beside the fountain square, a fortified Medieval doorway, complete with portcullis, passes through the high stone building that was part of the defensive wall [Photo-03].
Another pretty part of town is the central intersection, where ivy-covered buildings stand above a 17th-century well in the middle of one street [Photo-07].
Outside the walls of the village towards the river is a small park area and a lavoir, and you can see how the outer buildings were once part of a defensive wall [Photo-12].
Also along the banks of the river is a very shady area [Photo-13]. This place is used in the summer as the municipal campsite, and a petanque ground is located at the end beside the road and the bridge.
Prehistoric Sites
Menhir de Champduy
This 2.5 metre tall Neolithic menhir is at a place called the "Planted Stone" (La Pierre Plantée, located 2.5 km southwest of Cabasse, in a vineyard beside the D79 road "Route de Brignoles".
Dolmen La Gastée
This dolmen is located in the wooded hills about 2 km east of Cabasse (43°25 30 N 06°14 38 E / 43.425, 6.24389). It's an hour's walk out from the village, mostly via forestry roads; you can drive out part way, but parking is difficult and it only saves a few minutes.
Walking Route: exit Cabasse across the bridge at the east end of the village and turn left and follow the road northeast, direction Chateau Requier". About 700 m (15 minutes), take the paved forestry road branching to the right, marked "Le Gastet" on a fire service sign (no vehicules allowed). After another 15-20 minutes, and an uphill straight, the rough pavement ends. Continue along the stone-dirt forestry road, across a vineyard, and on into the woods. Just past the vineyard, a couple of Dolmen-symbols indicate the way, including a lefthand branch. The La Gasté dolmen is to the left of the dirt forestry road, 10 minutes past the lefthand branch.
Dolmen La Boussière
The Dolmen de la Bouissière (43°25 21 N 06°13 35 E / 43.4225, 6.22639) is small and has no raised cap-stone. It's located in thick woods with no obvious trails and no markings. We found it using map, compass (mostly the sun) and luck. A GPS unit would help.
•• Walking Route: after visiting the Gastée Dolmen, walk back to the branch junction (10 minutes) and turn left (south). Follow the foresty road southwest, until it comes out in the northeast corner of a vineyard. Cross the righthand side of the vineyard, west-southwest. Continue on into the woods as best you can and track down the Boussière Dolmen.
•• Afterwards, we exited by continuing through the woods to the west. We strongly urge you to return east the way you entered the woods and follow the forestry roads back the way you came.
Dolmen du Pont-Neuf
The Pont-Neuf Dolmen is 2.5 km north of Cabasse, on the top of the ridge at a site that includes the Notre-Dame du Glaive Chapel, the Fortified Grotto "Le Trou des Fées", and a great view south.
Candumy Dolmens (2 km sud)
(43°24'38.84 N, 6°12'7.85 E; N43.41079, E6.20218)
Small, open (no cap-stone) dolmens. These are (were) in a planted field 2 km southwest of Cabasse; 800 m southeast of the Menhir de Champduy. On private property and probably no longer accessable.
Favorite Sons
Jean Dotto
Cyclist Jean"-Baptiste" Dotto was born 27 March 1928 in Italy and died 20 Feb 2000 in the Provencal town of Ollioules. He was naturalized French in 1937 and lived in Cabasse. "Place Jean Dotto" in the center of town is named after him.
Nicknamed vigneron de Cabasse (the Cabasse Winegrower), Jean Dotto participated in 13 Tours de France, from 1951 to 1964, and was considered a good climber. His best overall finishes were 8th in 1952 and again in 1961.
History
Name
First record, 1025 Cabaccia
Prehistoric:
Important prehistoric and protohistoric artifacts are located around Cabasse, including menhir and dolmen, all described in Prehistoric Sites, above.
Celto-Ligurian:
A Celto-Ligurian Oppidum is located on top of the steep ridge 1 km north of Cabasse, at the west side of the D13 road; the location is called "Casteou Sarrin".
Gallo-Roman:
The Roman Aurelian Way (Voie Aurélienne) passed by Cabasse, and the important Roman station of "Matavo" ou "Matavonium" was located here. Various inscriptions and Roman milestones have been discovered. The Cornélia mausoleum has been reconstructed in the Cabasse cemetery. A necropole with 34 tombs, discovered at La Calade, is now on display at the Centre de Documentation Archéologique du Var in Draguignan.
Another necropole with various artifacts, including an autel-crypt and sarcophage, was located at La Guérine.
The Gallo-Roman habitat called Gour d'Entuve was located at Grand Candumy, 2 km south of Cabasse. (The autoroute now runs just south of there.)
Medieval:
Feudal domain of the Vicomtes de Marseille, then the Vicomtes de La Celle (La Celle).
Wine
Cabasse hosts La Matavonienne Côte de Provence wine, with multiple medals from 2006, 2007 and 2009. The lovely old La Matavonienne winery building at the north end of the village [Photo-16] is now closed, having evolved to the Cellier Saint Bernard on the opposite side of the road.
Sports
Cycling
Tour de France
On the route of the 2009 Tour de France, stage 2, Monaco to Brignoles. The tour passes north-to-south through the center of Cabasse, arriving from Carcés. South of Cabasse, the route continues on the D13, under the autoroute, and turns right (west) on the N7 highway for the final run to Brignoles.
Hiking
- Maps:
- IGN (1/25,000) #3444 OT "Brignoles Le Luc"
Lots of forested hills surrounding Cabasse, but there are no clearly-marked hiking trails here. Using the IGN map, there are interesting sites to visit, using the forestry roads in the area, such as the dolmens, and the cliff-top site of Notre-Dame-du-Glaive north of the village.
Dining
Chez Fifine
is a pizzaria located in the lovely big building beside the main-square fountain [Photo-03]
Le Cabassois
restaurant at the main junction [Photo-08] advertises Traditional Provencal Cuisine, and suggests reserving (0494 776 934); closed Sun & Wed evenings; closed Wed.
La Table de Saint-Pierre
is a small restaurant at the north edge of the village, down the street beside the Cellier Saint Bernard winery outlet. Simple fare, with a shady terrace across the road.
Lodging - Hotels
Hotels in Towns Nearby to Cabasse
• 11 km — Vins-sur-Caramy hotels
• 12 km — Thoronet hotels
• 19 km — Brignoles hotels
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Photo gallery of 16 photos for Cabasse
