Besse-sur-Issole

This seemed at first impression to be an average little Provencal-Var village, with a few nice touches for the visitor, the best being the lake right at the village. The more we wandered the village streets, though, the more interesting it became. It turns out that there are a good number of streets to wander, and very many of the buildings are nicely restored in bright Provençal colors with contrasting shutters and other trim.

Lake

The lake just at the village, unusual for the region, is pretty and adds freshness during the summer. There are pedalos available for rental a the Camping du Lac on the north side. only a 5-minute walk from the village center.

According to local resident Roxane (May 2018): ... the lake can indeed have swimmers and although it isn't a white sandy blue lagoon type of beach it still has a beach to lie a towel on and take in the sun. The water quality is checked weekly and posted on the info board. There is also fishing allowed and a multiple of great restaurants now as well as museums, a newly renovated movie theater!

Gaspard de Besse

The local Robin Hood, Gaspard de Besse, is a folk hero from the 19th century [1757 - 1781]. Born and raised in Besse-sur-Issole, Gaspard Bouis became famous for robbing from the rich round and about (a logical choice), but met an early and gruesome end after being caught and convicted by the court in Aix-en-Provence .

There are several informative plaques and notices about Gaspard de Besse in the village. The house where he was born is clearly marked [Photo-07], and we found an ancient carved stone head of Gaspard on a wall by the vaulted passage beneath the Tour d'Horloge [Photo-09].

Gaspard aided a prison escapee, and took to the bush with him, becoming his accomplice in crime. They robbed people, but not anybody who helped them. The small band with Gaspard emigrated to the canyons of Ollioules, west of Toulon, about 50 km southwest of Besse-sur-Issole. It was a busy place for banditry and their exploits became known from Marseille to Nice.

In 1779 Gaspard was arrested in the Maures (the mountains stretching between Toulon and Fréjus). Within a year he managed to escape, helped by the daughter of the a jailer of the Draguignan prison. A column of galley slaves escaped with him, and they and some of their gards joined Gaspard in his band.

While visiting a friend in La Valette-du-Var, Gaspard was recognize and arrested. He hadn't killed anybody during his years of robbing wealthy travelers and tax agents and helping out the poor, but ridicule was taken as seriously as murder, apparently, and Gaspard went to the gallows in 1781 at the age of 25.

Fountains

The separate Besse-sur-Issole Fountains page has a collection of photos of many of the fountains in the village.

Commerce

Besse has the ordinary village commerce, including three boulangeries (bakeries), some small produce and grocery shops, and a couple of terrace cafés.

Books-magazines-maps are availabe from the typical village journal-papeterie shop. They also have a good selection of historical books about Provence and Provencal subjects, by a local publisher (www.editions-lacour.com); all in French.

Roman Medieval Bridge

A very prettly little humpbacked stone bridge crosses the Issole about 800 m southeast of the village. The bridge is often called Roman, but is actually Medieval.

It's a boring walk out from the village, across the fields, or a quick drive. There's a small shady picnic area just beside the stream and the bridge.