Seillans (; oc, Selhan) is a
commune in the
Var department
Department may refer to:
* Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility
Government and military
*Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...
in the
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern
France.
It is a ''ville perché'' (perched hill-top village) overlooking the plain between the southern
Alps and the
Esterel, which borders the sea between
Cannes and
Saint-Raphaël. It has been recognized by
Les Plus Beaux Villages de France.
Seillans has a steeply-inclined medieval centre, accessible only on foot, and a number of small squares and old buildings. It is the westernmost of a line of such towns and villages (including
Montauroux
Montauroux (; oc, Montauron) is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.
Its neighbor town is the picturesque Callian which can be seen across a small valley.
Geography
Montauroux is ...
,
Callian,
Tourrettes and
Fayence) that face south and attract tourists. Other local attractions include the nearby
Lac de Saint-Cassien.
Seillans is also a destination for holiday-makers, retirees and second-home owners from other parts of France and northern Europe. Seillans features a castle and C13 church at its summit. Nearby are rustic chapels, vineyards, forests and olive groves.
Seillans has an annual pottery market and many concerts and events throughout the year, as well as the annual international
Musique-Cordiale
The Musique Cordiale International Festival & Academy is an annual festival of classical music, song, oratorio and opera, founded in 2005. It usually* takes place in hill towns (village perché) of the Pays de Fayence between Nice and Aix-en-Proven ...
Festival, a fortnight when the church, the ''salle polyvalente'' and outdoor venues resound to a variety of high quality classical, choral and jazz music from international artists, soloists, choirs and orchestras each August, when the area is at its most popular.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s
Max Ernst and
Dorothea Tanning made Seillans their home. The village hosts a substantial Max Ernst collection, including several sculptures in open air.
Geography
Climate
Seillans has a
hot-summer Mediterranean climate (
Köppen climate classification ''Csa''). The average annual temperature in Seillans is . The average annual rainfall is with November as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around , and lowest in January, at around . The highest temperature ever recorded in Seillans was on 7 August 2003; the coldest temperature ever recorded was on 20 December 2009.
See also
*
Communes of the Var department
References
External links
Seillans siteMusique-Cordiale: the international classical music festival in the Var
Communes of Var (department)
Plus Beaux Villages de France
{{Var-geo-stub