How this Var commune, considered the backbone of green Provence, is developing its attractiveness

Located 40 minutes from the capital of the Var region, La Roquebrussanne is part of the Sainte Baume Regional Natural Park, at the foot of the Loube River, in the land of Green Provence. The D5 road is the backbone of this village of 2,800 inhabitants, also crossed by the Issole River. A peaceful rural commune whose motto is "let's cultivate our true nature." Because the original Roquières and Roquiers are proud of their terroir. A land of viticulture. And of history.

Castles and vineyards

Vine cultivation in La Roquebrussanne dates back to Antiquity. This is evidenced by a Gallo-Roman wine-making farm founded in 46 BC. At the entrance to the village is the La Roquière wine cooperative, which sells organic AOP Coteaux Varois en Provence and IGP Vins de Pays du Var wines directly. A total of 55 members, including 23 women, with a relatively young average age of 40, are led by the dynamic Antony Dho.

The Roquebrussanne estates have largely contributed to the reputation and wealth of the area. These include Les Terres Promises, Loou, Baguier, and La Rose des Vents. "La Roquebrussanne is the first commune in the Var to have a protected agricultural zone, covering 1,100 hectares," says Michel Gros, mayor and president of the Association of Rural Mayors of the Var. As a result, wasteland is diminishing, and farmers are investing in their land. These include livestock breeders, winegrowers, and market gardeners.

A definite attachment to the land. And also to local heritage. "The population has always been attached to its lord, who gave them enough freedom to have their own flour, water, etc. For example, when the Church wanted to name the city "Ville-Dieu," they refused and preferred the Broussan rock, or La Roquebrussanne, named after the lord of Broussan. And the inhabitants inscribed liberty, equality, and fraternity on the church," recalls Marcel Gazo, president of the association La Roquebrussanne se raconte.

Urban planning

"This is La Roque," the native Roquiers, now a minority due to population renewal, often say. Since La Roquebrussanne is part of Toulon's attractive area, "families are linked to the activity of the military port, so there is a high turnover of workers," notes the chief magistrate.

The nursery school welcomes 77 children and the primary school 161 students. The La Cabane day care center also delights young Roquois residents. And residents benefit from recent infrastructure and facilities, from the city stadium to the pump track and a renovated community hall. As for the village associations, they enjoy good appeal, including among residents of neighboring towns.

"The problem is urban planning," admits the mayor. "There are several houses that could be renovated in the center of the village. And above all, we have a residential area that extends to the east of the town in the Molières district. So we are trying to bring everyone together." Benefiting from the Village of the Future scheme (1), the City is planning to develop a "gap" of 9,000m2 in the center of the village in order to build social housing or housing for home ownership.

"The young people in the village can't afford to buy a house for 400,000 or 500,000 euros, so we have to provide them with housing so they can continue to live here," explains Michel Gros. The design office commissioned for the project will submit its report this summer. This will be followed by a second phase focused on combating vacant housing in the village center. The objective of this dual action is to "revitalize the village." And this necessarily involves local businesses.

Commercial renewal

For two years, the only bakery had been closed. "We managed to bring in a baker, a young man who's working hard," admits Michel Gros. "When we moved in, lots of people offered to help us move forward with the work; it's a very supportive gesture," say Jean-Louis and Gwendoline, the couple behind the bakery, who have lived in La Roquebrussanne with their two children for nine years. Residents also have access to a newsagent, a Vival (taken over at the beginning of May), located next to the post office. There's also a pharmacy, a real estate agency, two pizzerias, and artisans.

In place of the closed gas station, a 500m² Intermarché, with a car wash and shops, will soon bring a new range of services to the town. Residents will no longer need to go to Rocbaron or Garéoult to do their shopping. Another development that could well change the lives of residents, who have been without a doctor since 2020, is the arrival of a general practitioner at the renovated medical practice located at 2 rue Georges Clemenceau.

At the sports bar, it was "a bit of a crazy idea" and above all a family affair that prompted Michèle, her husband Guy and their daughter Marie to take over this place, which had been closed for two years. "There was nothing left in the village," recalls the owner, who opens at 7 a.m. every morning. While a municipal employee finishes his drink at the bar, regulars order the filet mignon with mustard sauce and homemade fries as the daily special.

Julien and Anaëlle, the former owners of the convenience store for ten years, have decided to return to their home village of Bormes. So it's time for them to pack their bags. And their goodbyes: "We were very well received here, it's an incredible village," says the couple. Across from the church, the Auberge de La Loube, located in the former coaching inn, also recently changed hands. "I bought it in 2023 when the establishment was in receivership. But here, as elsewhere, business is complicated in small villages," admits Tayeb Ghezali.

From generation to generation

"In my time there were four grocery stores, two butcher shops... And you had to see a lot of people for the donkey festival (now stopped, Editor's note) ! But today mentalities have changed," regrets Jean-Louis Giraudo, the former mayor (1983 to 1989). "Now people do their shopping outside and go home in the evening. And that's it."

While some residents refer to it as a "dormitory village," others, on the contrary, emphasize the dynamic community and the events that mark the life of the town. For example, the village festival around July 14, or the big garage sale on the first Sunday in August. Festivities that bring together thousands of people.

The town is also attractive to retirees from the north who have come to settle in the Var sunshine. This creates a certain intergenerational dynamic. "We organize events, for example, an Easter egg hunt with the children in the residence's garden, which is a very nice moment, and also visits from residents to the youth leisure center," explains Romane Mohr, the director of the retirement home. At the Korian La Provençale nursing home, the town's largest employer with 43 full-time equivalents, the term "intergenerational" thus takes on its full meaning.

Finally, well beyond Issole, Roquebrussanne has forged friendly ties with towns across the Atlantic. On the morning of August 18, 1945, two American soldiers died at the entrance to the town. Private First Class Raymond Smith, originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, and Private Kenneth Fountain, from Plattsburgh, New York. Every year, the inhabitants of the small town in the Var region pay tribute to these two American soldiers who died liberating their village.

1. The Village d’avenir scheme was launched in January 2024 and managed by the National Agency for Territorial Cohesion (ANCT).