- Geographic location :
- The medieval village of Villars-sur-Var is only 48 km from Nice, 50 minutes from the capital of the Côte d'Azur.
- Half way between sea and high mountain, Villars-sur-Var, capital of canton is deployed in the sun, on the Savel plateau, 432 meters above sea level. It dominates by 200 meters the average course of the Var, river that run along the railway line of Provence and the departmental road 6202. From the station of Villars, the walkers can reach the village by a footpath.
- The vehicles will leave the RD 6202 to take on their right the departmental road 26 which winds 2 kilometers between vineyards, olive grove and oak woods (panoramic view of the valley towards the west and south). This road makes it possible, once you have stopped at Villars, either to go back to the departmental road 6202, passing through the pleasant village of Massoins, that of Tournefort and descend by taking the Tinée valley or follow the departmental road 226 Admire the site of Thiéry.
- History:
- The "eguituri", montagnards whose origins are not determined, close to the Ligurians, a Celtic tribe, are probably the first inhabitants of the region. The premises consisted of a simple hamlet of a few houses that were originally named "villare". Romanized in 54 BC, the original site of the Roccaria is christianized in the 4th century. On this site stands the chapel of Saint-Jean du Désert, the annual pilgrimage site of the Villarois, on St. John's Day, June 24th.
- The region subsequently experienced a large turbid period of various invasions and suffered the effects of plague and an important earthquake. Towards the year 1000, Villarois descend to settle on the sandy plateau, the Savel, where the Templars develop the very old vineyard and the cultivation of the wheat. The medieval village is arranged in semi-concentric circles.
- In 1388, the village was given to Jean Grimaldi, Baron de Beuil. It is part of the county of Savoy.
- In 1621, Annibal Grimaldi, rebel of the Duke of Savoy, was executed.
The community passed into the hands of Piedmontese feudatories, the Vergnano, and then those of Count Salmadoris.
- Villars is often busy. It was burnt down in 1691 by the French.
- In 1860, Villars was trained by his deputy Léotardi, inventor of rural factors, to vote for the attachment to France.
- The village is considerably depopulated by the First World War.
- Since the 1970s, the village population has been steadily increasing, Villars has become a "great suburb" in Nice for those who seek calm and a different quality of life.
- Twinning: Since August 24, 1981, Villars-sur-Var is twinned with the city of Cherasco, province of Cuneo, Italy. Count Salmadoris, the last feudal of Villars, was a native of this city.
