Plan de Canjuers, Limestone plateau in Var department, France
Plan de Canjuers is an expansive limestone plateau that rises to about 900 meters elevation in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, covering over 34,000 hectares of sparse terrain. The barren landscape is shaped by karst formations with steep drops and wide open vistas across rocky ground.
The name Canjuers comes from Campus Julii, referring to the route Julius Caesar traveled through this limestone territory during his conquest of Gaul. Since 1971, it has functioned as Europe's largest artillery training ground, transforming it into a heavily restricted military zone.
The plateau holds ruins of abandoned villages like Saint-Bayon and Chardan that remind visitors of the rural life that once thrived here. These empty settlements tell the story of families who farmed this limestone terrain for generations.
Most of this plateau is closed to the public because it has served as a military training zone for decades. Occasionally, guided tours of specific sections are available through special permission from military authorities.
This plateau holds Jurassic and Cretaceous fossils embedded in its limestone formations, bearing witness to ancient ocean conditions. Despite military use, these geological treasures make it a place of scientific interest.
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