Hyères's coastal suburbs have plenty of beaches for you to choose from, but can be subject to mosquito plagues in spring and summer. L'Almanarre, about 5km south of town, hosts French sailing championships at the end of April and has a narrow crescent of sand from which you can swim. La Capte is rather built-up, but offers warmer, shallow water and a long sandy beach. Alternatively, take the route du Sel to the Presqu'Île de Giens for a glimpse of the saltworks and the flamingos on the adjoining lake. Besides the peculiarity of its attachment to the mainland (last broken by storms in 1811), Giens is a fairly nondescript and overpopulated resort. There are, however, some fine cliffs facing the sea, and in rough weather you can understand why so many wrecks have been discovered here. La Tour Fondue, a Richelieu construction on the eastern side of Giens, overlooks the small port that serves the Îles d'Hyères.Traffic fumes and the proximity to the airport make the beaches between Hyères-Plage and Le Ceinturon/Ayguade rather undesirable despite the pines and ubiquitous palms. Best to head further up the coast to the little fishing port of Les Salins d'Hyères. East of Les Salins, where the coastal road finally turns inland, you can follow a path between abandoned salt-flats and the sea to a naturist beach.
| 