Hyères
The cosy and interesting coastal town of Hyères is located in the Var department, not far from the large port of Toulon. Hyères is the southernmost and oldest winter resort on the Côte d'Azur and over the years has attracted countless famous holidaymakers: Queen Victoria, Tolstoy, Pauline Bonaparte, Aubrey Beardsley, Edith Whaton and Robert Louis Stevenson. However, Hyères is generally regarded as somewhat more backward compared to the more fashionable coastal towns of Nice and Cannes. However, it has a completely different charm and is not nearly as crowded as the Riviera's more fashionable coastal towns. Hyères is especially known for its large palm industry, which has earned it the nickname Hyères-les-Palmiers. The first thing you'll notice when you arrive in Hyères are the large palm tree avenues leading into the city. Oddly enough, Saudi Arabia is one of the largest export markets, thanks to the fact that Hyères has managed to produce a palm variety that can withstand the air pollution from oil drilling better than the Saudis' own palms. Hyères offers a very charming old town with narrow, winding streets, medieval arched gates and old, well-restored houses. The old town is centred around Place Massillon, a large open square with several restaurants and cafés and a 12th-century tower. The well-restored Tour de Saint-Blaise is the remains of a commanderie des templiers. The square hosts a market every morning where you can find Provençal and Arabic specialities. Hyères offers 39 kilometres of coastline with fine sandy beaches and rocky coves. Hyères also offers a wealth of sporting activities including sailing, diving, windsurfing and water skiing. The city hosts major sporting and cultural events throughout the year. Every April, an international pre-Olympic regatta brings together the sailing elite from all over the world and during the year the harbour receives up to 2000 boats. Off Hyères, the peninsula of Presqu'île-de-Giens juts out into the sea. Salt is still mined here and from here you can sail out to the small archipelago, Îles d'Or, which consists of three very scenic and subtropical islands. Île de Porquerolle is the largest and closest of the three islands. There are no cars here, but you can hire bikes or walk around the island. Inspiration for your holiday:Sights to see:Commanderie des Templiers/Tour de saint Blaise: Built after Charles I of Anjou granted the city royal status. From 1770-1913, the Templar building served as the town hall. L'église St Paul: Became a collegiate church in 1572. It has an interesting Gothic nave and a Romanesque bell tower. The church also contains 400 votive images. L'église Saint Louis: A very interesting church and a beautiful example of a happy interplay between Italian Romanesque and Provençal styles. Parc St Bernard: Very beautiful and flower-filled park. From here there is a magnificent view down the old rooftops to the Massif des Maures, the Giens peninsula and the Îles d'Hyères. Château St-Bernard: Used as a cultural centre. La mauresque and La Tunisienne: Inspired by Napoleon's Egyptian campaigns, an oriental fashion emerged and led to the construction of several oriental-style houses with arches, minarets and tropical date palms in the gardens - very exotic. 
Things to do in HyèresExcursion to the Îles d'Or Golf: There is a wealth of golf courses in the Var department. The French Golf Union has a website where most courses are presented. Unfortunately, the website is in French. Go to Guide de golfs and search here under the Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur region: http://www.ffgolf.org/. |