Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TOULON & AROUND
Relatively unspoilt coastline turns increasingly urban as you head west to Toulon. A final
pocket of blue and green surrounds
La Londe
(population 8840), midway between Le
Lavandou and Hyères. Explore its olive groves, vineyards and flower gardens on guided
walks organised by the
tourist office
( 04 94 01 53 10;
www.ot-lalondelesmaures.fr
;
9am-6pm Mon-Sat, 9am-1pm Sun)
or hire a bike and wine-taste by pedal power.
Hyères & Presqu'île de Giens
POP 56,020
With its overdose of palm trees, its casino, and medieval Vieille Ville (Old Town) perched
on a hillside north of its new town, Hyères retains some of the charm that made it the Côte
d'Azur's first resort. The city's real asset, however, is the Presqu'île de Giens (Giens Pen-
insula).
Sights & Activities
Presqu'île de Giens
This beach-fringed peninsula briefly became an island in 1811 after huge storms. It is a
launch pad for day trips to the Îles d'Hyères and a walker's and spotter's paradise: the pro-
tected wetland area harbours amazing birdlife, including pink flamingos, herons, egrets,
teals and cormorants. A beautiful
Sentier du Littoral
(Coastal Path) loops the peninsula.
OUTDOORS
La Capte
Pink flamingos add a splash of colour to the otherwise barren landscape of La Capte, two
narrow sand bars supporting the
Salins des Presquiers
salt pans and a lake 4km south of
Hyères centre. A 1½-hour cycling itinerary (12.5km) loops the salt pans, and the tourist of-
fice runs guided bird discovery
nature walks
(adult/child €5/free). Particularly spectacular
is the western sand bar road dubbed the
rte du Sel
(Salt Rd), accessible only in summer.
OUTDOORS
Vieille Ville
HISTORIC QUARTER
