Hyères

Famed for its palm trees (7,000 of them apparently), Hyères, the most southerly city of Provence, was once the favourite summer resort of the rich and famous. Today's celebrities and well-heeled visitors might have moved on to resorts further east along the coast, but the old town retains its charm and character. Only a few kilometres to the northeast of Hyères, the Massif des Maures is great for hiking, while the Giens Peninsula (and the isthmus that leads to it) to the south draws the crowds with its long, sandy beaches. The Iles d'Or (also known as Iles d'Hyères) are famed for their transparent turquoise waters and white sands, and are a must-do in summer. Porquerolles is the biggest, while Port Cros is a national park with typical Mediterranean flora and fauna. Hyères harbour, Port St Pierre, which is home to many yachts and other bateaux de plaisance, is a first-rate boating centre. It has been adopted by the French sailing team as their home port.

Hyères attracts a lot of French people, who either own a second home here or come from nearby towns and villages. Visitors include young travellers in search of a relaxed escape through to families looking to take it easy for a week or two on the beach. Increasingly foreigners, mainly from Western Europe, join locals in the summer.

Hyères lies in the south of France on the famous French Riviera. To the west are the cities of Marseille and Toulon and to the east are the cities of Nice and Cannes. The resort lies right on the Mediterranean Sea, between Toulon and St Tropez in the Var departement. Toulon-Hyères Airport (TLN) is located south of the town centre on the way to the beach, on boulevard de la Marine.

The Hyères commune boasts 39km (24 miles) of pristine sand beaches and rocky inlets. The isthmus leading to the Giens Peninsula is home to salt marshes and umbrella pines. The beaches here are very popular and can get crowded in summer. The 5km- (3 mile-) long beach L'Almanarre is the closest to Hyères, and as such it is the busiest. Beaches on the Giens Peninsula are less crowded. The islands have plenty of little coves, many of which can only be reached by boat. Of the big beaches on Porquerolles, La Courtade is the longest and most popular. The Plage des Grottes on Ile du Levant is reserved for naturism. Watersports on offer include scuba-diving (some of the most exciting shipwreck sites in the Mediterranean can be found nearby), sailing, deep sea fishing and yachting.

Explore the old town. Start at place Massillon, the main square, which is home to the daily market. The 12th-century Tower of St Blaise on place Massillon is a local landmark. There is a maze of little streets to the north of the square, lined with old houses of typical soft pastel Provençal colours. Built in the 1920s, the Villa Noailles (montée de Noailles) was once a beacon of modernity, attracting avant-garde artists and their friends. Today it is a cultural centre that hosts a fashion and photography festival every year, and draws those interested in contemporary architecture. Parc St Bernard, just below the villa, is a good place for a stroll, and offers great views of the coast and old town.

Hyères beaches are ideal for families, with clean, safe waters and lifeguards on duty. The Magic World fun park, on the D42 road (route Marais) just west of Hyères-Plage, is open from June to September, and is a popular attraction with children. So is the Jardin Olbius-Riquier (avenue Ambroise Thomas), which features numerous rare and exotic plant species, a lake, an exotic greenhouse, a cactus garden, a playground, a miniature train and even pony rides. It offers some welcome shade in the hot afternoon sunshine and is a good spot for a family stroll. Horse-riding is widely available, as is bike hire, and there is go-karting on the avenue de l'Aéroport.

There are plenty of shops near the beaches and on the harbour catering to the passing holidaymaker trade with all sorts of beachwear and souvenirs. A few supermarkets are also handy for stocking up on excellent-value French wine and groceries for picnics on the beach. There is also a daily market held on place Massillon.

The nightlife may not be as buzzing as Nice or as stylish as St Tropez, but there is plenty to do when the sun slips down over Hyères. There are cafés and bars that stay open late, and a handful of nightclubs. There is also a cinema, L'Olbia (rue du Soldat-Bellon), and a casino, the Casino des Palmiers (1 avenue Ambroise Thomas) for those feeling lucky.

Several restaurants, most of them with tables spilling out on the square outside, can be found on the place Massillon. A few more are dotted along the seafront, most of them along L'Almanarre. There is a great variety of cuisines to choose from, from traditional Provençal cooking to seafood and more exotic offerings. Make sure you sample the local Côtes de Provence wine. There are many vineyards with their own outlets outside Hyères, if you like what you taste and want to buy a case or two to take home with you.

The best way to get around Hyères is on foot. There are also buses between the town centre and the port, as well as towards Aygades, Giens and L'Almanarre. If you want to venture further away, two buses a day operate between Nice and Toulon and stop at Hyères on the way. A local train line also connects Hyères and Toulon.

Porquerolles, the most westerly of the Iles d'Or (also known as Iles d'Hyères), is the closest to Hyères. The northern part of the island is the most built up, while the southern coast still boasts beautiful, unspoilt little coves of turquoise waters and white sands. An excursion to the nearby island of Port Cros, a national park with typical Mediterranean fauna and flora, is another option.

Treat yourself and go on an underwater photo safari. Alternatively just hire a boat for the day (or week) and go explore the area on your own. More than 80 local companies offer motor- and sailboat rentals, with or without skipper and stewardess service. Or learn to sail: several sailing schools offer courses covering basic nautical skills, and you can even get a sailing permit at the end of it.

Toulon-Hyères Airport (TLN)