What to do in Hyères? Îles d’Or, Villa Noailles and Presqu’île de Giens

Hyères is the oldest seaside resort on the Côte d’Azur — a town in Provence, in the Var, that alone brings together exceptional riches: the Golden Isles (Porquerolles Island, Port-Cros Island and Île du Levant), the Giens peninsula with its double tombolo, unique in France, the Villa Noailles, a masterpiece of modern architecture, the Olbius Riquier Park with its tropical garden, and the wild coves along the coastal path of the Var coastline. Things to do in Hyères mean enjoying a unique kind of tourism that combines avant-garde culture, unspoiled nature and dream beaches, set within sun-drenched Mediterranean Provence. This guide reveals the best activities and visits — prices, opening hours and local secrets — for an unforgettable day trip or stay in Hyères, in the Var.

Porquerolles Island: The Most Beautiful Island in the Mediterranean

Porquerolles Island is the largest and most accessible of Hyères’ Golden Isles — this 1,253-hectare island, within the Port-Cros National Park, is often ranked among the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean and Europe for its white sand beaches, turquoise waters and unbroken stretch of vineyards. A day trip to Porquerolles Island should be booked from the port of La Tour Fondue on the Giens peninsula (20-minute crossing, €22 return for adults, €12 for children) — the first ferry departs at 7:30am in peak season. On Porquerolles Island, bikes can be hired right at the harbour (€12-15/day) — essential for reaching Notre-Dame beach (the most beautiful beach on Porquerolles) and Plage d’Argent from the village, each 3-4 km away.

What other articles don’t mention: Langoustier beach, at the western tip of Porquerolles Island (7 km from the village), is the most secluded and most beautiful of them all — its intense turquoise waters and near-white sand stay pristine because most visitors don’t make the 7 km bike ride. Take the first ferry and cycle straight to Langoustier before 9am — you’ll have it almost to yourself for two hours.

Port-Cros Island: The Underwater National Park

Port-Cros Island (7 km², entirely protected) is Europe’s oldest marine national park — this Port-Cros National Park, created in 1963, protects both the forest on land and the underwater environment around the island. Activities on Port-Cros Island come down to hiking in the national park and diving/snorkelling in its protected waters — the Sentier des Crêtes trail (7 km, 3 hours, 250 m elevation gain) circles the island, with views over the sea and neighbouring islands. The Sentier Marin snorkelling trail (starting from Plage de la Palud, with underwater markers, 1 hour) lets you spot gorgonians, groupers and barracudas in exceptionally clear water. The crossing to Port-Cros departs from the port of Hyères or Cavalaire (30-45 minutes, €30-35 return for adults).

The Villa Noailles: Modern Architecture at the Heart of Hyères

The Villa Noailles is one of the most important works of modern architecture in Europe — this Cubist villa, built between 1923 and 1933 by the architect Robert Mallet-Stevens for the Viscount and Viscountess de Noailles, overlooks the old town of Hyères from its terraced gardens. The Villa Noailles served as the setting for avant-garde films by Man Ray (Les Mystères du Château de Dé, 1929) and Luis Buñuel (L’Âge d’Or, 1930) — an exceptional artistic heritage in the Var. The Villa Noailles’ contemporary art centre (free entry) hosts the Hyères International Festival of Fashion and Photography (HYÈRES Festival, April) every year — one of the most important fashion events in France. The Villa Noailles’ permanent collection and temporary exhibitions are open Wednesday to Sunday (free entry, 10am-7pm in summer).

What the guidebooks overlook: the gardens of the Villa Noailles offer the most spectacular panorama over Hyères, the Giens peninsula, the Golden Isles and the Bay of Hyères — one of the finest viewpoints on the Côte d’Azur. The garden visit is free and can be reached on foot from the old town of Hyères in 15 minutes via the Chemin de Ronde.

Olbius Riquier Park: Hyères’ Tropical Garden

Olbius Riquier Park (in town, free entry, open 7:30am-6pm) is the richest botanical garden on the Côte d’Azur — its 6 hectares of tropical vegetation, its cactus and exotic plant greenhouses, its animal park (parrots, flamingos, ostriches) and its boating lake make it an ideal activity for families on a day out in Hyères. Olbius Riquier Park is also an exceptionally rich bird-watching spot right in town — more than 80 species have been recorded along the park’s shaded paths, especially during migration season. Olbius Riquier Park is within walking distance of Hyères’ harbour (15 minutes) or the old town (20 minutes).

The Olbia archaeological site (2 km from the park, on the Almanarre coastal path) is a Greek city founded in the 4th century BC, whose excavations reveal the layout of houses, temples and ramparts — €6 entry for adults, guided visits available by reservation. Olbia is one of the best-preserved ancient cities in the Var and Provence.

The Giens Peninsula and the Coastal Path

The Giens peninsula is Hyères’ most remarkable geographical feature — this peninsula is linked to the mainland by two parallel tombolos (sand spits), unique in France, framing a brackish-water lagoon (the Étang des Pesquiers) that is one of the most important bird-watching sites in Provence and the Var. More than 200 species of migratory birds (flamingos, avocets, terns, sandpipers) can be seen there from September to March along the lagoon’s dykes — bird-watching at La Lieurette (a bird observatory, free access) is one of the best nature experiences on the Côte d’Azur outside the islands.

The coastal path around the Giens peninsula (GR51, 15 km for the full loop, 4 hours) skirts the rocky wild coves at the tip of the Hyères headland and the beaches of Almanarre and La Bergerie — one of the finest coastal hikes in the Var. The La Tour Fondue jetty, at the tip of the Giens peninsula, is the departure port for ferries to Porquerolles Island (20 minutes).

The Pic des Fées Observatory and the Old Town of Hyères

The Pic des Fées Observatory (at 160 m above the old town of Hyères) offers one of the most complete panoramas on the Côte d’Azur: views over the Golden Isles, the Giens peninsula, the Maures massif and the Var Alps on a clear day. The Pic des Fées Observatory can be reached on foot from the old town of Hyères (30 minutes) or by car. Evening astronomy events (constellations, the Milky Way, the night sky) are organised by the Var Astronomical Society on certain Friday evenings.

The old town of Hyères (free access) is one of the most beautiful medieval towns in the Var — its cobbled lanes, medieval gates (Porte Massillon, Porte des Princes de Barcelone), hanging gardens and Saint-Paul collegiate church bear witness to a flourishing past. The Provençal market on Place Massillon (Tuesday and Saturday mornings, 8am-1pm) is one of the most colourful markets in Provence — olives, cheeses and local produce from the Var.

Campsites with Water Parks in Hyères and the Var

Campsites in Hyères and the Var offer water parks with heated pools, set amid umbrella pines and Provençal scrubland — just minutes from the beaches of the Côte d’Azur and under 30 minutes from the ferries to the Golden Isles. A camping stay in Hyères lets you make the most of the Var’s best activities: a day trip to Porquerolles Island (€22 return from Giens), hiking on Port-Cros Island (national park), the Villa Noailles and its contemporary art centre, Olbius Riquier Park, the Giens peninsula and bird-watching at La Lieurette. Campsites in the Var around Hyères are ideally located for a seaside and cultural tourism holiday on the Côte d’Azur.