Plage de l'Almanarre

Plage de l'Almanarre is a nearly 5 km sandy beach along the Route du Sel in Hyères, in the Var, on the western of the two sand bars that tie the Giens peninsula to the mainland. It is one of the main windsurfing and kitesurfing beaches on the Mediterranean coast of France and holds the Blue Flag and Tourisme & Handicap labels. It suits wind-sports riders, families on calm days and birdwatchers.

The double tombolo and Étang des Pesquiers

The two sand bars, a double tombolo, formed over roughly the last 3,000 years and enclose the Étang des Pesquiers lagoon. The Almanarre is the western bar, facing the open sea.

Mistral surf days and calm east wind days

The beach changes with the wind. When the mistral blows from the north-west, the sea turns rough and fills with windsurfers and kitesurfers. When the wind comes from the east, the shore is sheltered and the shallow water suits children. Mornings in summer are calmer; afternoons bring steadier wind. Kitesurfing is allowed only in set zones, so beginners should take lessons and ask a school before launching. A lifeguard post operates in season.

Greek Olbia and the abbey of 1220

The Greek colony of Olbia stood on this side of the bay, about 1 km away, and later became the Roman town of Pomponiana. On 13 March 1220 the abbey of Saint-Pierre de l'Almanarre was founded on the same site, reusing its ancient stones. Guided snorkel tours explore the site from the water.

Flamingos on the old Pesquiers salt pans

Across the road, the Pesquiers salt pans produced salt from 1848 to 1996 and are now a bird reserve where flamingos are often seen. In winter the Route du Sel closes to traffic and becomes a path for walkers and cyclists.