Rade d'Hyères

The Rade d'Hyères stretches along the Var coastline in south-eastern France, on the Mediterranean Sea. It is bounded to the west by the Giens peninsula, which separates it from the Gulf of Giens, and to the east by Cap Bénat, across the communes of Hyères, La Londe-les-Maures and Bormes-les-Mimosas. Offshore, the Îles d'Hyères (Porquerolles, Port-Cros and Le Levant) partially close the bay to the south, giving the anchorage a degree of shelter from open-sea swell.

This wide stretch of water is used mainly for anchoring rather than through a dedicated marina, with the waters off the Giens peninsula traditionally serving as an anchorage area for visiting yachts. Navigation and anchoring are governed by orders from the Mediterranean maritime prefecture: an order dated 23 May 2023 set out two no-anchoring zones, one between the Giens peninsula and Porquerolles and the other between Cap Bénat and the islands of Port-Cros and Le Levant, to protect underwater infrastructure such as electric cables. The rade also lies immediately next to the core zone of the Port-Cros National Park, whose boundaries impose specific anchoring restrictions on larger vessels.

Around the rade, the town of Hyères operates several complementary harbours and anchorages, including Port Saint-Pierre, awarded the Blue Flag label since 1989, along with smaller stopovers at Ayguade, La Capte, Niel and Auguier. The rade is the natural starting point for trips to the Îles d'Or, Porquerolles, Port-Cros and Le Levant, valued for their coves, coastal footpaths and marine biodiversity, the area being part of the Pelagos Sanctuary for the protection of marine mammals.

The Giens peninsula, which borders the rade to the west, has a distinctive geological shape: it is connected to the mainland by two sand bars, the eastern and western tombolos, enclosing former salt marshes. This unusual geography, together with the AOC Côtes de Provence vineyards covering part of the peninsula, contributes to the site's distinctive character.