Hyères Travel Guide

 ranger49 Says:  Place Massillon is right at the very heart of the old town and is named after Jean Baptiste Massillon who was born in Hyeres in1663, the son of a notary in the Royal service. He entered the Church while still a young man and soon became famous as an orator and writer. In... 

 JLBG Says:  Île de Porquerolles is not really an off the beaten path destination but as it is outside of the town (though administratively a part of Hyères), I have chosen to put here a brief presentation of Porquerolles. I will build a separate page on this island (to... 

 JLBG Says:  This house stands at the crossing between Avenue Foch and Avenue Joseph Clotis. It has nothing special in its architecture but, as it often occurs in Provence, the colors of the front are enough to transform an otherwise plain building into a part of the scenery. 

 JLBG Says:  Towards the top of Avenue Victor Hugo, not far from Avenue des Îles d'Or, there stands a church that bears on top of the entrance "DOM sub invocatione Matris misericordiae et sp Francisci". This is obviously a Franciscan Catholic church and it must have been built in... 

 JLBG Says:  Sundial "les Rangers" stands on the front of a house next to Villa Saint Hubert, on avenue des Îles d'Or. The sundial is adorned with lemons but I have been unable to establish what was the connection between "les Rangers" and lemons! May be "les Rangers" is the name of the... 

 JLBG Says:  Cercle militaire "Mixte"!!"Cercle militaire" is for "Militars club" I suppose, and "mixte" stands for "mixed", both sexes. Obviously the posting "Cercle militaire" has been there for a long time and is stone carved. "Mixte" has been added recently and I wonder if it is not... 

 JLBG Says:  At the other end of Place Théodore Lefebvre, another monument bears the following inscription.In loving memory of Marianne Stewart who died 18th august 1900. She laboured for many years in the cause of mercy to animals. Her last wish was that a drinking fountain should be... 

 JLBG Says:  On Place Théodore Lefebvre, the Monument aux Morts (War Memorial) is topped by a woman holding a spear. On two sides, it bears an impressive list of citizens from Hyères that died at WW1. The two other sides bear the names of citizens that died at WWII and at the war in... 

 JLBG Says:  Villa Léonie, 7 avenue Ambroise Thomas is an example of the small functional buildings that were built in the 1930s for renting, when holidaymakers began to visit Hyères in Summer instead of Winter. The décor is limited to the name of the villa on top of the entrance. 

 JLBG Says:  At number 26 Place Théodore Lefebvre, bat C (building C), I have spotted this amazing sundial in a 1935 style. I needed some time to read what was carved on top as some letters are half hidden by roses and other flowers. It gives the name of the building: "les Floralies". 

 JLBG Says:  Villa La Provence, 20 avenue Andrée de David de Beauregard was built in the 1930s. The name fits with the style of the architecture. Beginning in the 1920-1930 period, villas were smaller than previously and took their inspiration in the Provencal traditional architecture.... 

 JLBG Says:  At the crossing of avenue Andrée de David de Beauregard and Boulevard Godillot, this large villa was built in the 1930 for renting to holiday makers. The staircase, in the central tower allows to reach the apartments in each aisle. At the cross road, a fountain offered by... 

 JLBG Says:  Le Clos fleuri was built in the 1930s on a triangular parcel at a cross road, 2 rue Saint Rémy. The architect has played with the shape of the parcel to build a house with irregular volumes that can be seen from every direction, as each side is a front. The half embedded... 

 JLBG Says:  The Casino des Palmiers (Palm trees Casino), avenue Ambroise-Thomas, was built between 1850 and 1902 by several architects, one after the other. Chapoulart was one of them. In 1962, the casino stopped its activity and was bought by the city in 1980. In 1991, it was entirely... 

 JLBG Says:  Grand Hotel, 62 avenue des Îles d'Or, was built in 1850 and was the first of the luxury hotels in Hyères. The architects were Victor Trotobas and Léon David. It was an entirely new concept, a kind of town in the town with over a hundred bed rooms, all looking southwards, a...