Hyeres

About

Settled by the Greeks in the 4th century BC, Hyères is a resort-town with substance. In the 18th century, English aristocracy in search of warm weather flocked to the village, then came artists such as Leo Tolstoy, Rudyard Kipling, and DH Lawrence, and in 1892, Queen Victoria herself. However, as the village was built on a hilltop, it eventually fell out of favour as vacationers looked to Nice and St. Tropez instead. Fortunately, that means the bougainvillea-lined streets are free for visitors to explore without masses of other tourists. A resort-town in spirit, the 3 ‘remarkable gardens’, panoramic vistas, and many cafes and restaurants serving fresh seafood just beg visitors to slow down and relax.