Giens Peninsula in France – beaches, nature and surfing

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: September 2026 | The Giens peninsula outside Hyères offers beaches, rocky coastline, hiking trails and perfect conditions for windsurfing and kitesurfing. We arrived here by motorhome, stayed at a campsite near the sea and set out to discover the beautiful peninsula on foot.

Giens Peninsula outside Hyères

The Giens Peninsula, or Presqu'île de Giens, juts out into the Mediterranean Sea south of the city of Hyères in southern France. The peninsula is connected to the mainland by two narrow strips of land, a so-called double tombolo. Between them lie, among other things, the large salt flats of Salins des Pesquiers.

The landscape is special. There are long beaches and shallow waters, but also pine forests, cliffs, small coves and a much wilder coast. For us, Giens became above all a place for nature, walks and a huge number of surfers.

Surfing on the Gien Peninsula

As soon as we drove out towards La Madrague we saw them. Kitesurfers. Everywhere. The wind was blowing and out on the water lots of colorful sails and kites were cruising back and forth. The area around the long Plage de l'Almanarre in particular is famous for wind and kite surfing.

It was fascinating to watch. The surfers gained incredible speed and at times we wondered how everyone managed to avoid tangling the lines, sails and themselves. It was also not very easy to photograph them. By the time the camera was pointed in the right direction, the surfer had already gone somewhere else.

I quickly realized that kitesurfing probably wasn't at the top of my own wish list. Peter, however, was eager to try it.

Camping Olbia on the Gien Peninsula

We continued out towards the western part of the peninsula and stopped at Camping Olbia near La Madrague. The campsite is still there and is located in a green area near the sea, with both tent, caravan and motorhome pitches. From here it is only a few hundred meters to the beach and close to hiking trails along the more rocky part of the coast.

When we stayed here, we thought the campsite was nice and the service was good. One of our biggest concerns was finding the spot where the wifi worked best. That was important to us even then. After all, we were running a travel website from the camper, even in 2015.

Good to know: Camping Olbia is open for a large part of the year, but always check current opening hours, prices and booking options before your trip.

Hiking on the Gien Peninsula

One of our best experiences in Giens was the walk along the more dramatic coast. We walked through forest and greenery and continued along paths with views of cliffs and the Mediterranean Sea. Small flowers grew along the way and between the trees, views of the sea opened up.

There are several stretches of the coastal path in Giens. Coastal Trail, so those who want to hike can choose between different tours and starting points. The official tourist information shows trails from La Madrague and around the southern and eastern parts of the peninsula.

It's precisely this combination that makes Giens so special. One moment you're standing on a long sandy beach full of surfers, the next you're hiking along a rocky coast where the landscape feels much wilder.

Beaches on the Gien Peninsula

The Gien Peninsula has beaches on several sides and conditions vary depending on wind and weather.

The long one Almanarre Beach is located along the western strip of land and is strongly associated with windsurfing and kitesurfing. In other parts of the peninsula there are quieter beaches and small coves for those who primarily want to swim.

When we were here, it was the wind that made its mark on the days. The temperature had dropped to around 23 degrees and while we might not have been happy about the wind, the surfers were all the happier. We walked down to the beach just to watch. And we stood there for quite a while.

Nature on the Gien Peninsula

Giens is also part of a larger and ecologically valuable coastal area around Hyères and the Îles d'Hyères. The nature includes wetlands, salt marshes, coastal forest and rocky environments.

The Giens Peninsula is located within the commune of Hyères, which is part of the larger Parc national de Port-Cros cooperation area. The national park also works with the Conservatoire du Littoral to protect and manage the peninsula's nature.

During the summer, access to natural areas may be restricted due to high fire risk, so anyone planning to hike should check current conditions.

Excursions from the Gien Peninsula to the Golden Islands

The Gien Peninsula is also a good starting point for discovering Hyeres Islands, also called the Golden Islands. Here are three islands that we later visited:

• Porquerolles – the largest of the islands, where we rented bikes and went to some of the nice beaches.
• Port-Cros – national park with protected nature and hiking trails.
• Levant Island – known, among other things, for the naturist area Héliopolis, where our day trip unexpectedly ended with a night in a tent.

Boats to Porquerolles depart from, among others, Fondue Tour at the far end of the Gien Peninsula, making it easy to combine the peninsula with an island excursion.

Is the Gien Peninsula worth a visit?

Yes, especially if you like nature, beaches and activities on or by the sea. Giens is not the French Riviera that is all about luxury yachts, designer boutiques and movie stars. Instead, it was cliffs, hiking trails, wind, sea and colorful kite surfers that stuck in our memory.

We never tried surfing ourselves. But we got really good at standing on the beach and watching.

See more along the French Riviera

Of course, there is much more to experience along the French Riviera. Here you will find more tips and reports:

• Le Lavandou
• Saint-Aygulf Plage
• Guide to the French Riviera