The Giens Peninsula in France is a peninsula protruding into the Mediterranean Sea south of Hyères. The peninsula belongs to the Cote d'Azur region, which means French Riviera with many islands and an azure blue sea. Come to the Gien Peninsula in France!
Table of contents
Peninsula with nature and surfing beaches
The Gien Peninsula may not be well known to the general public, but it is probably known to surfers and perhaps even nature lovers. There are several popular surfing beaches and large natural areas. The Giens Peninsula is located in the south of France and the nearest town is Hyères.
The peninsula is full of water sports and you can buy courses every hundred metres. It is often windy and very shallow, making it perfect for kitesurfing and windsurfing. The island looks like a dolphin's tail, with more wind on one side and beautiful sandy beaches on the other. Here you will also find beach life, bungalows, beach volleyball, canoes, catamarans, boat rentals, and all the cool beach fun you can imagine.
To Camping Olbia
As we drove out towards La Madrague, we saw lots of kite-surfers, hanging out on the long sandy beaches in the centre of the peninsula. Myself, we continued to campsites Olbia, which is located right next to a large green national park.
The campsite is nice and the service is excellent, except that unfortunately you have to pay extra for WiFi. In any case, we have looked for the place on the campsite where WiFi should work as well as possible, which is important to us!
Walking on the Giens peninsula in France
There are plenty of walking paths here and we set off on a walk through the forest and along the rocky coastline. It is really beautiful here with the steep cliffs, the intense green vegetation and all the little flowers in different colours. It is not difficult to understand why nature lovers like to come here.
Côte d'Azur means French Riviera and starts here and continues to the Italian border. It is also home to the French archipelago with many islands in an azure sea. Everywhere there are small harbours, rocky headlands and paths along the sea. It takes several days to walk around the peninsula, but don't worry, there are plenty of lovely stops along the way for food and bubbly.
Surfers' paradise
The Gien Peninsula must be a surfer's paradise! The wind is blowing hard and the temperature has dropped to 23 degrees. The windsurfers and kite surfers are super happy! We take a walk to the long surfing beach, to watch the surfing on the Gien Peninsula in France. This is truly a surfing paradise! Come along!
Full of kite surfers
The beach was really stuffed of surfers and you wondered how they managed not to get tangled up with all the lines and sails. They got up an incredible amount of speed too! It wasn't easy to keep up with the camera ... I don't think surfing is for me, but Peter would like to try kite surfing if we get the chance. Have you ever windsurfed or kitesurfed?
Cote d'azur
The Giens Peninsula is located on the French Riviera, or Cote d'Azur as it is called in French. There are many beautiful islands, such as the naturist island of Ile du Levant, the almost tropical island Port-Cros and the more touristy, but beautiful island of Porquerolles. There is simply something for everyone!
Europe's largest sand dune - Dune de Pilat in France
Europe's largest sand dune, Dune Du Pilat, is around 3 kilometres long, 104 metres high and 500 metres...
Carcassonne in France - a fortified medieval city
Carcassonne in France is a fortified medieval city in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. When you step into the...
Port-Cros Island in France - France's exotic national park
The island of Port-Cros in France is one of the so-called Golden Islands on the Côte d'Azur. The island reminds...
The food in France's supermarkets
We have not eaten in a restaurant once since we arrived in France. Mostly shopping...
French Riviera - at Sainte Maxime in France
We are now on the French Riviera. The stretch of coastline known as the French Riviera, or Côte...
3 things to do in Marseille, France
What to see and do in Marseille, France? Marseille is the second largest city...
Camping and swimming at Le Lavandou - Côte d'Azur in France
After a nice visit to blog friends in Provence, it was time for us to head south....
Facts about France - 30 things you (might) not have known
Here are the facts about France - 30 things you (maybe) didn't know. We've travelled around...
Gothenburg - France - the start of the European journey
Now we have driven from Gothenburg to France. Night-black motorways through Denmark, windy sea between Rödby...
Aunt Anna on a housewife holiday in Paris
Guest writer: Anna Nilsson Spets Do you remember the word 'housewife holiday'? A housewife's holiday was a way for overworked women to...
Gorges du Verdon - Europe's Grand Canyon
The Gorges du Verdon in France are sometimes called the Grand Canyon of Europe, and it's not hard to...
The Silver Coast in France - from Gironde to Bayonne
We are on the Silver Coast in France. The entire west coast of France from the Gironde estuary to Bayonne...
Cap d'Agde - Biggest nude town in France
Cap d'Agde - the nude town in France! The French town of Cap d'Agde is located on the Mediterranean Sea and is...
Ardeche in France - and the Pont d'Arc
In the Ardeche region of France, you'll find an unrivalled natural environment with a dramatic canyon, a...
Mortagne sur Gironde in France
We have now driven the motorhome to the small town of Mortagne sur Gironde, which is located on the...
Pedal boat on the Verdon River in France
We have now travelled to the Verdon River in France. Right at the entrance to the river is...
Île Sainte-Marguerite near Cannes - Lerin Islands in France
One of the reasons why we went back to Cannes and the French Riviera, was that we...
Camping in Cannes - Camping Le ranch
Camping Le Ranch is a campsite in Cannes that is ideal for visiting the city centre.
The Normandy landings in France
It's one thing to read about the Normandy landings in France, and another to read about the...
A day in Nice and Villefranche in France
A day in Nice and Villefranche, France. From wide beach walks to the alleyways of the old town,...
Concarneau in France - South Brittany
Welcome to Concarneau in France, in southern Brittany. In the heart of Concarneau you will find Ville Close,...
Aunt Anna in French trouble on the Opal Coast
Guest writer: Anna Nilsson Spets Although I live a stone's throw from the French border, France is...
Club Med in La Rosière - a dream for a ski holiday in the French Alps
Guest writer: Christian Muda La Rosière is a ski resort in the French Alps at an altitude of 1850 metres....
The Abbey of Thoronet in Provence - and a Swedish crayfish meal
Yesterday we visited the impressive Thoronet Abbey in Provence, which was built in the 12th century. The visit to the...
Amphitheatre in France - Arles in Provence
In Arles, Provence, you can find the ruins of a Roman theatre. This impressive amphitheatre in France...
Porquerolles Island in France - Golden Islands on the French Riviera
The island of Porquerolles in France is one of the golden islands on the French Riviera, in the south of France. Many consider...
Delicious oysters in Cancale, Brittany, France
There is something special about experiencing oysters in France. In Brittany, France, there is Cancale, which...
Veulettes-sur-Mer in Normandy - seaside caravan site
Now we have found a pitch in Veulettes-sur-Mer on the Normandy coast. The cliffs are dramatic...
Camargue in France - land of the white horses
On the way to Arles we drove past the beautiful Camargue. The area consists of 140,000 hectares...
Ile de Ré in France - holiday island on the west coast
Ile de Ré in France is an island located off La Rochelle, on the west coast of France....
Ama de casa says:
Looks really super nice! Just keep on enjoying now 🙂
19 May 2015 - 17:51
Mr Steve says:
"Sunbathing for a while" is a far cry from what's possible here at home.Right now I'm sitting indoors with a fleece sweater on.
19 May 2015 - 17:52
Role o Carina says:
Very beautiful you will see, blue sky and blue sea!
Here it is raining again, nothing unusual 🙂 .
Take care.....
19 May 2015 - 18:34
Elisabeth says:
Bringing back memories! Two years ago I went to visit friends who had rented a house in La Madrague - a little detour just on the way down to Murviel (I wrote about the adventure at http://murvielklotter.com//?s=la+madrague&search=Choir).
Happily, I found "your" La Madrague. However, I didn't find any friends. I had driven to the wrong La Madrague. There are several, as it turns out. I should have driven to La Madrague in St Cyr-sur-Mer. It is located west of Toulon. Incredibly beautiful in both places but I was too angry to enjoy! However, I hope you do - so fun to follow you on the journey = D
19 May 2015 - 18:57
BP says:
Yep, I've been there! not at the campsite but in Hyères. Also think the scenery is absolutely superb there, not to mention the smell of lavender and the song of the crickets that you can enjoy there. Also, I have a special memory from one of the (extremely sharp) cliffs in Hyères - a scar on my left knee;-).
19 May 2015 - 20:04
Ditte says:
So beautiful and I am so fond of this slightly more dramatic coastline. I have not been here so it feels extra fun to follow you in pictures and text.
Great pictures!
19 May 2015 - 20:25
Travelmania says:
How beautiful! So many impressions you must get on your trip! Enjoy here in Sweden it is grey and cold!
19 May 2015 - 20:52
Matts Torebring says:
What very nice places you find. Maybe we'll find some when we come down in just over two weeks. Have a good time
19 May 2015 - 21:48
admin says:
Ama de casa, of course we do! 🙂 (The weather will probably get a little worse iofs, but there is no need for us anyway! ;))
Steve, we've realised that it's been really rough in Sweden... It's hard to understand when we've had such a heatwave here! But now I think we're going to get some worse weather ...
Rolle and Carina, have understood from all the blogs that the weather in Sweden has been boring! We have had very nice, but now it will be a little worse I think ...
Elisabeth, but what a story! Sad at the time I guess, but an interesting story afterwards! And we learned that there are several La Madrague and that it has to do with tuna fishing, thanks for that!
BP, can really agree that it smells of flowers here! (I'm not that advanced so I can say what kind... ;)) Beautiful green was on the road when we drove here too!
Ditte, you know what, when we manage to travel to a place where you haven't been, I call it Peter! 😉 You are soooo well travelled. Sometimes it feels like you have been everywhere, haha 😉 Luckily we get to show a new place in the end! 🙂
Travelmania, yes, there are always many impressions! Sometimes we have to stop and digest... 😉.
Matts, oh, you're travelling in two weeks!? Where are you travelling to?
19 May 2015 - 22:20
solan says:
Not a peep about the Swedish weather from me. Extra fun now to join the trip, had no idea about this peninsula. Good ideas for the next trip. As usual, tempting pictures...
20 May 2015 - 7:41
Elisabeth says:
What a beautiful and dramatic landscape! In addition, intense blue water! Enjoy!
20 May 2015 - 8:11
admin says:
Solan, we have heard a lot about the Swedish weather... does not sound so inspiring... Glad we can find some new places! Sometimes it feels like our very well-travelled readers have been everywhere, but here there don't seem to be so many who have been 😉.
Elisabeth, it is amazingly beautiful, and also very lush and flowering! 🙂
20 May 2015 - 9:32
Lena in Wales says:
Thank you for your email reply! Now I know how to do it, but it was not easy.
I have been in Sweden and missed some of your posts where you explained how to do it. Will make up for it, because it is so fun to read about your trip.
I don't know the part you are in now, so it's nice to know a bit more. St Tropez is well recognised though.
Have a good time in wonderful France!
20 May 2015 - 9:54
admin says:
Lena in Wales, I agree that it is not entirely obvious how to comment! I'd prefer a little "Comment here" link, but don't know how to achieve that as there isn't an option for it in the finished theme... Will try to let you know from time to time how to do it, if I can't figure it out. Thanks for taking the time to email!
20 May 2015 - 10:00
Maggan and Ingemar says:
It's almost like you want to go south during this month and a few in the future. Well we have to wait until autumn 🙁 Enjoying your pictures and posts ..... exciting trip, have a good time.
20 May 2015 - 13:25
Annika says:
I don't know if I've said it yet, but what a nice design it has become in here. Nice with bigger pictures too.
Good thing you told me to click on the title to comment, otherwise I wouldn't have known.
How wonderful that you are in the south of France now!
20 May 2015 - 16:04
admin says:
Maggan and Ingemar, we have understood that the weather in Sweden is boring now, but it will get better... And you have a trip to look forward to! 🙂
Annika, thank you. glad you like the design! No, I know, it's complicated with the comments. I have emailed the developer, but have not received a reply...
20 May 2015 - 20:08
Steel City Anna says:
Wow, how nice!
20 May 2015 - 22:34
Inga M says:
You really manage to visit and discover places that are not normally holiday destinations via charter. This peninsula looks exciting already on the map and apparently fantastic in reality. When bad weather means a temperature drop to 23 degrees, you can endure it I guess! 😉 I won't complain anymore about our Swedish weather, it's becoming like an old gramophone record that's stuck.
Have a good day!
21 May 2015 - 9:07