Almanarre beach, Beach in Hyères, France

Plage de l'Almanarre is a long sandy beach near Hyères, in southern France, set on a narrow spit of land known as a double tombolo that connects the mainland to the Giens Peninsula. The shore faces southwest, slopes gently into the water, and stretches for several kilometers between open sea and a series of protected salt lagoons.

Behind the beach stood Olbia, founded by the Greeks and later a Roman town; its ruins lie near the shore by the salt lagoon. The track along the sand carried salt from the marshes, giving it the name Route du Sel, the Salt Road.

The beach is well known among windsurfers and kitesurfers, who flock here when the mistral blows in from the northwest. Behind the sand, former salt marshes have been turned into a bird reserve where flamingos can often be spotted, especially in the late afternoon.

The beach is open all year, and the north end has adapted access paths and toilets for people with reduced mobility, though water entry equipment is only available at the southern Estagnets section during July and August. A large free parking lot is located near the main roundabout, and in summer a small shuttle train runs along the route to the Giens Peninsula.

The beach sits on a double tombolo, a narrow sand spit linking the mainland to the Giens Peninsula, with the Étang des Pesquiers lagoon on its landward side. The lagoon is a stopover for migratory birds, and the shallow water behind the sand warms quickly in spring.