A Holiday Between the Sea and Pine Forest
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Somewhere along the narrow road from Hyères out onto the Giens Peninsula, it dawns on you that the Côte d’Azur has another side entirely. No promenades, no yachts — just pine trees, salt flats and flamingos in the lagoon. Being able to see Porquerolles from here, close enough to feel within reach, is not even the biggest surprise this peninsula has to offer. That would be Salines: a Collection Rivages property nestled between dunes, pine forest and the sea.
Location
The Giens Peninsula is a geographical curiosity: two parallel strips of land enclose a lagoon where flamingos wade year-round, connecting the peninsula to the mainland at Hyères. Salines sits on the western spit, right on the water’s edge, set within a six-hectare park that smells of pine, thyme and sea air.
Accommodation
Salines offers the widest range of accommodation in the Collection. The Cabanes de Giens stand beneath Provençal pines, available in two or three-bedroom configurations, with terraces where the holiday really happens. The Beach Houses are the more comfortable option: two bedrooms, two bathrooms, sea views in select units, and from this summer, a Nordic outdoor bath on the terrace in chosen properties. The Folies are the most private choice, tucked deep into the pine forest. And then there’s the Selency x Collection Rivages Beach House: fully furnished by the French vintage platform Selency with hand-picked pieces, light-filled and airy, like a living mood board.
Kids
The Giens Peninsula is a natural laboratory. Flamingos in the lagoon, seahorses in the seagrass meadows, sea turtles if you’re lucky. Kayak tours along the coastline, windsurfing for children from age eight, guided nature walks through the nature reserve. The Maison des Enfants runs a structured summer programme that uses the surrounding environment as a classroom. And the ferry to Porquerolles is the day trip you simply cannot miss.
Food & Drink
Coucou – Giens cooks Mediterranean, with tomato salads that taste of sunshine, fish from the Var and pasta that every kid loves. The newly redesigned Dune Bar is the evening destination: sun loungers right in the sand, sea views, a summer playlist, a cold spritz. Nothing more needed.
On Saturday mornings, the market in Hyères is worth the trip. Olives, lavender honey, cheese, ripe fruit — everything you need to put something together in your own kitchen.
Wellness
Salines sits directly on the sea. The beach is what a pool would be anywhere else, and that’s no bad trade. Yoga is part of the daily programme, and during the Mojo Mojo Festival in June, sessions take place at sunrise. The most private wellness experience of all, though, is right on the terrace: select Beach Houses are now fitted with a Nordic outdoor bath, a warm tub under open sky, for one or two, while the pines rustle around you and the sea air keeps things cool.
Day Trips
The Vieux-Salins d’Hyères are reachable by bike and home to flamingos you can watch through binoculars. Porquerolles deserves a full day: rent a bike at the harbour, ride along the northern coast, dive into the turquoise water at Plage de Notre-Dame, and then simply stay as long as you like.
You can find our full overview of all five Collection Rivages locations and our guide to choosing the right one here. If you want to compare the Côte d’Azur with the Ardèche, check out our favourite place feature on Rives d’Arc.
