Hyères is a town and commune in the southeast of France, in the Var département, located 1.5 km (1 mi) east of Toulon. Population (1999): 53,258. The commune is an administrative division of France. ... Var is a département of southern France. ... The départements (or departments) are administrative units of France, roughly analogous to British counties and are now grouped into 22 metropolitan and four overseas régions. ... Location within France Coat of Arms of Toulon Toulon (Tolon in Provençal) is a city in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. ...

History

Greek and Roman antiquities have been found in the area. The first reference to the town dates from 963. Originally a possession of the viscount of Marseilles, it later went to Charles of Anjou. St Louis landed at Hyères in 1254 when returning from the Crusades. Events Holy Roman Emperor Otto I defeats Mieszko I of Poland, compels him to pay tribute Luxembourg is founded, and the Blegium area becomes part of the United Provinces of the Netherlands. ... Charles I (March 1227 - January 7, 1285) was the posthumous son of King Louis VIII of France, created Count of Anjou by his elder brother King Louis IX in 1246, thus founding the second Angevin dynasty. ... The Gateway Arch, shown here behind the Old Courthouse, is the most recognizable part of the St. ... Events December 2 - Manfred of Sicily defeats army of Pope Innocent IV at Foggia. ...

Geography

Its position facing the Mediterranean to the south makes it a popular location for tourism in the winter, and facilitates the raising of palm trees; about 100,000 trees are exported from the area each year. The Mediterranean Sea is a part of the Atlantic Ocean almost completely enclosed by land, on the north by Europe, on the south by Africa, and on the east by Asia. ... A tourist boat travels the River Seine in Paris, France Tourism can be defined as the act of travel for the purpose of recreation, and the provision of services for this act. ... Genera Many; see list of Arecaceae genera Arecaceae (also known as Palmae or Palmaceae), the palm family, is a family of flowering plants, belonging to the monocot order Arecales. ...

The three islands of the îles d'Hyères are lcoated just offshore.

Miscellaneous

Hyères was the birthplace Jean Baptiste Massillon (1663-1742), churchman and preacher. Jean Baptiste Massillon (June 24, 1663 - September 28, 1742) was a French churchman and preacher, Bishop of Clermont from 1717 until his death. ... Events Prix de Rome scholarship established for students of the arts. ... Events January 24 - Charles VII Albert becomes Holy Roman Emperor. ...

American novelist Edith Wharton wintered in Hyères annually from 1919 until her death in 1937. Edith Wharton Edith Wharton (January 24, 1862 – August 11, 1937) was an American novelist and short story writer. ...

External link

• English version of official town website (http://www.ville-hyeres.fr/version_anglaise/english.html)