Almanarre Beach (Hyeres)

Almanarre on the Giens peninsula tombolo south of Hyères is one of Europe's legendary wingfoil venues. The Mistral screams in from the northwest 100 days a year, producing 15 to 35 knots of cross shore wind over glassy flat water. Summer thermals add consistent afternoon sessions from June through September, and five kilometres of sandy beach means you rarely have to fight for launch space. A competition stage for decades.