HIERES, is a town of France, in the department of the Var, about nine miles east of Toulon. It is situated in a delightful valley, about four leagues long and one broad, open on the south to the sea, and bounded on the north, east, and west, by lofty mountains. Between the northern and western chain is a narrow pass, which is the road to Toulon. At the sloping entrance of this pass, on the de clivity of a mountain that defends the whole plain, is situat ed the town, which is built in the form of an amphitheatre. The summit of the mountain is bare, and is cleft in several places, to give it the appearance of a fortification from a distance. Towards the base of the mountain stands the modern part of the town, which contains the principal street, the square, and the inns; but it has a gloomy and dirty appearance. The old town, which stands on the highest part of the mountain, presents a heap of unin habited ruins ; but the suburbs, which skirt the moon tains,.are cheerful and clean, and have a neat and rural appearance.
Near the mouth of the small river Gapeau, which inter sects the plain of Hieres, are the salt-pits, consisting of a number of small basins separated by canals. The houses of the superintendents, excisemen, and workmen, have the appearance of a little sea-port. The salt is sent to Toulon, Marseilles, and Genoa, and the annual revenue amounts to about 500,000 francs.
About four English miles from the town is the Etang, situated in the centre of an isthmus, running from the southern coast. It is about a league long, and half a
league broad, and the three little islands in the middle of it contain a great number of aquatic birds. The eastern part of the isthmus joins the road of Hieres, and is called La Plage de la Munasse. The lower part of it is the peninsula Glens, which contains many interesting ob jects.
Hieres is celebrated for the mild temperature of its winters ; but it is reckoned unhealthy from May to Octo ber.
At the chapel of Notre Dame, on a hill situated near the sea-shore, and about a league from the town, is a good painting of the Twelve Apostles, and a bas-relief, by Puget.
The garden of M. Fine is well worthy of being visited. Its annual revenue is about 24,000 francs. In the garden of M. Beauregard, which is excellent, a crop of artichokes sold, in 1793, for 1800 francs. The chief exports from Hieres are, oil, wine, fruit, vegetables, flowers, and salt, which are sent almost exclusively to Toulon and Mar seilles. A thousand oranges are sold for 45 livres. Ves sels are loaded in summer at the beach near the salt works ; hut in winter, all the merchandize must be convey ed to Toulon by land. East Long. 6° 7' 55", and North Lat. 43° 7' 2". Population about 7000. See Christ. Au gust. Fischer Reise naeh Hyeres, ire Winter von 1803 and 18i4. Leipzic. 1806 ; and Millin's Voyages dans les De partemens du Midi de la France, tom. ii. chap. 61.