| Istres | |
| Commune Status: | Subprefecture and commune |
| Image Coat Of Arms: | Coat of Arms of Istres.svg |
| Arrondissement: | Istres |
| Canton: | Istres |
| Insee: | 13047 |
| Postal Code: | 13800 |
| Mayor: | François Bernardini[1] |
| Term: | 2020 - 2026 |
| Intercommunality: | Aix-Marseille-Provence |
| Coordinates: | 43.5151°N 4.9895°W |
| Elevation M: | 20 |
| Elevation Min M: | 0 |
| Elevation Max M: | 120 |
| Area Km2: | 113.73 |
Istres (in French pronounced as /istʁ/; Occitan: Istre) is a commune in southern France, some 60 km (38 mi) northwest of Marseille. It is in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department, of which it is a subprefecture.
Istres is adjacent to the Étang de Berre lagoon (the largest in Europe) and the Étang de l'Olivier lagoon. It is located some 60 km (38 mi) north-west of Marseille, 20 km (13 mi) south-west of Salon-de-Provence, 10 km (6 mi) north of Martigues and 45 km (28 mi) south-east of Arles. Istres is also adjacent to the plaine de la Crau and the Camargue national park.
The city has numerous sports facilities and exactly 102 clubs. Each year, a race is organized around the Étang de l'Olivier. Many runners participate. The town's main football club is FC Istres.
Istres is the home of the Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (BA 125). This air base was one of three utilized by NASA as a contingency landing site for the Space Shuttle in the case of a Transoceanic Abort Landing.[2] Istres shared this responsibility with Zaragoza, Spain and Moron, Spain.
Istres has a Mediterranean climate characterised by mild, humid winters and hot, dry summers. January and February are the coldest months, averaging temperatures of around 7 °C. July and August are the hottest months. The mean summer temperature is around 24 °C (75 °F) with an average maximum temperature around 32 °C. The amount of precipitation is around 566 mm (22 inches) per year. The mistral, a cold and often violent wind, blows through the city mostly in winter and spring.