Istres is also adjacent to the plaine de la Crau and the Camargue national park.

Each year, a race is organized around the Étang de l'Olivier.

Istres is the home of the Istres-Le Tubé Air Base (BA 125).

Istres has a Mediterranean climate characterised by mild, humid winters and hot, dry summers.

The mistral, a cold and often violent wind, blows through the city mostly in winter and spring.