Porquerolles Island


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Ile de Porquerolles

Var Department

Transfers by ferry:

Throughout the year, from the "gare maritime" de La Tour Fondue at Hyères (25mn).
July and August, from Toulon, Le Lavandou, Cavalaire, Bormes and La Londe.

Porquerolles is the biggest of the three islands of Or in the Hyères gulf. Seven km long and 3km wide, Porquerolles is the most popular, with the largest population. It is situated at the same latitude as Cap Corse, and therefore shares the same pleasant climate - almost daily sunshine (more than 300 sunny days a year), mild winters (rarely below 0°C) and hot summers with a delightfully cool seabreeze.

A renown vineyard...
The village was first built in 1820, the lighthouse in 1837 and the church in 1850. After being owned by a succession of people, the island was bought in 1912 by Monsieur Fournier

La Plage d'Argent

who apparently bought it as a wedding present for his wife. Two hundred hectares of grapevines were planted and the vineyard later produced a top quality wine which was one of the first to be classed "vins des Côtes de Provence".
Today the three vinyards on the island produce wine which has an excellent reputation. The vineyards are associated with the Conservatoire Botanique National de Porquerolles which protects the island's heritage and environment.

The forest seen from the lighthouse

Nature preserved...
In 1971, the state bought 4/5 of the island, thus protecting it from any unsightly housing or hotel developments... the style and architecture of the existing houses blend harmoniously with the natural beauty of the site. Linked to the Parc National de Port-Cros (although still lacking a formal statute), Porquerolles is a site where the land is protected, cultivated, replanted and studied, thanks to the Conservatoire Botanique and to the Parc national de Port Cros. Their plantations are difficult to miss.

The village

A charming village...

As soon as you arrive at the port, you will be captivated by the island: behind the boats tied up to the quay, the first houses can be seen, surrounded by lush vegetation. After leaving the port (where you can hire bikes and obtain directions from the tourist office) you will arrive in the village with its large square and beautiful church, a cluster of shops and several cafes and restaurants where you can eat outside.

Walking from beach to beach

Beautiful countryside...
To discover the rest of the island you can choose between several delightful routes...

In the north, three superb beaches offer fine sand and the coast here slopes gently down to sea which is exceptionally clear.
In the south, vertical cliffs rise out of the sea, from this steep relief, you can see a series of calanques, rocky points, gorges, headlands and hills. You can admire this wild and majestic landscape from the lighthouse where there is a 360° view of the island and the sea... it's breathtaking!

In the interior, there is a mosaic of vineyards, olive trees and fruit trees of all variety... lemons, oranges and mandarins. The paths are bordered by pines, eucalyptus and numerous plantations, courtesy of the Conservatoire Botanique. Most of the paths are shaded, sheltering visitors from the "coups de chaud". In spring the flowering scrub, with its myrtles and heather, transfoms the island into a huge fragrant bouquet of flowers. In autumn, the pine forest's different shades of green mix with the white flowers and red fruit of the strawberry trees.
In summer the cicadas sing to their hearts content... reminding you that you are in Provence and not in a tropical island at the other end of the earth...

Video (broadband)

Duration :
3mn 30 sec.
Real Video
7,5 Mo

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12 Mo

navette-bateau

Historic sites to visit :

14th century Fort Ste Agathe housing an underwater
archeological exhibition, (from June to September).
Church (1850) and the chemin de croix. Lighthouse (1837).

Leisure activities :

Hiking, hourse-riding and mountain biking.
Underwater diving, sailing, windsurfing, boat hire, fishing.
Plantations of the Conservatoire Botanique National.
Note : camping, bivouacs and fires are forbidden.

Accommodation :

Hotel-restaurants
Holiday lets. Tourist residence.
camping, bivouacs and fires are forbidden.

Neighbouring islands :

Ile du Levant, Port Cros.