What to do on the island of Porquerolles, in France and precisely on the French Riviera. Where to sleep, excursions and beaches not to be missed, how to get there by ferry and why it is a special island, read here.
Every year, when it's time for the August holidays, I obsessively start looking at the internet to find some interesting destination to explore. This year my attention has fallen on this island, thePorquerolles island. Looking at the photos I would have left the same day! Hence the idea of taking a tour of the Côte d'Azur in two weeks and stop in this corner of paradise for a few days.
The island of Porquerolles is located in France and more precisely in Provence. It is the largest of the archipelago of Hyères Islands and it is a small natural jewel that its inhabitants are very keen to preserve; on the whole island there are very strict rules to be respected such as the ban on smoking on the beach, the ban on lighting fires, camping, collecting shells, plants and leaving the marked paths. It is also forbidden to bring the car unless you are a resident.
It can be easily reached from the port of Hyères with the ferry (about 15 minutes cost about € 17 per person in high season) or from the Giens peninsula. Many take the day trip, but we decided to stop for four days. The prices on the island are very high and, especially in the high season, finding a cheap hotel is a big challenge! We found good value for money at the Les Medes hotel / residence which is located within the tiny village, a 5-minute walk from the port.
The island is easy to explore. The focus of life develops in village, where you will find some restaurants, ice cream parlors, bakeries, a large park where bowls are played, a small church, the bank, the only mini market and, a little further up, the pharmacy. All around you will find many bicycle rentals because it is a great way to get around the island.
The first day we decided to walk to the nearest beach, la plage de la Courtade and we were already speechless! The water is shallow, completely transparent and quite cold. The beach is narrow and very long. Here we did Sup Paddle (there are many water sports to do, you will find various rentals) because the conditions were perfect! After this day we were really excited because if this was the busiest and least beautiful beach, what was waiting for us? Heaven?
The second day we headed, always on foot, to the west of the island towards the Plage D'Argent (it takes about 20/25 minutes) which is quite popular, as it is the only beach where you can find a refreshment point. Here too a wonder, even if there was a lot of people and at the beginning of the beach there were algae that are not removed because they are part of the natural environment. We moved down and it was really nice!
After a few hours we walked towards the peninsula of Langoustier but unfortunately, at a certain point, we found the road closed due to the danger of fires (there the vegetation becomes more and more dense and it was very hot!). On our way back to the village, a sign intrigued us; it said "wine tasting". So, following the arrow, we found a winery in the middle of a vineyard, the Domaine Perzinsky which makes a spectacular rosé! Do not miss absolutely to go and taste their wine and obviously take it home. In the evening we went to the beach to see the stars and it was spectacular! Only the village is illuminated, the rest is dark and it's really beautiful.
The third day we had a stroke of luck, thanks to a group of fantastic guys. A dear friend of ours was on a sailing holiday with some friends to tour the islands and they kindly hosted us one day. Thanks to them we were therefore able to see the Langoustier peninsula which was unreachable by land. This plage is the least crowded of the island, the wildest and is located at the far end of the western tip. Opposite is the islet Petit Langoustier e the island of Giens, which they say is really very beautiful.
After this beautiful day (if it happens to you, try to take a day on a sailing boat in the middle of these islands, it is a unique experience), in the evening we went out for a walk around the town because there was music throughout the village and there was a lot of people. Despite being a small island, in August there are always a lot of people both day and night.
The last day we have rented the bike and we left for the beach that I liked the most and made me completely fall in love: the plage Notre-Dame. Despite being the largest, it is never very busy because it is quite far away. At the end of the beach is the house of "Pierrot“, A local madman who is said to have lived there in total solitude. After the house there are three other very beautiful and very pristine coves. In this beach the sea takes on a turquoise color and the white sand certainly helps the glance. After a few hours we went back to go towards the Fort of s. Agate. This construction is one of the first military buildings on the island and it is a marvel because it is very high up and dominates everything. Another absolutely unmissable thing is the walk to the lighthouse on the southern part of the island overlooking the sea .. a breathtaking view.
A trip that I recommend, which we unfortunately could not do, is the visit to the island of Port-Cros which has been transformed into a natural national park and is a real unspoiled paradise, very wild and not very frequented .. truly unmissable.
As I write this I have a smile on my face because it was four wonderful days, in contact with nature and peace. I definitely advise against visiting it in August, I think June is the best month. The water will certainly be colder but the island will be less frequented and certainly more fascinating.
The last thing: bring a anti mosquitoes/ gadflies / bees .. the island is full and cannot be touched.
