Ile de Porquerolles

The Var Departement - Population : inh.

Ferries and shuttles to Porquerolles from Hyeres, Toulon, La Londe, La Seyne and Le Lavandou.



Porquerolles is the biggest of the three islands of Or in the Hyeres 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 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 Cotes 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..
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. Classified "heart of National Park" since 2012, 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.

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.
Sublime landscapes...
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...