Porquerolles
Porquerolles (aka Île de Porquerolles), is an island in the Îles d'Hyères archipelago in Var.
Understand
The island is a part of Port-Cros - Porquerolles National Park.
As a matter of fact, the most of the Jean-Luc Godard's Pierrot le fou was shot at this island.
- 1 Bureau d'informations de Porquerolles, ☏ +33 4 94 58 33 76. July August: Monday to Saturday 9h00 – 18h15, Sunday 9h00 – 13h00; September - March: Monday to Saturday 9h00 – 12h30 / 14h00 – 17h00, Sunday (September and October only) 9h00 – 13h00; April-June: Monday to Saturday 9h00 – 17h30, Sunday 9h00 – 13h00. free WIFI spot
- 2 [dead link] La Maison de Parc national à Porquerolles (House of Porquerolles National Park), maisonparcprl.pnpc@portcros-parcnational.fr. from 16 March to 15 November: 9h30-12h30 in the morning, also 16 March to 29 March and from 25 October to 15 November: 13h30-17h30, 30 March to 5 July and 14 September to 24 October: 14h00-18h00, 6 July to 13 September: 14h30-18h30.
Get in
By boat
- From La Tour Fondue port, at Giens peninsula South of Hyeres: regular ferry service by TLV (€19.5 a return adult ticked)
- From Le Lavandou and Cavalaire-sur-Mer: April — September services by Vedettes Îles d'Or et Le Corsaire
- From La Londe-les-Maures: April — October services by Bateliers de la Côte d'Azur
In July and August there are other some connections by boat from Toulon, Bandol, La Londe-les-Maures and other places.
Get around
By foot or by bicycle. It's rumored there is also one taxi on the island.
See
- 1 Eglise Sainte Anne (church). has a curious way of the cross with a knife carried by a soldier.
- 2 Jardin E. Lopez (E. Lopez garden) (at the edge of the village, on the road to the Lighthouse). from March 9h30-12h30 / 14h00-18h00. free.
- 3 Fort Sainte Agathe (Info and reservations at the Park House), ☏ +33 4 94 58 07 24. Only visited by guided tours from 15/06 to 13/09 at 10h, 14h and 16h. There a number of forts on the island. This one is open to the public.
- 4 Le Moulin du Bonheur (wind mill), ☏ +33 4 94 58 07 24. Only visited by guided tours from 15/06 to 13/09 at 11h30, 15h30 and 17h30.
Do
There are a number of walking and cycling trails crossing the island. Perhaps the most popular one is South from the village to the Phare de Porquerolles (lighthouse) (closed to the public).
NB: Outside the village there is only one bar at the plage d'Argent (W of the village), so it's worth to plan accordingly, i.e. take water, etc. with yourself.
Bicycle rent
- 1 [dead link] Le Cycle Porquerollais, 1 rue de la Ferme, ☏ +33 4 94 58 30 32, cycleporquerollais@wanadoo.fr. Apr-Oct from 8:45 to 45 minutes before the last ferry departure; Nov-Mar 9:15-12:45, from 14:30 to 45 minutes before the last ferry departure.
Beaches
There are number of nice beaches on the island, mostly along its Northern coast.
Buy
Eat
- 1 Le Pelagos, Place d'Armes, ☏ +33 4 94 58 38 63. Good reviews
- 2 [dead link] L'Eucalyptus, 8, place d'Armes, ☏ +33 4 94 58 39 84.
- 3 L'Alycastre, 1, rue de la Ferme, ☏ +33 4 94 58 30 03.
- 4 Ailleurs, Rue de l'Artisanat, ☏ +33 4 94 58 34 28. Inexpensive family run, frequented by locals.
- 5 Il Pescatore, Quai Pêcheurs, ☏ +33 4 89 96 15 27. Not cheap, but good quality
- 6 La Calanque, Place Armes, ☏ +33 4 94 58 31 73. Fish couscous was recommended by a visitor.
- 7 La Plage d'Argent, Chemin de la Plage d'Argent, ☏ +33 4 94 58 32 48, laplage.porquerolles@orange.fr. A restaurant at the beach. Mixed reviews.
- 8 L'Olivier, Chemin du Langoustier (at the hotel 'Le Mas du Langoustier'), ☏ +33 4 94 58 30 09, info@langoustier.com. 12:30 - 2:00 pm, 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm. 1* Michelin restaurant. Cuisine: modern, creative €62 – €130.
Drink
Sleep
Connect
Go next
Port-Cros — another island in the archipelago