A haven from tempests in ancient times, then the peaceful home of monks and farmers, the Îles d'Hyères became, from the Middle Ages onwards, the target of piracy and coastal attacks by an endless succession of assorted aggressors. The three main islands, Porquerolles, Port-Cros and Levant, are covered in half-destroyed, rebuilt or abandoned forts, dating from the sixteenth century, when François I started a trend of under-funded fort building, up to the twentieth century, when the German gun positions on Port-Cros and Levant were put out of action by the Americans. Porquerolles and Levant are not yet free of garrisons, thanks to the knack of the French armed forces for securing prime beauty sites for their bases. Their presence has, however, prevented the otherwise inevitable Côte build-up and, in the non-military areas, the islands' very fragile environment is protected by the Parc National de Port-Cros and the Conservatoire Botanique de Porquerolles.The islands' wild, scented greenery and fine sand beaches constitute the essence of what makes this part of the planet so desirable – and are a reminder of what so much of the mainland coast was like forty years ago. To stay on them, the only reasonable option is Levant, as long as you book months in advance. Accommodation on Porquerolles is limited, expensive and again needs reserving in advance; on Port-Cros it's almost non-existent. All visitors should take note of the signs forbidding smoking (away from the ports), flower-picking and littering.
Pages in section ‘Îles d'Hyères’: Ferries to the Îles d'Hyères, Île de Porquerolles, Île de Port-Cros, Île du Levant.
Alternate spellings:: France, Îles d'Hyères, Îles d'Hyères, Iles d'Hyeres
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