Today I’m taking you to the South of France. I’ve been living in Toronto, Canada for over 10 years. Every year when I visit my family in France, I make it a point to explore parts of the country I don’t know yet. This year, I wanted to rediscover Porquerolles Island, which I had only visited once more than a decade ago. Get your sneakers and sunscreen ready: in this post, I’m sharing a complete guide to visit Porquerolles Island.
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If you need information on how to take the train in France to travel to the South of France, you can read my complete guide on how to take the train in France.
Where is Porquerolles Island located?
Porquerolles Island is located in the South of France, off the coast of the city of Hyères in the Var department. It is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea and measures about 3 km by 7 km (2 miles by 4.3 miles). Unlike the Lérins Islands off Cannes, which are very wild, here you’ll find a real little village with a bank counter, several restaurants, ice cream shops, hotels, bike rentals, and even an official village sign. This made me wonder if Porquerolles was an independent municipality, but no: it is part of an archipelago (along with Île du Levant and Port-Cros) that belongs to the municipality of Hyères.
How to get to Porquerolles Island?
You only have one way to get to Porquerolles Island: by boat. The most common, simplest, and most affordable option is to take the public ferry. Depending on where you board, you have a few different departure ports. The most popular one is called La Tour Fondue. I chose a hotel in this area because our main goal was to visit the island, not to explore Hyères. We only stayed for a day and a half, so we had to make choices. I’ll write a full post about the eco-friendly hotel we picked, as we had a really great experience there.
Back to our departure ports: you can set sail from Hyères or Toulon with the Provence Méditerranée shuttle, or from Le Lavandou with another shuttle. For these ferry shuttles, expect to pay around €20 for a round trip.
Note: During the summer season, the number of visitors is capped to protect the island. It’s best to book your tickets online in advance.
The other option, much like going to the Toronto Islands, is to hire a water taxi. The rates I found online are around €100 per trip for 1 to 6 people.
Keep in mind that La Tour Fondue is about a 25 to 30-minute drive from downtown Hyères. You can park on-site, but you can also do what we did and take the local city buses. Super convenient and direct! It takes a bit longer, but it saves you the hassle of finding a parking spot. Plus, it’s way cheaper than taking an Uber. The bus stop is just a few steps from the harbour, which is really well set up.
How long should you stay on Porquerolles Island?
It all depends on how much time you can spare, but I would recommend a full day. Especially if you want to take your time at a restaurant enjoying local food, do some exploring, and still spend time relaxing on the beach. Honestly, staying for only 5 hours was a bit ambitious on our end. We had to cut our beach time short, otherwise we risked missing our train back to my beloved Ardèche.
How to get around once you’re there?
When you arrive by boat, you’ll walk through the harbour, and right in front of you, you’ll find the Porquerolles Tourist Office. You can ask them for a paper map, or check out the large map posted outside to get your bearings. Plus, there are signposts almost everywhere. I found everything really well indicated.
A few practical tips and regulations
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Smoking is strictly prohibited on the island outside of the village, as the risk of wildfires is too high.
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Dogs are not allowed on the beaches, but they are permitted on the rest of the island as long as they are kept on a leash.
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Cars are forbidden, with the exception of residents’ vehicles.
What to do on Porquerolles Island?
Now that you know how to get to Porquerolles Island, let’s get to what you really came here for: what is there to do on Porquerolles Island?
Explore the island on foot
Make sure to bring good shoes, and you’re all set to explore every corner of the island. There are about 50 kilometres (30 miles) of trails in total, so you’ll have plenty to keep you busy and endless opportunities to enjoy different viewpoints.
Rent a bike
If you want to go further and see a bit more of the island than you would on foot, you can rent a bike directly on the island and set off to explore all the trails. Remember to bring water and maybe even a picnic so you can stop for lunch or a snack whenever you spot a place you like.
Note: You can rent either a traditional bike or an electric bike. The island has a bit of elevation, so if you want an easier ride and don’t want to break too much of a sweat, an e-bike might be a great option!
Admire the restored windmill
The origin of the windmill on Porquerolles Island dates back to the 18th century. It was gradually abandoned starting in the 1850s as milling became more industrialized. Named the Moulin du Bonheur (Windmill of Happiness), it was fully restored in the style of traditional Provençal windmills, the exterior between 1997 and 2007, and the internal mechanisms up until 2019.
When we were there, we couldn’t visit the inside, but based on information I found online, it seems to be open occasionally. Honestly, even just from the outside, it’s well worth the stop. I have a soft spot for windmills… my last name is Astrid Moulin (moulin means windmill in French!), so I imagine somewhere in my family tree, someone was at the helm of one of these majestic mills. In fact, to celebrate bringing the windmill back to life in May 2019, the team behind the restoration baked a loaf of bread, just like in the old days.
Eat fresh seafood
If you didn’t pack a picnic, there are several restaurants on the island to satisfy any foodie. Naturally, you can enjoy fresh seafood and fish caught that very morning. We ate at L’Escale Porquerolles. The food was delicious and the setting was lovely, with a terrace overlooking the harbour.
Enjoy the beaches
Of course, we can’t skip talking about the beaches on Porquerolles Island. Whether you want to lounge for a while, go for a swim, or simply stroll along the shoreline, they are a absolute must-see.
A few standout beaches include Plage de Notre-Dame, the famous Plage d’Argent, and Plage de la Courtade.
Visit Fort Sainte-Agathe
Did you know there’s a fort on Porquerolles Island? The earliest fortifications date back to the 1500s. Though it has weathered the centuries and undergone several transformations, it’s still in remarkably good condition. You can walk around the outside like we did, or go inside for a self-guided or guided tour. The view of the sea from up there is truly lovely.
Visit an art exhibition at Villa Carmignac
Our hotel, Hôtel Almanarre Plage, recommended that we visit the Sea, Pop & Sun exhibition hosted at Villa Carmignac for much of 2026, but we simply didn’t have enough time. Apparently, exploring the gardens is also a wonderful experience and well worth a visit. As I mentioned earlier, in just a few hours we couldn’t fit everything in, but that just gives us a great reason to come back!
Take a boat trip
If you want to treat yourself to a unique perspective of Porquerolles Island, hop on a sailboat for an unforgettable experience. You’ll get unmatched views, the chance to go for a swim in open water, and local stories shared by your crew.
I hope all these ideas help you make the most of a beautiful day trip (or a lovely weekend getaway) exploring Porquerolles Island. If you’d like to discover other parts of the South of France, why not check out my guide to the 10 towns to explore by train around Cannes?
