Looking for crystal clear water, empty beaches, and a calm place where one can only walk or cycle around? Then Ile de Porquerolles is most definitely the right address. Visiting for a day at the end of September, we had the island almost to ourselves, exploring the viewpoint at the north-eastern tip by bike, resting on Plage de Notre Dame, listening to the waves while the only other people were a good 10-minute walk further down the shore. If it wouldn’t have been for the last ferry at 6:20pm back to the mainland, we would’ve probably forgotten all about the time and stayed here forever.
HOW TO GET TO ÎLE DE PORQUEROLLES FROM AIX
There are several ways to get to the island by ferry. While the ferry from Toulon takes a bit more than an hour, we opted for the 20-minute ferry ride from La Tour Fondue, which is just outside the pretty little town of Hyères. From Gare Routiere in Aix-en-Provence, Bus number 19 takes you straight to Toulon in about 1,5h. From there, a 20-minute train to Hyères leaves once an hour. For the last part of the journey, bus 67 with destination ‘Tour Fondue’ will take you right to the departure point of the ferry in about 40 minutes. With the free ZOU! Student ticket (valid September-December 2021), the only transportation we had to pay was the last bus for €1,40. A return ticket from Tour Fondue to Île de Porquerolles costs €21 for students. The ferry leaves hourly between 9am and 3pm, the last departure to come back to the mainland is at 6:20pm (you can find the schedule here, no need to buy a ticket beforehand, just buy it at the ticket counter when you get to Tour Fondue).
SOME OFF-TIME ON THE ISLAND
Reaching the island, you’ll immediately find yourself in the main village with some restaurants, ice cream shops and bike rentals. I would definitely recommend renting a bike since the beaches are quite a walk away from the arrival point of the ferry and less time to get there means more time at the beach. We paid €15 per bike for a half day (1-5:30pm) and it took us about 40 minutes to reach the viewpoint ‘Batterie des Mèdes’ from which we cycled 20 minutes back to Plage de Notre Dame. If the turquoise water and beautiful beaches we spotted through the trees on our way there didn’t already blow our minds, then the view of the rock formations and onto the seemingly endless sea most definitely did. Although the last bit was somewhat of a rocky uphill hike, for which we had to leave our bikes behind, the view and pleasant breeze on top made up for the effort.
Back down at water level, we found ourselves a quiet spot a little further down the Plage de Notre Dame which stretches for a couple of hundred meters between the town and viewpoint. Even though the currents where quite strong on this windy day, the water still had a pleasant temperature somewhere between refreshingly cool and comfortingly warm. After a quick dip in the sea, enjoying our little picnic snack which we had brought from home, the sun was warming our bodies and dripping bikinis, while a subtle breeze created the perfect atmosphere for an afternoon read or nap in the sand. If only we could’ve stopped the time and laid there on that beach forever. But knowing we had to return our bikes at 5:30pm and catch the last ferry at 6:20pm, we said good-bye to the beautiful beach and slowly made our way back to the town.
CHARMING ALLEYWAYS OF HYÈRES
While we thought that Hyères would simply be our base to get to the Ile de Poquerolles, the small town turned out to be so much more than that. After a full day on the island, the charming little streets of Hyères treated us to some heavenly French Crêpes for dinner and some delicious wine in what must’ve been one of the cutest little bars underneath a stone archway surrounded by fairy lights and the faint voices of people enjoying a drink on a mild late-summer evening.
Our next morning started with a typical French ‘Formule petit-déjeuner’ consisting of an espresso, orange juice and croissant. The two elderly ladies at the table next to us, gossiping over whatever the small town must gossip over, and the men at the other table having their first Pastis at 11:30am, made this breakfast even more authentic than it already was. We spent the rest of the afternoon strolling the little alleyways, making our way up towards the castle garden, overlooking the city. Stopping here and there to nip into the little shops and boutiques, we could’ve definitely used another day to just walk the streets, taking in and photographing all the picturesque corners and facades of the colorful houses. Even without visiting the island of Ile de Poquerolles, Hyères will be worth another trip for sure!
MY TIPS & RECOMMENDATIONS
- Our Airbnb in Hyères was perfectly located in the centre and right around the corner from the bus stop where bus 67 takes you to the ferry.
- Buy some snacks before going to the island since the restaurants in the town are quite expensive and it’s nice to have a little picnic on the beach.
- Rent a bike on the island to save some time getting to the beaches and viewpoints. Prices are between 15-20€ at most of the rental shops, depending on if you want to rent for a half or full day.
- Check out the view point ‘Batterie de Mèdes’ for some beautiful views and pictures.
- Don’t miss the amazing Crêpes at La Marjolaine in Hyères (they offer all Crêpes gluten-free on request).
- For some atmospheric drinks at night, go to L’epicure – cute bar tenders included.
- La Régence is definitely the place to go if you’re looking for an authentic French breakfast experience.
lenacatherine 