Porquerolles, the national park island off the Var coast
Long sandy beaches, pine-covered hills and no roads worth a car: how to reach Porquerolles, where to swim, how to cycle it and how to make it a full day out from a villa in Saint-Tropez.
Porquerolles is the largest of the Îles d’Or, an island of 1,254 hectares off the Giens peninsula near Hyères, almost entirely bought by the French State in 1971 and protected by the Parc national de Port-Cros. You reach it by passenger boat (15 minutes from La Tour Fondue, longer from Toulon or Le Lavandou) or by private boat, then explore by bike and on foot. A day is enough for one or two beaches, a ride to a viewpoint and lunch in the village.
The island draws an east to west arc about 7 km long and 3 km wide. Its cultivated plains open onto the sea through long beaches of fine sand, while the higher south and east coasts are steep cliffs and small coves. Everything starts from the village and its harbour, where the boats come in, the bikes are hired and the tracks fan out across the island.
This guide is written for guests staying on the Saint-Tropez peninsula who want one memorable day at sea level rather than another beach club lunch. If you are still choosing your base, our luxury villas in Saint-Tropez are presented below, and if you would rather stay closer to Cannes, the Lérins Islands guide covers the equivalent short crossing on that side of the Riviera.
Porquerolles in six verified facts
Checked against official sources, so you can plan with confidence.
Porquerolles covers 1,254 hectares; its highest point is the semaphore, at 142 m.
Source: hyeres.fr (City of Hyères)The island forms an east to west arc about 7 km long and 3 km wide, with long sandy beaches on the plains and steep cliffs on the south and east coasts.
Source: portcros-parcnational.fr (Parc national de Port-Cros)The State acquired almost the whole island in 1971; it is a classified site managed and protected by the Parc national de Port-Cros.
Source: hyeres.fr (City of Hyères)Scheduled crossings take about 15 minutes from La Tour Fondue, 30 minutes from Toulon and 50 minutes from Le Lavandou.
Source: portcros-parcnational.fr (Parc national de Port-Cros)The Conservatoire botanique de Porquerolles was founded in 1979, became a national conservatory in 1990 and manages 180 hectares of farmland on the island.
Source: hyeres.fr (City of Hyères)In 2021 the national park set the island’s carrying capacity at about 6,000 visitors arriving at the port per day, after summers with some twenty days of uncomfortable crowding.
Source: portcros-parcnational.fr (press release, March 2021)The Porquerolles ferry: which port to leave from
There are three scheduled ways across, plus your own boat. The choice is less about the crossing itself, which is short from every port, than about how far you have to drive to reach the quay and how much of the day that leaves on the island. The Le Lavandou tourist office notes that its boats run during the season only, and advises sailing from the Giens peninsula for the rest of the year. Fares and timetables are on each operator’s official website.
| Departure | Crossing time | When it makes sense |
|---|---|---|
| La Tour Fondue, Giens peninsula | About 15 minutes | The shortest crossing and the year-round option. Best if you come by road and want the maximum time on the island. |
| Toulon | About 30 minutes | Useful if you are already west of Hyères. Less logical from Saint-Tropez, as you drive past the Giens peninsula to get there. |
| Le Lavandou | About 50 minutes | The scheduled port on the Saint-Tropez side of Hyères, so a shorter drive, at the cost of a longer, scenic crossing. Seasonal only. |
| Private boat from Saint-Tropez | Depends on the boat and the sea | No queue and no timetable, with the chance to stop in a cove on the way. Anchoring around the island follows national park rules, which a skipper knows. |
Crossing times from the Parc national de Port-Cros. Ticket prices are on each operator’s official website.
The beaches of Porquerolles, and how to choose one
The City of Hyères names four beaches that sum up the island: Plage Notre-Dame, La Courtade, Plage d’Argent and Le Langoustier. All are sand, set where the cultivated plains reach the sea, with wooded hills behind and clear water in front. They are natural beaches inside a national park, so think of them as the opposite of the Saint-Tropez beach scene described in our guide to the St Tropez beaches: no music, no sunbed rows, and you bring what you need.
Plage Notre-Dame is the one most visitors ask about, and the reason many come at all. The practical rule for any of them is simple: the further a beach is from the harbour, the quieter it stays once the morning boats have landed. Ask the bike hire desk for its map when you arrive and decide by distance and wind, since the island’s beaches shelter differently depending on the day’s breeze.
- Bring water, shade and a bag for your rubbish. Plan as if there is nothing to buy once you leave the village.
- No smoking and no fire outside the village. This is a national park rule, and it applies on the sand too.
- Dogs are banned from the beaches and must be kept on a lead on paths and tracks.
- Swim early or late. The first and last hours of the day are when the island feels most like itself.
Cycling Porquerolles: circuits, rules and pace
The national park presents Porquerolles as an island to discover by bike and on foot, and bike hire is available in the village as soon as you step off the boat. The tracks cross the island’s five ranges of wooded hills, so ask for an electric bike if one is available, especially with older children or if you want to reach the far end and still have energy for a swim. The Le Lavandou tourist office describes four circuits that can all be ridden in one day, and points out that bicycle traffic is regulated: the rental desk tells you which tracks are open.
- Fire risk in summer. When the Var massifs are classed red or extreme red, access to the wooded hills is forbidden and only a few tracks stay open. The State publishes the map every day at 6 pm for the following day; check it the evening before.
- Stay on the tracks. Picking plants and taking anything from the natural areas is prohibited, and so are drones and camping.
| Circuit | Indicative riding time | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Midi circuit | 45 minutes | A short loop if the beach is the real plan, or with young children. |
| Mistral circuit | 1 hour 45 minutes | A half day with stops, without committing to the whole island. |
| Levant circuit | 2 hours | Riders who want the eastern side of the island and a longer morning. |
| Sunset circuit | 2 hours | A late afternoon ride before the last boat back. |
Circuit names and durations from the Le Lavandou tourist office. Riding times exclude swimming and visits.
What else to see on the island
Above the village, Fort Sainte-Agathe and the Moulin du Bonheur can be visited, an easy first outing from the harbour. The lighthouse is a classic destination by bike or on foot. The Conservatoire botanique, founded in 1979 and a national conservatory since 1990, manages 180 hectares of farmland, a reminder that much of the interior is cultivated rather than wild.
The island also has a contemporary art foundation, which presents temporary exhibitions every year. It is a good plan for the hottest hours of an August day, and worth checking for opening periods and visit conditions before you set out.
A Porquerolles day trip from a Saint-Tropez villa
From Saint-Tropez, Porquerolles is a genuine day out rather than an afternoon hop, which is exactly why it is worth planning properly. There are two ways to do it, and the concierge organises either one the day before, around the weather and the next day’s fire-risk map.
- Choose sea or road
By sea, a skippered boat leaves from Saint-Tropez in the morning, follows the coast west and anchors off the island, with a swim stop on the way if the sea allows. By road, a driver takes you to the quay for the scheduled crossing, usually La Tour Fondue for the shortest boat time. Our Saint-Tropez villa and yacht charter page explains how a boat is added to a villa stay.
- Leave early
The first hours on the island are the quietest, and in midsummer the national park itself recommends avoiding July and August if you can. In high season an early departure is the single best decision of the day.
- Book the bikes and pack lunch
The concierge reserves bikes for arrival time. Guests at Villa Calista, Saint-Tropez, have a private chef included in the stay, so a picnic for the beach is simply part of the morning; in other villas a chef can be added.
- Pick one beach and one sight
A realistic plan is a ride to one of the far beaches, a long swim, lunch in the shade, then the fort or the lighthouse on the way back. Trying to do every circuit turns the day into a race.
- Time the return
Your boat or the scheduled crossing sets the end of the day. With a private boat you can stay for the late light at anchor and still be back at the villa for dinner.
Villas in Saint-Tropez for a day at sea
Residences whose concierge service already covers boat hire, a driver or a chef, which is what a Porquerolles day needs.
The villas side by side
Guests, bedrooms, bathrooms, space and highlights at a glance.
| Residence | Guests | Bedrooms | Bathrooms | Living area | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Villa CalistaSaint-Tropez | 12 | 6 | 6 | 400 m² | Heated Pool, Wine Cellar, Gym, Gated Estate |
| Villa VittoriaSaint-Tropez | 16 | 8 | 9 | 460 m² | Heated Pool, Sea View, Massage Room, Gym |
| Villa AmaraSaint-Tropez | 25 | 14 | 14 | 900 m² | Heated Pool, Sea View, Cinema Room, Wine Cellar, Hammam |
Rates are on request and depend on dates and services. Your advisor confirms availability and the final details of every residence.
How we organise an island day
A trip to Porquerolles depends on wind, fire risk and timing more than on bookings, so the planning happens close to the day.
Sea or road, decided the evening before
We look at the sea state and the next day’s fire-risk map with you, then confirm the boat or the driver and the crossing.
Bikes waiting at the quay
Bikes are reserved for your arrival time, with child sizes or seats requested in advance.
Lunch from the villa kitchen
Where a chef is part of the stay, the picnic is prepared that morning; otherwise we arrange one.
Residences we have visited
Every villa we propose has been visited by our team, and some are available without being published online.
Porquerolles questions
Anything else? Our team in Paris answers personally, usually within the day.
Ask our teamHow do you get to Porquerolles?
By passenger boat or by private boat. Scheduled crossings take about 15 minutes from La Tour Fondue on the Giens peninsula, 30 minutes from Toulon and 50 minutes from Le Lavandou, where boats run in season only. From Saint-Tropez, a skippered boat avoids the drive and the timetable altogether. Fares and timetables are on each operator’s official website.
Can you take a car to Porquerolles?
The crossings carry passengers, so visitors leave the car at the departure port (the Le Lavandou tourist office, for example, points to the car park facing the pier) and explore by bike and on foot, which is how the national park presents the island. Bikes can be hired in the village as soon as you land. If you travel with us, a driver drops you at the quay and collects you on your return.
What is the best beach on Porquerolles?
Plage Notre-Dame is the most celebrated, and Plage d’Argent, La Courtade and Le Langoustier are the other names the City of Hyères highlights. All are natural sandy beaches with pines and clear water. The best one on a given day is often the one furthest from the harbour, sheltered from that day’s wind.
Is Porquerolles worth visiting?
Yes, if you value nature over scene. It is a national park island with wild beaches, a botanical conservatory, a fort and a lighthouse, and, since the State bought almost all of it in 1971, very little building beyond the village. It is less rewarding on peak summer days, when the park itself advises avoiding July and August; go early, or in June or September.
Can you cycle around Porquerolles?
Yes, cycling is the main way to get around. The Le Lavandou tourist office describes four circuits, from 45 minutes to 2 hours of riding, that can all be done in one day. Bicycle traffic is regulated, and in summer some wooded areas close when the fire risk is high, so check with the rental desk which tracks are open.
Are dogs allowed on Porquerolles?
Dogs may come to the island, but the national park rules require them to be kept on a lead on paths and tracks, and they are banned from the beaches. With a dog, plan a walking or cycling day rather than a beach day, and bring water for the dog as well as for yourself.
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Plan your Porquerolles day with us
Tell Nathalie Nguyen or Adam Haddad your dates and how you would like to reach the island, and they will propose a villa in Saint-Tropez and organise the boat, the driver and the bikes. WhatsApp +33 7 80 98 05 43 or contact@lutetia-group.com; we usually reply within the day.