The Golden Isles: Porquerolles, Port-Cros, and Levant

The Îles d'Hyères, known since antiquity as the Golden Isles, float off the coast like a Mediterranean paradise. Porquerolles, the largest, balances conservation with accessibility. Purchased by the state in 1971 to prevent development, the island preserves a landscape of vineyards, pine forests, and some of France's finest beaches. Cars are banned; bicycles rule the sandy paths connecting the village to beaches that range from the family-friendly Plage d'Argent to the wilder shores of the island's south coast.

Port-Cros, France's first marine national park, takes protection seriously. Visitor numbers are limited, anchoring regulated, and large areas remain off-limits to ensure wildlife protection. The island rewards those who make the effort with pristine swimming in designated areas and hiking trails through forests of Aleppo pine and holm oak. The underwater trail at La Palud beach introduces snorkelers to Mediterranean marine life in a protected setting.

Île du Levant presents a different philosophy. Since 1931, the civilian part of this military-dominated island has operated as Europe's oldest naturist community. Héliopolis, the nudist village, maintains its own particular version of the Mediterranean dream—one where clothing is optional but respect for nature and others remains mandatory.