Porquerolles

The architecture of the houses of Porquerolles has been built to blend unobtrusively into the surrounding land and thereby retaining its natural beauty.

The Island of Porquerolles enjoys more than 300 days of sunshine a year, with the coastal waters influencing the climate giving mild winters and a cooling sea breeze in the summer season. It shares the same latitude as Cap Corse which has a similar climate. There is always a protected bay to be found around this Island, which makes it a popular yachting location.

There are several beautiful beaches for anchoring in crystal clear waters around the Island. The largest and most popular due to its proximity to the port and main town is La Courtade. The sands are fine and white with pine forests and vineyards behind. From here the fort of Sainte Agathe can be seen. The Notre Dame beach although smaller is also a well protected from Mistral winds, but is approximately 3km to the east of the Port. It offers peaceful unspoilt tranquillity and good anchoring ground. To the west of the port is another small bay with good anchoring for the day but the waters are shallow and it is only suitable for small yachts. This is called the Plage d'argent or silver beach because of it glistening silver white sands.

Further west past this beach is the Plage Blanc and the Plage Noir, which really does have black sand. Situated between these two beaches is the famous Michelin restaurant called Le Mas du Langoustier which is set within beautiful grounds and also has a helipad. It is well worth dining or staying at the hotel and tasting some of the unique dishes created by the chef Joel Guillet.

On the southern aspect of the Island are the rocky cliffs of the Clanque de L'Indienne. These deep waters where the cliffs reach the sea are best seen by boat and are ideal areas for diving.

From the port, the village is only a few minutes' walk. Around the port are a small parade of shops with bike hire and bars to admire the views across to the mainland. In the main Place is the church of St Anne built around 1850 and around the square is where the villagers gather. Behind the village is the 16th century fort of St Agathe. The history of the Island is that nearly all of it was bought by a wealthy gold mine owner called Francois Fournier back in 1912. He established the main vineyards at produced the first "cotes de Provence" wines. In 1971 the French Government bought 80% of the Island back and has it protected as a nature reserve. The only cars allowed on the Island are those owned by the local villagers. For the tourists visiting here the best way to really discover the interior and hidden beaches is by bicycle. The magnificent panoramic views of the Island, Port Cros, Isle du Levant and across to the mainland can be seen from the lighthouse built in 1837.

With so much beauty to discover boating around these shores Bluewater can find the perfect motor or sailing yacht so your holiday vacation will be one of the most memorable.