The Golden Islands

You’ve just booked your mobile home rental at camping Clair de Lune, camping International Giens or camping l’île d’Or for a waterfront vacation by the Mediterranean sea, in the Var department of Provence Alpes Côte d’Azur? You probably already know that the Giens peninsula offers breathtakingly beautiful scenery during your holiday in Hyères. Take advantage of the fine sandy beaches and coves for swimming and windsurfing in the Gulf of St Tropez. Like pearls detached from their necklace, three islands close to the mainland also boast extraordinary beaches and seabeds. Zoom in on Porquerolles, Port-Cros and Ile du Levant, known locally as the Îles d’Or.

Îles d’Or, three jewels of the Mediterranean

The Golden Islands, or îles d’Hyères, are the three islands of Provence that face the Giens peninsula. Characterized by their wild character and turquoise waters, these fragments of land are home to fragile ecosystems. For this reason, Port-Cros and part of Porquerolles are protected as a national park, a reserve covering an area of 1,800 hectares.

Princesses turned into islands

According to local legend, four princesses loved to bathe and swim in the crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean. One day, the king spotted a ship full of privateers in the distance, approaching dangerously. He implored the gods to spare his daughters. His plea for help was heard: three of his daughters were transformed into islands, and the fourth, who was reaching out to her father, became the Giens peninsula. Myth or reality? It’s hard to say for sure. What is certain is that the îles d’Or were occupied by Celts, Ligurians, Etruscans, Greeks and Romans. A few remnants of this rich past remain today, including the Moulin de Port-Cros fort built under the orders of François Ier.

Access

The îles d’Or are accessible by boat from the Tour Fondue harbor at the tip of the Giens peninsula (approx. 20-minute crossing to Porquerolles, number and departure times vary with the season). From the port of Hyères Saint-Pierre, you can reach Port-Cros (crossing time: 1 hour) and Ile du Levant (1h30). In summer, there are maritime connections between the various islands. Don’t wait any longer to discover the Iles d’Or from our campsites in the Var.