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Stephanie | profile | all galleries >> Europe >> France >> French Riviera Gallery >> Porquerolles ~ 2014 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Porquerolles ~ 2014

Porquerolles, also known as the Île de Porquerolles, is an island in the Îles d'Hyères, Var, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.
Its surface area is 1,254 hectares (12.54 km2; 4.84 sq mi) and in 2004 its population was about 200.

Porquerolles is the largest, most westerly of the three islands in the Îles d'Hyères.
It is about 7 km (4.3 miles) long by 3 km (1.9 miles) wide, with five small ranges of hills.
The south coast is lined with cliffs, and on the north coast are the port and the beaches of Notre Dame, La Courtade, and Plage d'Argent.

The island's village was established in 1820, with its lighthouse constructed in 1837 and church in 1850.
The entire island was purchased in 1912 by François Joseph Fournier, apparently as a wedding present for his wife; he planted 200 hectares (500 acres) of vineyards which produced a wine that was among the first to be classified as vin des Côtes de Provence.

In 1971 the state bought 80 percent of the island to preserve it from development.
Much of the island is now part of a national park (the Port-Cros Parc National) and nature conservation area (Conservatoire botanique national méditerranéen de Porquerolles).

It is the setting for the 1949 novel Mon Ami Maigret (My Friend Maigret) by Georges Simenon.
(Wikipedia)
Hit the trail
Hit the trail
Beach at La Courtade
Beach at La Courtade
La Courtade beach
La Courtade beach
Sail away
Sail away
Rugged coastline
Rugged coastline
Hand feeding
Hand feeding
Overlook
Overlook
Processionary caterpillars
Processionary caterpillars
Good dog!
Good dog!
Watchful eye
Watchful eye
Azure Blue
Azure Blue
Morning has broken
Morning has broken
Porquerolles harbor
Porquerolles harbor
Many masts
Many masts
Empty
Empty
Welcome!
Welcome!