Cruising Yacht Hire to the Lerins Islands

From the port of Cannes, Monaco or Nice, we depart for the Lérins Islands via a pre-planned itinerary.

Boat trips to the Lérins Islands must be booked in advance in April or March for May and June. As the islands are very popular, tickets for the summer boat trips sell out in the spring. You'll be very lucky if there are seats or hot deals left in May and June for this destination.

The main attraction on the island of St Margeryt is the old fortress, Fort Royal, which dates back to the 17th century. Its strong walls and heavy cannons protected the harbour from pirate ships raiding the French coastal cities.

The situation changed over time, the pirates were done away with, and from 1737 the mighty fort was converted into an ordinary prison, from which it was impossible to escape.

The prison is shrouded in many legends and tour guides tell us that it was once home to the prisoner 'Iron Mask', who served as a prototype for literary and film characters. The old prison is now home to a modern dive centre, as well as a unique sea museum.

St-Honorah, the smaller of the two inhabited islands of Lérins, is 'hidden' behind St Margaret's Island. St. Honor is the location of the oldest Abbey of Lérins.

The monastery of Lérins on the island is maintained in excellent condition. The main building of the monastery was erected in the 19th century, so few elements of the ancient buildings remain. Entrance to Lerin Monastery is free.

Although the monks, as they should, shun the mundane, their wine has already created a sensation around the world: the Abbey's products are served in some of the finest restaurants in France. 

Each year the grapes are harvested by hand by the monks on the island under the supervision of Father Marie Pack. All operations are done by hand by the monks and no chemical fertilisers are used to keep the island's ecosystem intact.

The monastery's wines have been awarded a gold medal at the 2005 Syrah World Wine Competition and were served at high-level dinners at the G 20 summit in Cannes in November 2011, as well as to members of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival.

The islands are home to a large number of conifers and eucalyptus trees, making the air a fragrant place. Prohibitions against smoking, campfires and all forms of transport contribute to this fragrance. It's much quieter and calmer than Cannes and the views over the town, neighbouring islands and cliffs are breathtaking.