Saint-Marguerite is positioned as a relaxing retreat from the bustling beaches of Cannes, you can swim or walk in the shade of the trees. On the island of Saint-Honorat stands the oldest abbey in Europe. It was founded at the beginning of the 5th century. It's a special place to visit with a guided tour.
Which is the best place to visit: Saint-Marguerite or Saint-Honorat?
Each of the Lérins Islands is a unique microcosm separated from the mainland, with its natural beauty (the islands are covered in lush pine, magnolia, eucalyptus and other southern plants) and an unmistakable "Mediterranean bounty" atmosphere.
If you ask which is the better of the two islands, we're not sure, we can answer the question as they are similar in some ways but very different.
Not all tourists who travel to the Côte d'Azur and stay in Cannes reach, or sail to, the islands, and for good reason. That's why we decided to make a big article about each of the Lérins Islands with photos and detailed information.
A visit to the island of St Honorat and the famous wines of the Lérins monks
On the island of St Honorat, in the Abbey of Lérins, a group of monks lead a modest life of prayer and hard work, producing some of the finest wine in the world.
Wine has been made in the abbey since the Middle Ages, dating back to the very foundation of St Honore Abbey in 405 AD.
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.
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.
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.
Useful information: what to know when visiting the Lérins
#1. Where to stay for lunch?
There is no variety of cafés, restaurants, shops and kiosks on the Lenin Islands. That's why our service includes lunch on board the catamaran. There is a chef's menu with more than 30 dishes to choose from. We provide comfortable cruises to the French islands
#2. How to get there?
Getting to the islands is fairly easy: you can head to the sea station and buy a ticket on a regular pleasure boat or a ferry with crowds of tourists. But if you are a fan of luxury and comfort, then we invite you to charter our new luxury catamaran and visit the Lérins Islands on an exhilarating sailing trip.
Signature Sailing Charter offers a boat trip to the Lenin Islands aboard our new crewed luxury sailing catamaran.
Boat trips to the islands must be booked in advance in April for May and June. As the islands are very popular, tickets for the summer boat trips sell out in spring.
#3. Where is the best place to go to the islands?
From the Old Port of Cannes to the islands, we take a pre-planned route. The journey takes an average of 25 minutes one way. We can also organise a separate tailor-made tour from Nice or Monaco.
You can book a boat trip to Lerins Island for 1 day or more:
- It can be a 1-day itinerary around the resort town;
- A 2-day itinerary for a weekend or at a time of your choice with an overnight stay on a catamaran;
- You can also choose an itinerary of 3 or more days for a boat trip on the Côte d'Azur with a visit to Lerins Island for 1 day.
Signature Sailing Charter offer a full range of services to organise your holiday in Cannes. Book it now and travel later! Your sea cruise will be in complete comfort, accompanied by a crew of three: a captain, a chef and a stewardess.
Signature Concept for 8 guests with comfortable cabins;
Signature Vision for 10 guests with comfortable cabins.
Take advantage of our hot offer in May and June
A boat trip to Lerins Islands for 1, 2 or more days with a discount of 5 to 10%. Find out more at the link.
We wish you a fabulous holiday!
Monaco
Antibes
Cannes
Nice
Portofino
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Lerin Islands
Côte d'Azur
