Île Saint-Honorat
French Riviera, France
Ultra-blue waters, vineyards and olive groves, along with 11th-century ruins, set the scene at Île Saint-Honorat, home to the winemaking monks of the Lérins Abbey. Aside from a peek at monastic life among peaceful nature, there’s a lot to explore on this quaint island: seven chapels, a seaside fortress, the grand monastery tower, and old furnaces used to heat cannon balls during Napoleon Bonaparte’s reign.
The basics
A popular day trip from Cannes, the Lérins Abbey on Île Saint-Honorat offers vineyard tours and wine tastings, with round-trip transportation included. You can also visit the island on your own, giving yourself plenty of time to attend Mass, have a picnic, swim in a quiet cove, and explore the historical sites along the greenery-lined paths.
Guided tours are a great way to see Île Saint-Honorat in combination with the other Lérins Islands and the coastline around Cannes. Sign up for a group or private boat tour for a brief stop on the island, plus a full day of swimming in the Mediterranean and seeing Cannes landmarks like Palm Beach and the Boulevard de la Croisette from the water.
Things to know before you go
- The island only has a couple of dining options, but there are picnic areas if you’d like to bring your own lunch.
- If you do bring your own food and drinks, keep in mind that you’ll have to take your trash back to the mainland—the island has no garbage cans and a strict waste policy.
- Île Saint-Honorat is small—it takes just under an hour to walk around the perimeter.
- The abbey has a gift shop selling the monks’ wine and liqueurs.
How to get there
Most guided boat tours provide transportation to and from the island. To go on your own, take the accessible Planaria ferry from the Port of Cannes to Île Saint-Honorat. The trip takes 20 minutes each way, and rides are available hourly from morning to late afternoon every day. Once you’re on the car-free island, walking is the only way to get around.
When to get there
Île Saint-Honorat welcomes visitors year-round, but you’ll find the most pleasant weather in the south of France from April–June or September–October. The church holds Mass every morning, while the abbey runs vineyard tours and wine tastings every first Friday of the month. Regardless of the season, aim to visit earlier in the day—ferries stop running at 5pm.
What to know about the other Lérins Islands
There are four Lérins Islands off the coast of Cannes, but only two are inhabited. The largest, Île Saint-Marguerite, is known for its dense forests, central lake, and curious history and culture—check out the mysterious Man in the Iron Mask’s old prison cell, or snorkel to the Underwater Eco-Museum featuring massive face sculptures. Since Île Saint-Honorat and Île Saint-Marguerite are served by different ferry companies, the only way to see them both at once is to book a boat tour.
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