Porquerolles is off Hyères, south of France, you fly or take a train to Toulon. A navette (20 minutes water ride) takes you to the tiny port that can be scary at first as flows of beach goers (mostly French) show up early morning and leave with the last navette at the end of the day. So first you try to avoid the "tourists", then you rent a bike (the island is almost car-free) and you can enjoy a truly amazing place. Go early to Notre Dame, a far-away beach, water is turquoise, tons of fish to look at and occasional jellyfishes..
Restaurants are pretty good but I recommend "La plage d'argent", the only restaurant on the beach, it opens for lunch everyday but for dinner only tuesdays and thursdays. Simple food and killer sunset.
Unfortunately you can't buy fish on the island unless you are willing to wait for hours for the poor fisherman who usually shows up with a couple of sad-looking fishes..There's only one tiny supermarket. A couple of fruits/Vegetables stands and only one organic one where you can find Pourprier, a kind of salad that's succulent, super tasty tomatoes, peaches that are grown on the island.
In Porquerolles, you bike and you bike a lot, it's a real paradise and at night, children meet up on the "place" to sell jewelry they have made, stones they have painted and with the sales go to Cocofrio for a ice cream (violette.fig, speculos, white peach and yogurt are amongst my top 5).
A drink at 7pm at the exclusive "Mas du langoustier" is a must but be prepared for the bike serious work-out to get there..but you can also rent a pointu (see picture below) and go there by boat !
a pointu, a local boat
Notre Dame
Looks like a great Holiday!! ;)
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