Paris

Most holidaymakers head first for the island Ste.Marguerite where they roam around trying to find a place to picnic in the peace and quite denied to them on the mainland. Thirteen thousand trees grow on this island and generally the coast is more fit for mass tourism. The mysterious “Man in the Iron Mask” was held prisoner here in Fort Royal (built by Vauban) from 1687 to 1698. He was then deported to the Bastille. If you want to know the historical truth, the man never wore an iron mask but a silk one and the way he was held prisoner is beyond any human comprehension, even for the 17th century. Nobody ever knew who was hidden under that mask: a brother, or even a twin brother of Louis XIV who could have been a forefather of the Buonapartes? Others speak of the Italian count Matteoli who knew too much about the stately affairs.
Anyway, the tourists looking for quietness are more likely to find it on St.Honorat (400 m wide and mainly covered by parasol pines, eucalyptus trees and cypresses.
For several centuries St.Honorat was the centre of religious life for the whole southern Europe, and was so powerful that it owned much of the land along the coast, including Cannes. Imagine that one about 3,700 monks lived on the island and the monastery delivered quite a few bishops, like the best known in Ireland and America: St.Patrick!! But the constant raids from pirates as well as papal corruption made its decline inevitable. The museum and church that the Cistercian monks keep open for visitors is mainly a private domain where they grow lavender, grapes and oranges and are pleased to sell their own honey and Lérina liquor to the visitors.
The most beautiful spot on the island is in the eastern point, called the “chapelle de laTrinité”, hidden between the trees. All over the island there used to be seven of those chapels. Most disappeared, others were “restored” in a very indelicate way. The only authentic one, finally, is this “chapelle de le Trinité”. Under the altar of the Trinité a small cellar with the skeleton and a skull was found in 1850, supposed to be the remains of Saint-Ferreol. Its is deceiving that the chapel is closed nowadays, hiding its interior.
Let’s end by the visit of the fortress-monastery. This edifice, the best seen from the boat on the island, built in 1073 is fortified on three sides, the fourth skirting the sea. Vauban, master in those kind of defensive constructions was flabbergasted: “This is a real masterwork, nothing should be changed here!” Inside, a first floor dating 14th century and an upper floor from where you can look at the Esterel range, the Cannes bay with the snowy Alps in the background.
From the modern monastery you can only visit the church, dating 19th century.
And for those who like walking on a roundtrip trail, there is one around the island.

Bibliography

“L’Art Cistercien en France” by le Père Anselme Dimier (Zodiaque, Yonne, 1982), « Notes d’un voyage dans le misi de la France », by Prosper Mérimée (Ed.Adam Biro, Paris 1989), "Guide de la Provence mysterieuse" by Jean-Paul Clebert (Ed.Sand, 1986), Mary Blume, "Cote d'Azur. Inventing the French Riviera" (Thames and Hudson, London 1982), "When the riviera was ours" by Howarth Patrick (Century Hutchinson)

From Nice to Saint-Tropez (suite)

Cap d'Antibes

Juan les
Pins-Golfe-Juan-Vallauris

Cannes

Iles de Lerins

La Napoule and Henry Clews

Esterel cornice to Frejus

Frejus

Sainte Maxime to Port Grimaud

Old Grimaud and Cogolin

Saint-Tropez

From Saint Tropez to Cassis

Ramatuelle-Gassin-Croix Valmer-Cavalaire sur mer

Le Lavandou-Bormes les Mimosas

Hyères

Island of Porquerolles

Island of Port Cros - Ile du Levant

Toulon

From Toulon to Sanary-sur-Mer

Bandol and island of Bendor

La Ciotat and route des Cretes

Cassis and the calanques

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Iles de Lerins-Saint-Honorat and Sainte Marguerite
History, ambience passing Saint Honorat	St.Honorat and Ste.Marguerite