Things to do on the Lérins Islands

The Lérins Islands sit about 15-20 minutes by boat from Cannes harbour, and the crossing itself sets the tone: open water, pine-covered shorelines, and traffic noise that drops away almost immediately. Sainte-Marguerite and Saint-Honorat are opposites worth telling apart before you buy a ticket.

Sainte-Marguerite carries the Fort Royal and the cell where the Man in the Iron Mask was reportedly held, plus shaded pine paths good for an unhurried walk. Saint-Honorat is quieter still, built around the working Lérins abbey, where monks make wine sold on-site.

One island fills a half-day; both islands, with the crossing and a proper walk on each, is a full day out from Cannes.