Île Saint-Honorat: A Monk’s Paradise Off the Coast of Cannes
Imagine an island that smells like wisteria, honeysuckle, and pine. An island that shelters tiny chapels, vineyards, and hidden coves. An island where wild pheasants scream at you for disturbing their peace. An island from which you can see the snowcapped peaks of the Mercantour Alps on one side and the red rocks of the Esterelle on the other. An island less than a mile long but with five different mini-terroirs from which to produce red and white grapes for wine. Or don’t just imagine. Hop on a ferry from Cannes and you will find yourself there on Île Saint-Honorat within 20 minutes, a UNESCO Heritage Site where the monks of the Abbaye des Lérins have lived, prayed, and worked off-and-on since 410 AD. It seems almost redundant to build a monastery where the blessings of mother earth are so fully on display, but the source of inspiration is obvious.
What To See & Do: Saint Honoratus, the island’s namesake, originally came here planning to live life as a hermit. It is a place to go when you want to escape from all the “doing” and “seeing.” Half-hour vineyard tours and tastings are offered almost every first Friday of the year in French and English and I highly recommend joining one if you can. But if you’re visiting at another time, you can stroll the paths that circumnavigate and criss-cross the island, visit the monastery grounds, answer all your questions about monk life by reading the informative panels affixed to the wall of Chapelle St Pierre, then find yourself a cove of your own. Have a picnic. Nap to the sound of waves crashing against rocks. Contemplate the mysteries of the universe. Maybe buy a bottle of wine or liqueur made by the monks who are masters at their craft and–when you’re ready–hop on one of the hourly boats returning to Cannes. You might find yourself wanting to spend more time on the island than you planned, so try not to pack your schedule.
Eating on the Island: There is a small snack shop on the island (Snack Les Canisses), but if you have any dietary restrictions I’d suggest bringing your own food. If you want a more complete dining experience, you can eat lunch at the restaurant La Tonnelle. (Main courses range from €26-45.)
How To Get There: The boat to Île Saint-Honorât launches from Cannes, but if you’re staying in Nice or any of the cities in between, it is still an easy day trip. You’ll just need to budget time for a train ride (33 minutes or less on the TER) and a walk of about 20 minutes to the port from the train station.
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