Mediterranean: from island to island in the South of France

Report Serge Barret / Photos Alain Parinet

The sea is oily. Not a ripple, just a few wide swells followed by the semi-rigid boat carrying a dozen or so people, which then sped along at full throttle. The blue waves, the clear sky, the light, the sea breeze and a slight scent of iodine in the air... The Mediterranean in all its clichés. But what's less cliché is that this Mediterranean, so clear, so clean, so limpid, is just 10 minutes off the coast of Marseille's Vieux-Port (old harbour); so, with the hyper-urbanity of the area, you'd expect a sea that's all cut and dried. So the story - the islands of the Mediterranean coast in the south of France - begins with those off the coast of one of Europe's largest ports. And obviously with the most mythical, because made famous by Alexandre Dumas and his hero, the young Edmond Dantès, future Count of Monte Cristo. The Château d'If.

A twenty-minute boat ride from the Vieux-Port, the blonde stone ramparts overlooking the sea, a square tower, a covered passageway entrance and a mineral world that isn't exactly welcoming when you consider that the fortress built by François I^er completed in 1531, was quickly transformed into a prison. At first, galley slaves who were a little reluctant to row were thrown in, followed by Protestants in the 17th century.^e century, followed by the insurgents of 1848, and finally the communards of 1871. And if The Count of Monte Cristo never existed except in the writer's imagination - according to the guidebooks, Chinese tourists who are crazy about it nonetheless believe it to be true - but the regime's opponents had a very real taste of its cesspools and collective cells. You can visit the fort, of course, but sadly the refreshment room is no longer open to the public. And that's a shame, because the view from the terraces over the city of Marseille, dominated by Notre-Dame de La Garde, is magical.

On the other hand, just a stone's throw away, you can privatise an entire city blockÎle Degaby. The fort, which covers most of the island, was rebuilt in 1861 on foundations laid in the 18th century.^e It is now used exclusively for group events. It has been fitted out accordingly, with wooden terraces set against the ramparts, a patio reserved for gala dinners, and an open-air discotheque improvised between two high walls so that the sound does not cross the arm of the sea that separates the rock from the coast...".Last year, we received an average of three operations a weeksays André Gay, manager of the Degaby Island operating company. These range from buffet lunches to cocktail receptions for 300 people and sit-down dinners for 170. Music, dancing and Fort Boyard-style entertainment are all part of the fun!"The only problem is that the island cannot be moored in heavy swells.

Its counterpart, the same type of defensive building with machicolations, attractive but totally irrelevant since they were built in the 19th century.^e In the 19th century, it was installed, as if in echo, on the coast to the west of Marseille. At l'Estaque, to be precise. This is the Corbières fort, built in 1861 to control merchant shipping from a distance, and now owned by Jean-Christophe Marquet, an Olympique de Marseille player in the 1990s. A very chic placeThe building is set on the edge of a grassy golf-green esplanade where elegant dinners are held. The interior is ad hoc with, on the first floor, a completely open-plan room - were there ever partitions? - One entire wall has a gigantic bay window overlooking the sea, the harbour of Marseille and the white ballet of sailing ships in the wind. To get there, particularly for business groups, you can of course take the coastal roads. But for a truly memorable experience, it's best to take a large water taxi from the Old Port to the Estaque harbour.

The Old Port. Omnipresent. At the centre of everything. A must when visiting France's second-largest city and, incidentally, also its oldest. And what a city it is! And it's one that's likely to disappoint the latecomer who'd been expecting the urban chaos of the past. In other words, a bustling, neglected, dirty, noisy and even dangerous port. But that's all over, at least as far as the historic heart of the city is concerned, the one that tourists are mainly interested in. Basically, it's been over since 2013, the year in which the Phocaean city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. European Capital of CultureIt was also the occasion for the inauguration of the Mucem (Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilisation), Rudy Ricciotti's sublime architecture, a daring cube of black lace set at the end of the Old Port. All around, everything has been renovated, refurbished and brightened up like a new penny. Whether in the Vieux-Port district, which is now almost too shiny, or in the Panier district, the once miserable old Marseille and is now gradually being taken over by the bohemian bourgeoisie. Business tourism groups obviously make it their playground, particularly during treasure hunts organised on its breathless staircases. The same goes for the south quay, the Quai de Rive Neuve, home to institutions such as the Théâtre de la Criée, and the Bar de la Marine, made famous by its card game immortalised by Pagnol...

But there's also a fantastic place at the end of this quay, at the foot of Fort Saint-Nicolas, right in the heart of Marseille, an incredibly hidden secretThis is the former private home of Henri-Germain Delauze. It is the former private home of Henri-Germain Delauze, founder of Comex, a company specialising in underwater and space technologies, and one of Captain Cousteau's collaborators for a time. Built in 1982, the building, which stands entirely on stilts, is atypical to say the least. Lots and lots of wood, lots and lots of openings, a former swimming pool where Koi carp now thrive, a huge terrace where, among other things, the following are on display Tintin-style spacesuitsAnd at the end of it all, a small port hidden behind a bend in the road leading directly to the Old Port. Who would have thought it? The house, still decorated with collections that once belonged to the adventurous scientist, is gigantic. It can be reserved for private parties, including sit-down dinners for groups of between 20 and 700 people.

We've discovered the Old Port, we've evoked Pagnol, Raimu and Fresnay, we've bought soap in the Panier district, we've wandered along the quays of Fort Saint-Jean and at the foot of the Mucem, and we've climbed up to Notre-Dame de La Garde. But what's left? There's still pétanque, rosé, bouillabaisse and... pastis, of course! It's a theme that will appeal to many, and one that can be happily combined with that of the Mediterranean islands by heading a little further along the coast to the island of Les Embiez, which still belongs to the Paul Ricard family.

Firstly, it's the delightful port of Le Bruscbetween Marseille and Toulon. Le Midi en VO, le Midi hors saison, le Midi presque comme avant. With colourful boats "sleeping between two siestas" as the brochures say, a few bistrots-buvettes very happy at aperitif time, a pétanque pitch, a morning market and pensioners with overflowing shopping bags and dogs on leads, in great conversation... Just a quarter of an hour by boat and it's Port Saint-Pierre, on the island of Les Embiez, where everything bears the spirit of Paul Ricard, a philanthropic version of the enlightened billionaire, much respected by his staff, who bought the island in 1958. In any case, it's a fabulous location for large-scale incentive operations, with the island offering all the infrastructure needed for a successful operation in a single location. Starting with accommodation, the Hôtel Hélios, on a balcony overlooking the harbour, offers 61 rooms with a view. There are also eight luxury accommodations in a listed 17th-century building.^eThere are also 150 flats for eight to ten people and a six-bedroom Provencal farmhouse that can be used for private functions, including product presentations.

A hilarious regatta

Of course, the bars and restaurants are not to be outdone, including a gourmet restaurant and a brasserie with a beautiful terrace overlooking the sea. But above all, in addition to 15 seminar rooms that can accommodate from 12 to 600 people, the island offers a host of sporting activities adapted to business tourism. Better still, it has called on Sodalis, an imaginative external service provider, to produce made-to-measure games inspired by the hit television programme Koh Lanta. The same company, which is not short of a sense of humour, also offers a totally madcap game consisting of building cardboard boats, launching them into the water and, afterwards, a hilarious regatta. At first, it's hard to believe, but the boats actually float. Well, not always... It all depends on the skill of the builders, and shipwrecks are not uncommon.

But it's on foot, or in a buggy or little tourist train, that you'll discover the 90 hectares of pinewoods, olive groves and garrigue, representing a total of 90 % of Mediterranean plant species. There are no cars and the paths are bumpy, an 80-metre cliff, former salt marshes and even a dozen plots of vines in the process of being converted to organic farming, for a total of 25,000 bottles of red, white and rosé. There's plenty of opportunity for informal tastings in the cellars set up directly on the island.

Because these islands on the Mediterranean coast produce wine. Very good wine, in fact. Leading the way, the island of PorquerollesIt produces some magnificent vintages, particularly the whites, which can be tasted in one of the cafés-restaurants lining the village square. And what a square it is! Small bistros with large terraces, a nineteenth-century church, a church hall and a church hall.^e century church, a vast esplanade lined with eucalyptus trees, pétanque players in the late afternoon, and above all, the church itself, a rare quality of silence. In fact, the whole village is like that. It's like a survivor from a wonderful time when the South of France was a paradise. That's how Porquerolles is: unspoilt, despite the hordes of tourists that invade every summer. The Echappée Bleue incoming agency is particularly attentive to the 'park spirit' and is committed to helping visitors discover this fragile destination in a 'sustainable' and environmentally-friendly way. In particular, it offers e-bike tours, which are particularly welcome on the island's often rugged trails.

The Renaissance, whose taste can hardly be doubted, nicknamed the archipelago of Porquerolles, Port-Cros and Le Levant the "Golden IslandsEach has its own special character. Today, Port-Cros remains exceptionally protected - a national park in its entirety - while Ile du Levant is partly military territory and partly entirely naturist. Which, admittedly, is not very well suited to business tourism.

The miraculous Porquerolles, seven kilometres long and two and a half kilometres wide, has plenty to offer for a successful event, as long as the groups remain small. The infrastructure - small hotels with meeting rooms and restaurants - is there, as is the nature and its wonderful walks, as the island has essentially been declared a national forest park. What's more, the island is dotted with monuments that tell the story of its history - a very turbulent saga with Greeks, Romans, Moors and pirates - and the traces left behind are all great places to take a walk. Then there's the Saint-Agathe fort, built for defensive purposes by François I. Then there's the lighthouse, the second most powerful in the Mediterranean after Marseille. le Moulin du bonheurAnd of course, there are the beaches, the silver beach with its crystal-clear waters and the Notre-Dame beach where Godard filmed some of the scenes in his film Pierrot le Fou. If you don't fancy a sandy, sun-drenched seaside resort, you can always try your hand at scuba diving, as the Golden Islands are one of the best diving spots in the Mediterranean.

Man Ray in shorts

HyèresAs we've seen, it's where the boats leave for the Golden Islands. But it's also a very pretty little coastal town, historically the very first seaside resort on the French Mediterranean coast. It has some fine remains, with a listed casino, some of the façades preserved from the first palaces of the XIXth century, and some of the best-kept boutiques.^eand just about everywhere Orientalist villas in the Belle Epoque style. Except for one, built in the 1930s, it's true, and located high above the town. A stunningly modern building designed by Mallet-Stevens for the viscount and viscountess of Noailles. Naturally, all the artistic avant-garde of the time gathered there to work and play sport, as was already the fashion. Even if today it's hard to imagine Man Ray, Buñuel, Cocteau or, worse still, Dali getting together for a physical effort... From there, you return to the city's boulevards, passing through medieval Hyères and its tangle of alleys that look almost Italian. It's a real discovery, just time for a quick city tour.

However, you can't imagine discovering these pebbles on the azure shores of Provence without a day trip, or even a half-day trip, or why not a lunch with your feet in the water on the beach? the Lérins Islandsoff the coast of Cannes. Notably Saint-Honorat, the property of an active Cistercian monastery. Although it is possible to visit some of the monastery's buildings, the monks having taken a vow of solitude, it is above all the old fortified monastery that you should visit. Battered by the sea and partly restored by Viollet-le-Duc, it has a curious two-storey cloister within its walls and its battlements tell stories far removed from any religious calm: pirate attacks and Saracen raids in particular, to which must be added a few Genoese or Spanish protrusions.

As for peace and quiet, the real thing, that je-ne-sais-quoi approaching serenity, it's on the island's paths that you'll find it. Eucalyptus and lavender fields, The monks were masters of wine-making. No one sleeps on Saint-Honorat, as only a few rooms are reserved for lovers of restorative retreats. But if you're a real cell-lover, you'll want to stop off on the island of Sainte-Marguerite, three fathoms from Saint-Honorat. Why should you stop there? Because it was here, in the fort that became a state prison in 1685, that the famous Iron Mask, one of history's great enigmas, was locked up on the orders of Louis XIV. His cell, albeit with a fireplace, is still there and raises a number of questions about human cruelty.

At the end of the afternoon, we set off again towards Cannes, its Croisette, its bars, its hustle and bustle, half an hour away. But when it comes to the hustle and bustle, you're in for a real treat with a hilarious crossing on a water taxi operated by Black Tenders Events. The semi-rigid craft is waiting on the quayside, a strange alignment of backrests and handles mounted in a queue on two large parallel tubes, which you straddle like a riding saddle. Quite simply, it looks like a boat belonging to the GIGN. In fact, that's almost the experience we'll have, as the zodiac flies over the waves, falling back with a great foaming crash, only to raise its nose again over another wave. Waiting for the next... After the peace and quiet of an isolated monastery, the full effect is felt. A foretaste of the hustle and bustle of a return to the continent in general, and the Croisette in particular.