The 15 Prettiest Islands To Visit In France

France is the land of amazing wines, spectacular architecture, delicious croissants, and of course, Paris, the city of love!

However, if you have extra time to explore the country outside of its capital or even just want to get away from the crowds in Paris, you might consider visiting one of the many beautiful islands in France. Most of these wonderful islands are easy to get to from the continent and make perfect weekend and summer getaways. Also, they are great places to try authentic french seafood.

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In this guide, you will read about the prettiest French islands.

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The 15 Most Beautiful Islands in France

Here are, in no particular order, the 15 prettiest islands in France.

Porquerolles

The gorgeous island of Porquerolles is located in the French Riviera and is the second biggest island in France – right after Corsica. To get to Porquerolles, you can take a boat from Giens-la Tour Fondue, Le Lavandou, Cavalaire-sur-Mer, Toulon and Saint-Tropez.

Some of the most popular activities on the island include spending the day at the beautiful Plage Notre Dame or Plage d’Argent, exploring Fort du Grand Langoustier, seeing art at the Fondation Carmignac, and paddleboarding around Porquerolles and Giens.

Best places to stay in Porquerolles: L’Arche de Porquerolles | Hotel Residence Les Medes | Hôtel Le Porquerollais

Ile de Ré

Ile de Ré is located approximately a 3-hour train ride away from France’s capital, making it one of the few islands close to Paris.

Ile De Ré is considered one of France’s most privileged vacation getaways with its traditional French villages and beautiful beaches. It is like The Hamptons of France and a popular wedding destination.

Its main attractions are Saint-Martin-de-Ré, the main town on the island, the salt marshes, and of course, the boat rides.

Best places to stay in Ile de Ré: Fleur de Re | Résidence Odalys Rêve d’île | Le Phare

Port Cros

Port Cros is one of the islands in the Mediterranean island group known as the Îles d’Hyères. Formerly Greek, the island is now home to Parc National de Port-Cros, France’s first marine national park and a snorkeling paradise.

Naturally, the most attractive things to do in Port Cross all revolve around water activities such as scuba diving and snorkeling.

Best places to stay in Port Cros: Le Manoir de Port-Cros | La Maison Du Port

Belle Ile en Mer

Belle-Île, Belle-Île-en-Mer, or Belle Isle is Britanny’s largest island.

Nowadays, the -literally- beautiful island attracts tourists from all over France due to its temperate climate, more than 60 gorgeous islands, and the famous opera festival Festival Lyrique en Mer.

Best places to stay in Belle Ile En Mer: Le Cardinal Belle-Ile-en-Mer | Le Grand Large | Aux Tamaris

Corsica

Surrounded by the warm waters of the Mediterranean Sea between France and Italy, Corsica offers views like no other place. Imagine alpine mountains right by stunning white-sand beaches.

The most famous places in Corsica are Bastia, Cap Corse, Saint Florent, and Agriates Desert.

Best places to stay in Corsica: Gîte du Chalet Pietri | Hôtel Restaurant Sole e Monte

Île St Marguerite

Ile St Marguerite is about a 15-minute boat ride away from Cannes.

Sainte-Marguerite’s historical heritage and natural beauty make it one of the most beautiful French Islands. Its main attraction is the Fort and old prison, the Royal Musee de la Mer.

Noirmoutier

Noirmountier is a gorgeous island near Nantes that attracts tourists all year round. Visiting Noirmoutier-en-l’Île, the island’s capital, is one of the most popular things to do there.

The easiest way to get to Noirmountier, the “Rare Island” is by taking a train from Nantes.

Best places to stay in Noirmoutier: L’Île Ô Château | Hotel Saint Paul | Hotel Autre Mer

Ile de Bréhat

Off the coast of Paimpol, in Côtes-d’Armor, is Ile Bréhat, one of Brittany’s loveliest islands. Besides its stunning landscapes and untouched nature, Brehat has many architectonic and historical places to explore, like its centenary lighthouses.

Best places to stay in Ile de Bréhat: Hôtel BelleVue | Men Joliguet

Groix

Groix is an island in the region of Brittany in north-western France. To get there, the most common way is by taking a ferry from Lorient to Groix.

Once a major center for tuna fishing, Groix has now become a popular beach destination.

Best places to stay in Groix: Ty Mad Hôtel | Hon-ty | La Criste Marine

Mont St Michel

Mont St Michel is one of France’s most famous architectural gems.

The medieval village and island, located only 350 kilometers away from Paris, is on the bucket list of every traveler that loves castles and incredible architecture.

The must-see places in Mont St Michel are The Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel, Chemin des Remparts, and Grand Rue.

Best places to stay in Mont St Michel: Hotel Vert | Mercure Mont Saint Michel | Hotel Gabriel

Île St Honorat

Just a few minutes away from Cannes is Île St Honorat.

This beautiful and calm island is a true sunny paradise and is quite spiritual as well. There, you can visit the Monastery of St Honorat, where  21 monks currently live.

Other than that, there are historical monuments that you can visit for free, such as the monastery tower (the Chapelle Saint-Sauveur and the Chapelle de la Trinité.

Île D’Yeu

Commonly considered one of the most beautiful islands in France, Île D’Yeu looks just like a paradisiac greek island.

Its natural beauty, history, and inviting beaches make the island, located just off the Vendée coast of western France, an amazing weekend getaway from Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie or Fromentine.

Best places to stay in Ile D’Yeu: Atlantic Hotel | Le Caillou Blanc | Chambres d’hôtes

Ushant

Île d’Ouessant, also called Ushant, is a rocky island 18 miles off the coast of Le Conquet.

The small island marks the westernmost point of metropolitan France, belongs to Brittany, and became famous for its maritime past as a fishing community.

Île de Batz

The delightful Île de Batz offers a complete change of scenery just a fifteen-minute boat ride away from Roscoff.

Its mild weather makes it the perfect environment for more than two thousand species of plants, while the ruins of Sainte-Anne Chapelle attrac0 t visitor looking to learn about St Pol and its dragon.

Best places to stay in Ile de Batz: Reves de Mer

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French islands outside of France

Apart from all the gorgeous islands to visit in France, there are others that are located outside of Europe but are still considered a part of France.

Here are some of the main French islands outside of France:

Bora Bora

Bora Bora is a group of islands in the western part of French Polynesia.

It is surrounded by coral reefs and is considered one of the world’s most beautiful and luxurious destinations. Tourism is Bora-Bora’s primary economic activity.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon

Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is an archipelago about 25 km off the southern coast of the island of Newfoundland in Canada.

The archipelago is a self-governing territorial overseas collectivity of France, officially known as. Territorial Collectivity of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon

French Guiana

French Guiana is located in South America, north of Brazil, and is another french island outside of France. Its currency is the euro, and its official language is French.

The most popular attractions in French Guiana include exploring the capital city, Cayenne, visiting Illes du Salut, bird watching, and more.

Guadeloupe

The Caribbean tropical of Guadeloupe is also an overseas department and region of France.

It is a super popular vacation destination among the French but still not that well known worldwide. Filled with luxurious resorts and beautiful beaches, it is s a remarkable and unique place to visit in the Caribbean.

Mayotte and Réunion

Last but certainly not least, Mayotte and Réunion are two islands located close to Madagascar, in the Indian Ocean.

One funny thing about Mayotte is that it holds the record for the longest domestic flight in the world since technically, if you fly from Paris straight to Mayotte, you wouldn’t be even leaving France.

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Best time to travel to france

France is a year-round destination, but the months of spring and autumn are the most pleasant to visit, especially if you are planning on visiting any of the gorgeous islands mentioned in this post.

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What to pack for French Islands

When visiting an island in France, there are a few things you can take to make your trip way more enjoyable?

• A sand free beach mat
• Chic sunglasses
• Tanning Oil
• Sunscreen
• Beautiful Hats
• Flattering bikinis

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Popular Tours in France

Besides visiting all these beautiful islands, there are still many other fantastic places to discover in France.

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Wrap-up: The most beautiful islands to visit in France

That’s a wrap! I hope that by now you have fallen in love with these french islands just as much as I did. I can’t wait to visit them all!

Which one was your favorite? Mine is definitely Mont St Michel.

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