The French islands you've probably never heard of but should really visit

Best French islands in the Mediterranean

Cavallo

Used as a penal colony in Roman times, this ritzy privately-owned island between Corsica and Sardinia has morphed over the centuries to become one of France’s most exclusive islands.

Cavallo is a magnet for celebrities, from Paris Hilton to Mick Jagger, who flock here to dine al fresco on freshest local produce in chic restaurants such as La Ferme, laze on the island’s silky sand beaches, or play a few rounds at Sperone Golf Club, which overlooks the striking picturesque Bouches de Bonifacio. The only way to get around here is on foot, bike or horse-drawn buggy.

Where to stay on Cavallo: Apart from a handful of villas, the only place to stay is the swanky Hotel Les Pêcheurs, where you’ll rub shoulders with the well-heeled set at every step.

How do you get to Cavallo? There’s a mini ferry that buzzes from Corsica to Cavallo seven times per day in high season. The journey takes 15 minutes.

The Lérins Islands

Celebrities fleeing paparazzi during the Cannes Film Festival make a beeline for these tiny islands within spitting distance of the glitzy Croisette.

Sainte-Marguerite, the largest of the islands, is home to 17th-century Fort Royal, where the mysterious Man in the Iron Mask – played by Leonardo DiCaprio in the 1998 film – was imprisoned.

On sister island Saint-Honorat, you can make like the stars and chill on the island’s unspoiled beaches or meet Cistercian monks at Lérins Abbey. Make sure to sample Lérina, a herbal liqueur made by the monks, while you’re there.

Where to stay on the Lérins Islands: There are no hotels on the island, so they’re best visited as a day trip unless you’re lucky enough to be staying on a yacht.

How do you get to the Lérins Islands? Take the ferry from Cannes’ Old Port to Lérins Islands. The trip takes 15 minutes.

Île d’Or

Architect Leon Sergeant bought this craggy island from the French government in 1897 for the princely sum of 280 francs, which is roughly the equivalent of €33 today.

Inspiration for Tintin creator Herge in his seventh tome ‘L’île Noire’ – and listed as one of the most beautiful sites in France by Conde Nast Traveller – this stunning island opposite the Var coast was subsequently bought in the early 20th century by doctor Auguste Lutaud who ordered the building of that spectacular medieval-lookalike tower.

Where to stay on Île d’Or: While you can’t stay on this little French hidden gem, you’ll get incredible views over this picturesque spot from luxury Les Roches Rouges in Saint-Raphaël on the mainland. If that’s beyond your budget, you can still take in the views at La Plage de L'Île d’Or restaurant.

How do you get to Île d’Or? Although you can’t actually disembark on the Île d’Or, there are plenty of excellent opportunities to photograph this picture-perfect spot on a cruise from Saint-Raphaël with local company Xtreme Boat.

Port-Cros, Îles d'Hyères

Home to one of France’s tiniest national parks, this traffic-free French island in the Mediterranean is the smallest and wildest member of the Hyères group.

Hike the well-signposted trails to spot rare birds and butterflies, or explore Port-Cros’s fish-teeming underwater landscapes via the island’s waymarked snorkelling trails.

Hungry? Fill up on basil-strewn tarte provençale and other local specialities at 19th-century Manoir de Port-Cros.

Where to stay on Port-Cros: If you liked the food at Manoir de Port-Cros, you’ll love its rooms. Spend the night in one of the manor’s antique-decorated rooms to soak up more of that old-style ambiance.

How do you get to Port-Cros? Take a shuttle boat from Hyères’ main marina or from La-Londe-les-Maures to arrive in Port-Cros in around 30 to 60 minutes.

Île du Levant

Looking for something left of field? Home to a naturist centre since the 1930s, Île du Levant, with its pastel-coloured houses and palm trees slung with hammocks, is a paradise for fans of the no-clothes lifestyle.

Founded by doctors André and Gaston Durville as a place where visitors can ‘live naked under the sun like pagan gods’, the sprawling Heliopolis naturist resort is the only part of the island you can visit – the rest is off bounds. Nudism is obligatory on most of the resort’s silk sand beaches, but visitors generally wear something (a pareo or a thong) in town.

Seafood and fresh fish are big on the menu here, but most people will find that the biggest thrill is eating out in the buff.

Where to stay on Île du Levant: The only place you can: Héliopolis Naturist Village!

How do you get to Île du Levant? There are boats from Hyères with TLV and from Lavandou with Vedettes Îles d’Or. The trip takes between 30 and 60 minutes.

Île de Bendor

The property of the man behind France’s ubiquitous aniseed alcohol Pastis, Bendor was deserted until Paul Ricard bought the island back in the 1950s.

Currently being refurbished, this tiny six-hectare isle with its pastel-coloured houses bang on the waterfront will reopen in 2026 as a Provençal-style village centred around a chic Zannier Hotel complete with beach club and artisan village.

Apart from playing pétanque in the village square and sipping sunset cocktails, guests can lap up the sophisticated glamour of the French Riviera in the golden 60s in restaurants such as Le Delos where impeccable vintage deco will be matched by classic French culinary delights.

Where to stay on Île de Bendor: We’re excited to see the unveiling of the new Zannier Hotel.

How do you get to Île de Bendor? When Bendor reopens, there will be regular ferries making the five-minute journey over from Bandol harbour.

Best French islands in the Atlantic

Île d'Aix

Aix is a tiny atoll off France’s dune-swept Atlantic coast where cars are off-limits, hollyhocks grow higher than the houses and the villages are linked by bike-friendly sandy paths.

The island is brimming with history, too. Napoleon spent a week here before being exiled on St Helena and the Napoleon Museum is packed with quirky items from diaries to socks pertaining to France’s disgraced emperor. You should also bike out to see labyrinth-like Liédot, the so-called ‘indestructible’ fort of Napoleon I.

For gastronomes, one of the island’s main industries is oysters, so shell out for a tasting session with local producers Franck Speisser.

Where to stay on Île d'Aix: Three-star Hotel Napoleon is a well-rated boutique with just 18 rooms close to bars, restaurants and the imposing Fort de la Rade.

How do you get to Île d'Aix? Ferries for foot passengers and cyclists run all year round from the seaside resort of Fouras-les-Bains. The journey takes around 20 minutes.

Île d'Ouessant

Known by locals as the ‘Island at the End of the World’, Brittany’s remote Ouessant (Ushant in English) is a time warp where flocks of rare short-tailed sheep browse amongst cromlechs and fishermen mend nets in the traditional way.

The windswept, 8km-long (5 miles) island is renowned for its lighthouses: must-sees include Le Phare du Créac’h, one of Europe’s most powerful beacons, whose intriguing little museum shines a spotlight on the overlooked world of lighthouse-keeping.

When it’s time to dine, Ushant’s signature lamb ragoût slow-cooked beneath strips of turf is sure to tickle your taste buds.

Where to stay on Île d'Ouessant: Check in to three-star Le Roc’h Ar Mor hotel for clean, simple rooms with excellent views over Lampaul Bay

How do you get to Île d'Ouessant? Compagnie Maritime Penn Ar Bed runs a year-round ferry service from Brest and Le Conquet. The scenic crossing takes around two and a half hours.

Île de Bréhat

This rarely visited, pedestrian-only island where puffins come to nest is a tropical paradise off Brittany’s wild and rugged Côtes-d'Armor.

Nicknamed the ‘Island of Flowers’ because of the golden mimosa, purple hortensia and other plants that grow here, Bréhat is not one, but several islands strung together by the ancient Pont ar Prad bridge. The best way to marvel at the island’s lush beauty is to climb the pink granite Paon lighthouse and enjoy those panoramic views.

For lunch, oysters and mussels from Paimpol Bay are among the best in the world.

Where to stay on Île de Bréhat: If you want to stay a while, you can look out over the island’s best beaches from seaside B&B La Potinière de Bréhat.

How do you get to Île de Bréhat? Île de Bréhat is a ten-minute journey by ferry, leaving from Pointe de l’Arcouest in Ploubazlanec near Paimpol. Vedettes de Bréhat also runs longer, guided tours if you’d prefer to take the scenic route.

Île de Groix

Known as the ‘Île aux Grenats’ or ‘Garnet Island’ because of the precious mineral that colours some of the beaches red, this blissful French island in the Atlantic abounds in beautiful strands, many of them reached via a web of trails that can be followed by bike or on foot.

Take the path dedicated to famed Breton poet Jean-Pierre Calloc’h who was born here in 1888, lounge on the ochre striped sands of Les Sables Rouges beach or browse boutiques and souvenir shops in lively Port-Tudy. Look out for the tuna fish that has replaced the traditional rooster on the church tower of the town’s main church, a nod to its history as the centre of the island’s fishing trade.

To hang with locals, make for Ti Beudeff, a buzzing bar bolthole where the vegan pad Thai is as good as the far Breton.

Where to stay on Île de Groix: For a big dose of island life, stay at family-run Ty Mad Hôtel, where you’ll find well-designed rooms and lodges, and a heated swimming pool that’s open from mid-May to mid-September.

How do you get to Île de Groix? Get to Île de Groix in 45 minutes by ferry with Compagnie Océane, which runs services all year round from Lorient. Escal’Ouest also runs a seasonal service between April and September from both Lorient and Port-Louis.

Île-d'Arz

This picturesque isle dotted with traditional stone houses is keeping its long fishing heritage alive with a sailing school that’s educating a whole new generation of mariners.

Find out more about the local way of life at the fabulous Marins et Capitaines museum, hike one of the paths that lead along the island’s beach-studded coastline or cycle out to the Moulin de Berno. Here, you can watch millers use the tide-operated mill to grind wheat and make flour as they have done for centuries.

Where to stay on Île-d'Arz: L’Escale has several bright, modern rooms with panoramic views over the Gulf of Morbihan, and you can enjoy hearty food at its traditional restaurant that’s been serving local specialties for nearly half a century.

How do you get to Île-d'Arz? Ferries from both Vannes and Séné putter across the Gulf of Morbihan to get you to Île-d'Arz in 20 to 30 minutes.

Belle-Île

‘Beautiful Island’ is the perfect name for this island in Brittany whose rugged coastlines and sparkling seas inspired Claude Monet to paint some of his greatest works.

Monet wasn’t the only artist to fall in love with Belle-Île, though: renowned actress Sarah Bernhardt renovated an old fort here in the 1890s and received countless illustrious guests, including British King Edward VII. Visit the museum in Sauzon for artefacts dedicated to her memory.

For food, take your pick of produce from the stalls in the village markets, which groan under the weight of brine-fresh oysters, farm-fresh cheese, handcrafted chocolates and even whisky made by local producers.

Where to stay on Belle-Île: Stay sustainable on Belle-Île at L'îlot Carton, a guesthouse made entirely from cardboard, and wake up to a delicious brekky spread of organic produce that includes jams, yoghurts, juices and more.

How do you get to Belle-Île? To get to Belle-Île, you can take the 45-minute ferry trip from Quiberon with Compagnie Océane or the longer 1 hour and 30 minute journey aboard the Saona catamaran. Run by the Iliens Company, it’s the most sustainable way to arrive on the island.