Distant from 15 km of the continent, the island is with its 4 km long on 2,5 wide the smallest of our archipelago, but also the most mountainous and the wildest. Small and massive, she(it) peaks in the mountain Vinegar in 194 m of height.

Endowed with abrupt(steep) cliffs, notably on his(her) south face, Port-Cros offers only few beaches (Port(bearing) Man and the Beach of the South), but always established(constituted) a port(bearing) for the navigators (Port-Cros = hollow Port(bearing)).

Set up as marquisate by François 1-st, the island was armed(equipped) with strong and batteries(drum kits). The beauty of the landscapes, the wealth of the ground and maritime biotopes, the function(office) of stopping place for migratory birds, make(do) of Port-Cros a jewel which his(her) owners always attempted to protect. However, the last one of them, in front of the increasing pressure of the tourism, bequeathed her(it) to the state on condition that he the transformât in national park. Realized in 1963, the national park was spread(widened) to the maritime zone which encircles the island (she(it) extends over 600 m).

Today by borrowing(taking) a marked out botanical path, one meets several strong, witnesses of the history of the island.

Any information with the office of Hyères-les-Palmiers's tourism.

Credit text and photo (House of the Tourism) : advertising Brochure "The Islands of Hyères" realized by the SIVU