Map image retrieved from MapQuest!
Les Iles d'Hyeres. The islands of gold, are named because of the high concentration of iron pyrites in the area. Every in this region the ground is speckled with gold. I first came to this region after finding about 2 lines in a Let's Go France book which mentioned that Ile du Levant was a naturist colony. This was intriguing, and with only a couple of lines of blurb in the book I was pretty sure this wasn't going to be a big tourist spot.
There are 3 islands in the chain. The western most island, Porquerolles is the largest and is frequented by campers, cyclists, and hikers. Along with Port-Cros the second island, there are many nature trails, and both islands receive many visitors each day, arriving by boat from the ports of Le Lavandou and Hyeres.
These first 2 photographs are self-portraits taken on the rocky coastline of Ile du Levant.
This is a candid shot taken by Claire, one of my friends from England, who I met on the island along with her boyfriend Derek. The background is the port area and I'd just got out from a swim. As you can tell from the tan, I'd already been on the island for a week or two and had lost all my tanlines.
Another self-portrait, this time taken at my favourite sunbathing and swimming spot. Just a short walk from the port at Ile du Levant, this area was setup with cement flat areas for laying out under the sun and a convenient entry point for the ocean.