Off the coast of Hyères, a car-free island blanketed in pines, vineyards, and olive groves, fringed by white-sand beaches that feel as though from another world. Porquerolles is one of the French Mediterranean’s best-kept secrets. To marry here is to choose slowness, silence, and a beauty left untouched.
In brief
- Where: the largest of the Îles d'Hyères, in the Var, a twenty-minute boat ride from the Giens Peninsula.
- Why: an unspoiled island, car-free for visitors, some of France’s most beautiful beaches, vineyards, and a rare silence in the evening.
- Who it is for: intimate weddings, elopements, and weekend celebrations with loved ones for a few dozen guests.
- When: May, June, and September.
- Please note: a protected site, set within the Parc national de Port-Cros. Permits and logistics are prepared months in advance.
An island apart
Porquerolles is the largest of the Hyères Islands: approximately seven kilometers long by three wide. Preserved by the state since the 1970s and integrated into the Port-Cros National Park, it has retained an almost wild character: a small village set around its square, dirt paths explored on foot or by bicycle, coves, vineyards, and a Mediterranean forest cascading down to the sea. Here, there is no car traffic for visitors, no high-rise buildings, no evening crowds. In summer, the island even limits the number of day visitors. Once the last boat has left, it reverts to what it has always been: a world apart, where nothing remains but the song of the cicadas and the surf.
Why Porquerolles for a wedding
- For intimacy. Once the last boat departs, the island reclaims a rare calm. It is the ideal setting for an intimate wedding, an elopement, or a weekend with loved ones.
- For the crossing. A twenty-minute boat ride from the Giens peninsula is enough to leave the mainland behind. Your guests arrive together, by sea, and instantly understand that this day will be different.
- For the light. The pale sand beaches, turquoise waters, and pine groves form a backdrop of an almost unreal purity, particularly late in the day.
- For the spirit. Porquerolles has long drawn artists and art lovers. Since 2018, the Villa Carmignac has showcased a major collection of modern and contemporary art in the heart of nature. The island combines unspoiled nature and culture with understated elegance, far from the clichés of the Riviera.
The island's most exquisite backdrops
- The beaches. Plage d'Argent, to the west of the village, unfolds its fine sand and shallow waters, fringed by pine trees. Plage Notre-Dame, further to the northeast, is earned after a long walk: this is precisely what makes it so peaceful. At sunset, both offer a ceremony backdrop of absolute simplicity, subject to authorization.
- The vineyards. Porquerolles produces its own Côtes de Provence wines. The island's estates, such as La Courtade or Domaine de l'Île, cultivate their vines between forest and sea. A lunch amidst the rows, a tasting for guests, or a dinner at the estate: the vineyards offer a luminous, Provençal setting.
- The village and the fort. The village centers around its spacious, tree-lined square, with its light-hued houses and terraces. Above, Fort Sainte-Agathe, built in the 16th century, overlooks the harbor and the sea. The village lends itself to a welcome dinner, the fort to a sunset stroll.
- Houses and hotels. A few charming addresses welcome guests, including Le Mas du Langoustier, on the west of the island, set in a secluded estate amidst the pines. Certain private homes can also host an intimate celebration, subject to their conditions.
Imagining the celebration
Weddings in Porquerolles unfold over several days, at a rhythm found nowhere else.
- Day One: the crossing. In the late afternoon, a private boat carries guests from the Giens Peninsula. Upon arrival, bicycles or golf carts await to take them to their accommodations. In the evening, a welcome dinner on a village terrace.
- Day two: the wedding. A morning at leisure, between a swim and a stroll. In the late afternoon, a ceremony facing the sea at sunset. Then, dinner beneath the pine trees or in the heart of the vineyards, and a celebration that gently lingers on, respecting the calm of the island.
- Day Three: the island to oneself. A day of swimming in the coves, lunch among the vines, a visit to Villa Carmignac for those who wish. Then, the return crossing in the late afternoon.
An Elopement in Porquerolles
Porquerolles is also one of the coast’s most exquisite settings for an elopement: a wedding just for two, or surrounded by only a few loved ones. A sunrise crossing, a secluded cove, an officiant, a photographer, then lunch among the vines. The island seems to have been designed for a day like this.
What You Need to Know
Porquerolles is a protected natural site. Its beauty demands meticulous organization.
- Authorizations: each ceremony or reception venue must be validated in advance, and certain areas remain closed to events. Beaches, forests, and public spaces are subject to precise regulations.
- Fire risk: during the summer, access to forested areas may be restricted. Open-flame candles, torches, and fireworks are strictly prohibited.
- Noise: the island lives to the rhythm of its inhabitants and nature. Amplified music is approached with restraint, and the celebration ends earlier than on the mainland.
- Capacity: the island lends itself to intimate celebrations for a few dozen guests.
- Logistics: everything arrives by boat, from the flowers to the caterer, from the tables to the tableware. It is prepared months in advance, with vendors accustomed to island life.
- Getting around: on the island, travel is on foot, by bicycle, or in the few authorized vehicles. We arrange transport for elderly guests and luggage.
- Accommodation: addresses on the island are limited. Early booking is essential, or part of the guests can be accommodated on the mainland, in Hyères or on the Giens Peninsula, with boat shuttles.
When to get married in Porquerolles
May, June, and September are the most beautiful months: the sea is already warm, the light soft, and the island quieter than in July and August, when day visitors are numerous. Early October can also offer splendid days, cooler in the evening. In July and August, fire risk and heavy crowds call for an even more precise organization.
The civil ceremony
Porquerolles is part of the municipality of Hyères. The civil ceremony is therefore celebrated at Hyères Town Hall, in accordance with the requirements of French law: one of the future spouses, or one of their parents, must have their domicile or residence there. Most international couples marry civilly at home, then celebrate a symbolic, entirely unconstrained ceremony in Porquerolles.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How to reach Porquerolles? By boat from the Giens Peninsula in Hyères, a crossing of around twenty minutes. Private boats can be chartered for your guests. Toulon-Hyères Airport is nearby, and Nice Airport is approximately a two-hour drive away.
- Can you legally marry on Porquerolles? The civil ceremony falls under the jurisdiction of the Hyères town hall, subject to the conditions of French law. Most international couples celebrate a symbolic ceremony there.
- How many guests can the island accommodate? Porquerolles lends itself above all to intimate weddings of a few dozen guests.
- Can you get married on a beach in Porquerolles? It is possible in certain cases, with the required permits and in full compliance with the rules of this protected site. Every project is carefully assessed in advance.
- Where to accommodate your guests? In the island’s few hotels and private homes, to be booked well in advance, and on the mainland, in Hyères or on the Giens Peninsula, with boat transfers.
- When is the best time to get married in Porquerolles? May, June, and September, for the light, the softness of the sea, and the calm of the island.
The island as a promise
There are places we choose for their prestige. And there are those we choose because they reflect who we are: simple, luminous, preserved. Porquerolles is one such place. You arrive by sea, live to the rhythm of the island, and leave with the feeling of having been, for a few days, away from the world. With all my elegance, Sandrine Arnould — Founder, Luxury Events Agency