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Lérins Islands

Two pine-covered islands off Cannes, one with the fort that held the Man in the Iron Mask, the other with monks who make wine.

Photo: Alexkom000 · CC BY 4.0

Open: Ferries year-round, more in summer
Price: Paid for the ferry and the fort museum
Time Needed: Half a day
Address: Ferries from the old port of CannesDirections
Getting There: 15 to 30 minutes by boat from Cannes.

Why Go

On Sainte-Marguerite, the Royal Fort's museum shows the cell of the mysterious prisoner in the iron mask, and forest paths lead to quiet coves. On smaller Saint-Honorat, a community of monks has lived for centuries, tending vineyards around their abbey.