Separated from Port Cros by the channel of the Grottes, Ile du Levant is a long and narrow, rocky ridge - 1 kilometer wide for its 8 kilometers long - whose crest stretches out at a hundred meters altitude above the sheer rocks, indented by the rare inlet.
The largest part of the island, property of the navy, which has set up a test center there, is unfortunately closed to the public. The boat docks in the Port de l'Aygade, very close to the Grottes beach. The heart of the village, invisible from the sea, perches on the green flank of the hill.
Panorama of the île du Levant
House with bird's eye view
The roadstead of the ïle du Levant - On the way to the beach
Strawberry trees, cactus, palms, medlar trees, lemon trees, mimosas and bamboo come in a variety of forms and an array of colours.
And let's not forget the jasmine hedges, which fill the entire island with fragrance.
The Chemin du Val de l'Aygade road, bordered with oleander and orange trees, leads to Héliopolis, a nudist colony - the first in Europe - built in 1931.
Another path climbs up to the fort by way of steps to the Arbousiers ledge, which offers an unobstructed view of Port Cros and Porquerolles.
Twenty hectares have since been transformed into a natural reserve : a nature trail, marked out by fourteen theme stations, has been blazed. Here, you find orchids, arborescent heather, tree ferns and even arboreal spurge. But the island is also known for its richness in minérals : tourmaline, asbestos, amphibole, garnet, almandine, disthene, mica and titanium are found in abundance, as well as the much sought after flint, a true godsend for amateur geologists.
On the Golden isles, veritables gardens on the sea, moments of peace and wonder are many.
And one find one's self humming a song by Henri Salvador
"Dans mon île Ah comme on est bien
Dans mon île On n'fait jamais rien
On se dore au soleil Qui nous caresse
Et l'on paresse Sans songer à demain
Dans mon île Ah comme il fait doux…"
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