Ferry and bike
Take the ferry from La Tour Fondue, hire a bike in the village and ride the forest tracks.
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Plage Notre-Dame (Porquerolles)
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One of 178 Things to Do in France
In short
Plage Notre-Dame is a sheltered bay of fine sand on Porquerolles, the largest of the Îles d'Or off Hyères, about 3.5 km from the island's village inside Port-Cros National Park. Access is free, but check the last boat back and allow an hour to return to the port; summer fire risk can close forest tracks. A visit takes a full day with the ferry.
Plage Notre-Dame is a sheltered bay of fine sand on the north-east coast of Porquerolles, the largest of the Îles d'Or off Hyères in the Var. It lies about 3.5 km from the island's village, inside the Port-Cros National Park, and suits visitors who want a day of swimming in clear, turquoise water with pine and oak forest behind and nothing built on the sand.
Sheltered ends of a north-east facing bay
Notre-Dame lies in line with La Courtade beach and faces north-east across the sea. The sand is fine, with some gravel. Its shape gives shelter in most weather: the western end is protected from the mistral and the eastern end from easterly winds, so part of the beach is usually calm. In 2015 European Best Destinations named it the most beautiful beach in Europe.
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Key information
🏝️Island: Porquerolles, largest of the Îles d'Or
🌿Protection: Port-Cros National Park
🚲From the village: About 3.5 km: 45 min on foot, 25 min by bike
🎟️Entry: Free; ferry paid
💰Currency: Euro (€ EUR)
🕕Time Zone: CET (UTC+1) · CEST (UTC+2) in summer
Explore the area
Plage de la Courtade 2 km
Porquerolles village and port 3.5 km
Plage d'Argent 5 km
Fort Sainte-Agathe 3 km
✦
Plan your visit to Plage Notre-Dame (Porquerolles)
Dates, opening hours and how to get there are below. Booking ahead secures your preferred day.
Highlights Include:
Beach
- Fine sand and clear water
- Pine and oak forest behind
- Shelter from mistral or east wind
Island
- Car-free forest tracks
- Bike hire in the village
- Port-Cros National Park landscapes
What They Offer
Getting there
Ferry from La Tour Fondue (Giens) Bike hire in the village Bicycle parking near the beach
Facilities
No buildings or services on the sand
Visit duration
Full day including the ferry
Timed entry required No
Walk the north coast
Combine Notre-Dame with La Courtade on a coastal walk.
National park
Keep to tracks and respect the protected seabed.
Accessibility
Not accessible by wheelchair. The route is unpaved and the beach is not accessible by wheelchair.
Age limits
None
What to pack
Water, picnic, sun cream, shade; water, food and sun protection from the village: no shops, restaurants or toilets on the beach
What to wear
Comfortable shoes for the tracks
Not allowed
Animals on the beach, fires, littering, damaging seabed; leaving rubbish or disturbing the island and seabed
Amenities
None on the beach; shops and bike hire in the village
Tips for visiting Plage Notre-Dame
- Catch an early ferry in summer to enjoy the beach before the crowds.
- Hire a bike in the village; it cuts the trip to about 25 minutes.
- Carry all your water and food, as there are no services.
- Check the wind: the western end shelters from the mistral.
- Take your rubbish back to the village.
Driving
Cars cannot be taken to the island. Drive to La Tour Fondue on the Giens peninsula and park there (paid).
Public transportation
The island is car-free. Ferries leave from La Tour Fondue, with other seasonal services from nearby ports. From the village the beach is about 45 minutes on foot or 25 minutes by bike along unpaved forest tracks; bikes for hire near the port, bike parking by the beach.
Address
Notre-Dame is on the north-east coast of Porquerolles, in the Port-Cros National Park. La Courtade is about 2 km away, Fort Sainte-Agathe above the village and Plage d'Argent about 5 km across the island.
Opening Hours
- MondayOpen 24 hours
- TuesdayOpen 24 hours
- WednesdayOpen 24 hours
- ThursdayOpen 24 hours
- FridayOpen 24 hours
- SaturdayOpen 24 hours
- SundayOpen 24 hours
Last entry: None (open access)
Open all year; check ferry timetables.
Free access; note the last boat back and allow at least an hour to return to the port. Fire-risk closures may apply to forest tracks in summer.
Special events
No special events on record for Plage Notre-Dame (Porquerolles).
Best times to visit
Arrive on one of the first ferries in July and August.
Best days to visit
Weekdays.
Best months to visit
May, June and September.
Admission tickets
Entry is free.
Plage Notre-Dame: free entry
A protected island beach, reached by ferry and bike.
- Free access to the beach
- Ferry and bike hire paid separately
Admission
Free entry: no ticket or booking is needed.
Visitor policy
Cancellation and prepayment
No booking is needed; access is free.
Children and admission
Calm water in sheltered conditions; no services on the sand.
Groups
Groups should check ferry bookings in advance.
Pets
Animals are banned from the beaches, even on a lead (Port-Cros National Park).
Photography
Personal photography is welcome. Drone flights must follow national drone rules and local restrictions.
Bags
Carry everything in and out.
Smoking
Do not smoke in the forest.
Accepted payment
Entry is free; ferry and bike hire set their own payment methods.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What to know about Notre-Dame beach.
Getting there
Take a ferry to Porquerolles, then walk about 45 minutes or cycle about 25 minutes through the forest from the village.
General
Yes. The costs are the return ferry and any bike hire.
No. Animals are banned from the beaches of the national park, even on a lead.
In 2015 European Best Destinations named it the most beautiful beach in Europe.
Yes. The western end is sheltered from the mistral and the eastern end from easterly winds.
Mainly from La Tour Fondue on the Giens peninsula, with other seasonal services from nearby ports.
Yes, in the village near the port. There is bike parking near the beach.
Yes, entry to Plage Notre-Dame (Porquerolles) is free.
Plage Notre-Dame (Porquerolles) is in France. The street address and directions are under How to get there on this page.
Explore the area on this page lists 4 places around Plage Notre-Dame (Porquerolles), among them Plage de la Courtade and Porquerolles village and port.
Stay & facilities
No. There are no shops, restaurants or toilets. Bring supplies from the village and take rubbish back.
Families & accessibility
No. It is listed as not accessible by wheelchair, and the route from the village follows unpaved tracks.
Timing & weather
Take one of the first ferries in July and August for the quietest hours.
Plage Notre-Dame (Porquerolles) is open Monday–Sunday: Open 24 hours.
Most visitors spend Full day including the ferry at Plage Notre-Dame (Porquerolles).