Just 15 minutes by boat from Cannes, Abbaye de Lérins occupies the island of Saint-Honorat, where a monastic community has lived for sixteen centuries. On this small island measuring 1.5 km by 400 m, the walk links the abbey church, old chapels, cannonball furnaces and a landscape cultivated by the monks.
What can you discover on Saint-Honorat island?
Its heritage includes a 19th-century abbey, a medieval cloister dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, several chapels and the fortified Tour-Monastère built between the 11th and 15th centuries. In 2026, however, the interior of the Tour-Monastère is closed to visitors: the church remains open and the rest of the island can be explored on foot.
Why are there vineyards around the abbey?
The monks tend 8.5 hectares of vineyard on the island. Vines, religious heritage and coastline thus share the same walking route, giving Saint-Honorat a very different character from a visit to an abbey on the mainland.
Can you attend a religious service?
Day visitors can join certain community prayer services. Times vary depending on the day and religious festivals; during the week, Mass is generally celebrated in the late morning. Visitors can explore the island whether or not they attend services.
What to know before visiting in 2026
Ferries to Saint-Honorat leave from quai Saint-Pierre in Cannes. The island is explored on foot, and the community asks visitors to take their rubbish back to the mainland. The main thing to check before departure is monument access: the Tour-Monastère is currently closed to the public.
