Porquerolles (1,254 hectares (4.84 sq mi)), also known as the Île de Porquerolles, is an island in the Îles d'Hyères, Var, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France. Its population was about 200 inhabitants in 2004. Porquerolles is the largest, most westerly of the three islands in the Îles d'Hyères. It is 7 km long by 3 km wide, with 5 small ranges of hills, cliffs on the south coast, and on the north coast its port and the beaches of Notre Dame, La Courtade, and Plage d'Argent. The island's village was established in 1820, with its lighthouse constructed in 1837 and church in 1850. The entire island was purchased in 1912 by François Joseph Fournier, apparently as a wedding present for his wife; he planted 200 hectares of vineyards which produced a wine that was among the first to be classed vin des Côtes de Provence. In 1971 the state bought 80% of the island to preserve it from development. Much of the island is now part of a national park (the Port-Cros Parc National) and nature conservatory (Conservatoire botanique national méditerranéen de Porquerolles). SOURCE : WIKIPEDIA
