Free visit | Fort Sainte-Agathe

Managed by the Port-Cros National Park and open to the public in season, Fort Sainte-Agathe features a permanent exhibition as well as various seasonal exhibits.

Since ancient times, its strategic position has enabled simultaneous surveillance of the Hyères harbor and a vast area around the village, protecting it from Saracen incursions and brigandage. In 1531, during his visit to Provence, King François 1st decided to reinforce the initial structure and install a garrison on the island of Porquerolles to secure the inhabitants and the Provencal coastline.

Behind 4-metre-thick walls, the tower houses a 6-metre-high room with a domed vault and oculus. At the top, a terrace offers an exceptional view of the island and Hyères harbor. The barracks house a permanent exhibition dedicated to the island’s natural, cultural and historical heritage.

Since 2020, a collaboration between the Port-Cros National Park and Villa Carmignac has enabled the restoration of the tower, which hosts an extension of the Villa Carmignac exhibition every year.