\n<\/p>\n
The luminous and luxurious French Riviera has long beckoned travelers to its dazzling coastline. While the French Riviera is not precisely defined, this glamorous region is generally bordered to the east by Menton\u00a0and to the west by the French Riviera’s underrated port city of Toulon<\/a>. During the summer season along this nearly 100-mile stretch,\u00a0the roads can get crowded, the reservations impossible, and the prices sky-high, but in-the-know travelers seeking serenity and sheer natural beauty should venture westward to Embiez, a peaceful\u00a0235-acre isle\u00a0near Toulon.<\/p>\n The island of Embiez and the nearby island of Bendor were purchased in the 1950s by wealthy entrepreneur\u00a0Paul Ricard<\/a>, who founded the Ricard pastis liquor company. Ricard was passionate about protecting the environment of this duo of islands\u00a0and established the Paul Ricard Oceanographic Institute<\/a> on Embiez. To this day,\u00a0cars are only allowed to drive between the pier and your hotel on Embiez,\u00a0and the island is mostly traversed on foot or by bike. Embiez is anchored by a petite marina, where there are a handful of accommodations, restaurants, and boutique shops. The rest of the island is a pristine and wild wonderland, ripe for exploration. Here, visitors can sunbathe on deserted coves, swim and kayak in crystalline waters, hike through nature trails to reach panoramic vistas, and stop at\u00a0centuries-old vineyards where Provencal-style wines are still produced.<\/p>\n The island is accessible year-round by a\u00a012-minute ferry ride from the port of Le Brusc<\/a> in Six-Fours-les-Plages, a small commune on the coast just a 20-minute drive from Toulon. Embiez can also be reached by a 20-minute ferry between June and September from Sanary-sur-Mer<\/a>, one of France’s sunniest cities on the Riviera<\/a>. The Marseille Provence Airport is a 70-minute drive west, and the Nice-C\u00f4te d’Azur Airport is a two-hour drive east.<\/p>\n Read more: 25 Best Beaches In The Caribbean<\/a><\/p>\nExploring the natural landscape of Embiez<\/h2>\n