Saint-Honore - the smaller of the two main islands of the archipelago Lerins lying opposite the Croisette. Islet, this is, in fact, - the top of the rock, sprinkled a layer of fertile soil. More surprising is his story, and today being.

He was named in memory of the saint Honoratus, the founder of the local Catholic monastery. Legend has it that the monk made two miracles here: destroy infested snakes and scorpions, and opened in the ground anhydrous source of fresh water. The source is still in effect (though, now - with a pump). It was he who made it possible to survive the monastery for nearly sixteen centuries.

Saint-Honorat is small: one and a half kilometers in length, 400 meters in width. From the largest island of the archipelago, Saint-Marguerite, it is separated by a narrow (600 meters) Strait. Boats coming here from Cannes, adhere to the pier on the northern coast. From the dirt road leading to the southern coast, where lies the monastery of Lerins. The extreme southern point of the island - a tiny promontory on which stands the powerful medieval fortress Saint-Honore.

For centuries, the island passed from hand to hand: it seized the Spaniards and Saracens, plundered by pirates, the French re-strengthened. In 1794, General Bonaparte, the future emperor Napoleon placed on the east and west headlands two furnace-hot cores. These furnaces were heated red-hot cannonballs, becoming incendiary bombs, suicidal for wooden sailing ships. These two furnaces are still.

From the top of the fortress island is visible at a glance: the vineyards around the monastery, on the banks of the forest. You can review and seven, are in different locations. In the eastern part is the Chapel of the Holy Trinity, built no later than the XII century. On the lintel of the window on the north side we note the following kernel: during the Spanish occupation of the island (XVII century) played the role of fortress chapel.

The local nature is gorgeous. Shady pine forest, the water in the bays clean and transparent, there is a good swim. But the monks restrict the flow of tourists: small ferry runs only a few times a day. Smoking on the island can not wear a dress to be modest. In any place you can see a sign calling for silence: the local monastery is home to the Cistercian monks who keep a vow of silence.

It is this feature of the island - the reigning silence on it - and beautiful. Hard to believe that just two kilometers away lie the beaches of Cannes noisy. Here buzzing bees, wind noise in the crowns of the pines bent. If sitting in a boat, lowered into the water arm to throw her nepuganye fish. Sometimes you can find working in the vineyard of the monk. It does not pronounces a word, but always smiles.