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France's Isle of Porquerolles
Just 20 minutes by boat from France's famed Cote d'Azur, the island of Porquerolles is dotted with five small ranges of hills, lined with cliffs and beaches and is renowned for the best weather in France with 275 sunny days per year. In 1912, the entire island was purchased by Francois Joseph Fournier as a wedding present for his second wife. He then planted ... among other things ... 500 acres of vineyards ... and built a hotel. Everything is small, intimate and bathed in the scent of eucalyptus and pine. There are no beachside shops or fast food. There is no smoking allowed outside of the village. And building on the island is mostly forbidden. What there is, is nature ... a grand hotel ... and a great story of conservation and consideration.
