The smaller of the two Lérins Islands is home to a functioning monastery of Cistercian monks who have been here, in one form or another, since the 5th century. The Abbey of Lérins is one of the oldest monastic foundations in the Western world. Today about 25 monks live and work on the island, producing wine, liqueur, and honey sold in the shop by the ferry dock.
Smoking is not permitted on the island, and the atmosphere is genuinely contemplative. Walking paths lead around the coastline past medieval fortified towers, lavender gardens, and vineyards that produce a respected appellation. The monks' 11th-century fortified monastery on the southern shore — built to resist Saracen raids — is open to visitors. A half-day is enough; most visitors combine it with a couple of hours on Sainte-Marguerite.