A brief ferry ride from the glitz of the French Riviera, the Hyères Islands offer an idyllic escape into protected pine forests, unspoilt beaches – and one of France's most unique communities.

The ferry ride from the Giens Peninsula takes just about 15 minutes, but when my feet touch the vehicle-free streets of Porquerolles, the French Riviera's glittering mainland already feels worlds away.

Porquerolles is one of the three Hyères Islands (Îles d'Hyères), an archipelago stretching eastward from Giens like an ellipsis in the Mediterranean Sea. While the French Rivera lures visitors with its glamorous resorts and timeless elegance, it's often overrun by traffic and showy crowds. These islands, covered in pine forests and blissfully car-free, offer an unassuming alternative to the glitz of Cannes and Saint-Tropez.

Stepping off the ferry, the cacophony of cicadas floods my ears. I'm well-accustomed to this soundtrack of southern France, but I've never heard them at such a pitch – here, no motors cut their hum. The harbour is fringed with pines, palm trees and sunset-coloured houses. Cyclists whirl by, dismounting to stroll down the main thoroughfare, where everyone seems to have an ice cream in hand.

Having sat in traffic for hours to enter Saint-Tropez and shoulder-bumped strangers along the crowded lanes of Èze, I've yearned to find an unspoilt corner of the French Rivera – one with thyme-scented breezes and luminous beaches. The Hyères Islands just might be it.

Also called the Golden Islands (Îles d'Or) for their sun-shimmering schist bedrock, the Hyères Islands have been inhabited by monks, pirates and Napoleon's military over their 2,400-year history. Since 1963, they've formed part of Port-Cros National Park, with strict protections: no camping or loud noise and a near-total ban on smoking due to wildfire risk.

Each isle has a its own vibe: cyclists' paradise Porquerolles; outdoorsy Port-Cros; and free-spirited Levant, home to France's best-known nudist community.

Plan your visit:

When to go: April-October

Get there: Ferries run year-round to the Hyères Islands from the Giens Peninsula. Boats to Porquerolles (15-20 minutes) leave from Tour Fondue; to Port-Cros and Levant (45-60 mins) from Port d'Hyéres. There are also ferries between Port-Cros and Levant, but no routes between Porquerolles and the other islands

Stay: Porquerolles has the widest choice of hotels; Port-Cros has limited options (bring provisions); Levant has a handful of guesthouses.

On Porquerolles I am eager to explore its 51km of bike paths. Cars were banned in 1985, and while the island is completely pedestrian-friendly, cycling is the classic way to experience the forests, beaches and the island's sole village, which hums with restaurants and shops.

I hire a mountain bike from Velos a Porquerolles and set off along shaded pine-scented paths. At the crescent-shaped Notre Dame Beach – one of several white-sand beaches along Porquerolles' north coast – people........

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