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The Conversation
The Conversation
Jonathan Lewis, Lecturer in French and Francophone Studies, Bangor University

France has a long history of using islands as prisons – and not just in distant colonial outposts

Prisoners being led back to Belle Île after mass in 1915. Media library of architecture and heritage / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-NC-ND

France is surrounded by over 100 islands. These days, many of the islands are popular tourist destinations, providing the opportunity for sun-soaked holidays on sandy beaches or an escape from the bustle of the mainland.

Others are home to nature reserves and areas of special environmental interest, requiring authorised permission to visit. There is even an island off France’s Mediterranean coast, Île du Levant, that is partially taken up by a nudist haven.

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