Belle Ile means “beautiful isle,” and indeed it is. Located off the coast of the Brittany region of France, the island boasts 60 gorgeous beaches and a rugged coastline. Worth a visit is Citadelle Vauban, a star-shaped fortress in the town of Le Palais that was built by the famous military engineer in the 18th century. Further afield on the island’s northern tip, the fort at Pointe des Poulains houses a museum dedicated to 19th-century actress Sarah Bernhardt, who made it her home in 1894. On the south shores of the island, one of France’s most impressive lighthouses overlooks the Aiguilles de Port Coton, rock formations that jut from the sea foam frothing below and create a natural spectacle so striking it was immortalized by painter Claude Monet.
