This photo was taken yesterday in the monastery on the island of Saint-Honorat, about a mile off the city of Cannes. Since it was established in the year 410 A.D. the building has been partially or fully destroyed several times; the structure in place today is relatively recent: it dates from 1869. Visitors are free to move about certain areas (and admire, among other things, the lilacs that were in full bloom), though a newer part of the monastery that serves as a retreat is off limits. In addition to the abbey, there is also the fortified monastery that was built in 1073 as protection against Saracen pirates. It is open to the public, and from the top, one has a spectacular view over both the abbey and the Mediterranean.