The paradise islands of Kerkennah

Located in the Gulf of Gabès some twenty kilometres off the coast of Sfax, the Kerkennah archipelago comprises two main islands (Gharbi to the west and Chergui to the east) and four uninhabited islets. The Romans, through numerous descriptions by Diodorus of Sicily, Polybius, Titus Livius and Plutarch, named this group of islands Cercina, which the Greek Herodotus, the father of history, had already described in the 5th century BC.

Julius Caesar himself stopped here in 46 BC during his fight against Pompey, 150 years after the Carthaginian Hannibal, following his defeat by the Romans in 195 BC. Gharbi and Chergui are linked by a 600-metre-long causeway that has existed since Roman times. You won't see many trees, with the exception of the palm tree, which has a virtual monopoly! The palm grove is home to several hundred thousand palm trees, but these produce very mediocre fruit, reserved for livestock, while the palms and trunks are used for fishing tackle on this archipelago of fishermen!

The Kerkennah Islands are little-known, little-visited and therefore little-touristed, which makes them an absolutely authentic destination, an increasingly sought-after argument in these days of mass tourism. They are inhabited by a community of fishermen who will invite you out to sea for a tide (count at least 15 euros). Yes, you read that right, who said there were no tides in the Mediterranean? The phenomenon does exist in this archipelago, and it's another original feature not to be missed! For a swim, head for the beach at Sidi Fredj: it's one of the most beautiful on the island, and home to the Cercina hotel.

A holiday in the Kerkennah Islands isn't just about the beach - there's plenty of culture too! Starting with the Museum of Mediterranean Island Heritage, the only museum in the archipelago, located in the village of El Abassia, on the island of Gharbi. Inaugurated in 2004 in a traditional house, this private museum offers a tour highlighting the history of the archipelago and its handicrafts through objects, reconstructed scenes and architectural decorations. You can even admire a few curiosities, such as the skeleton of a cetacean mysteriously washed up on the shore. The museum also doubles as a bed and breakfast and tea room. Open Monday to Sunday, 9.30am to 2pm, admission 5 Tunisian dinars (€1.5).

On the island of Chergui, nicknamed Grande Kerkennah, don't miss the borj el Hissar (ruined fort), in the tourist area of Sidi Fredj: this is where you can enjoy the most extensive panorama. This is an ancient Phoenician site dating from the seventh century BC, then taken over by the Romans. The fort is much more recent, dating from the Ottoman period (18th century). A word of advice: come at sunset!