One of France's oldest monastic communities has barricaded its land against a tide of tourists.
The 27 Cistercian monks who inhabit a fortified 11th century monastery on Ile Saint-Honorat, an island off Cannes on the Cote d'Azur, are an oddity in a region otherwise devoted to hedonists.
Power-skis and yachts churn the waters around the 1.5-kilometre island and in the distance the monks can see the domes of the Carlton Hotel, modelled on the breasts of dancer La Belle Otero. The monks, who cultivate seven hectares producing 50,000 bottles of wine a year, hold tenaciously to their ancient ways in a region of rapid change. Their community's founder, St Honorat, settled there in the 4th century.
Four years ago, the number of tourists arriving by boat to walk and sunbathe became too much for them. Fights broke out between monks and visitors, who left rubbish everywhere. Several ferry companies jostled over the island's small pontoon.
With the support of the regional council, the monks set up their own ferry company, Planaria, to run a monopoly service from Cannes to the island. They bought a 137-seat boat and cut the number of visitors from 2000 to 400 a day.
The monks were delighted, but the rival ferry companies were not. They claimed the monks were receiving special treatment and won their case in court. Last week, Planaria found itself with competition for the route to the island.
In response, the monks have planted a hedge near the pontoon to mark off their property - meaning visitors to the island can venture no further.
Their lawyer told the Journal du Dimanche newspaper: "The island belongs to the monks and the pontoon to the public. So it's pointless to disembark if people cannot then get any further onto the island."
Abbot Wladimir Gaudrat said the monks were fighting to protect their island from becoming like the rest of the Cote d'Azur.