A shirt behaves differently on a bicycle. The wind runs through it from the hem upward, the back lifts from the skin, and a heavy cloth sticks where a light one breathes. On La Digue that matters more than anywhere else in the Seychelles, because the bicycle is how the island is crossed. There are few cars, an ox cart or two for the visitors who want one, and a coastal road that links the jetty at La Passe to the granite bays of the west and south. On La Digue, the wardrobe starts with the saddle.

Arrival at La Passe

The island is a short ferry crossing from Praslin, and most visitors come over from there or from Mahé. La Passe is the small harbour village: guesthouses, a few restaurants, bicycle hire on every corner. A Laos Short Sleeve linen shirt in Sky Blue or Mint Green with PP linen shorts in Beige is the natural uniform for the first afternoon, light enough to ride in and neat enough for a terrace. Those planning a week across the islands will find the wider picture in the Seychelles guide and the neighbouring Praslin.

Anse Source d'Argent and the south-west

The way to Anse Source d'Argent runs through L'Union Estate, the old coconut and vanilla plantation, where an entrance fee is paid and the path passes the copra kiln and the giant tortoises before reaching the sea. The beach itself is a sequence of small coves between pink-grey granite boulders, the water shallow and still behind the reef. Here the PP natural swim shorts take over for the water; a Cuba linen shirt in Pink or Orange waits folded in the basket for the ride back. For a full day between the coves, the PP Natural Set in Oyster is an easy choice from the PP natural sets, worn on land and changed for swim shorts at the water.

For her

The ladies linen set in Lemon or Sky Blue, from the women's linen collection, suits this island: the shorts ride well, the blouse sits loosely in the wind, and both go straight from the bicycle to lunch. The HER Laos linen shirt in Blue, worn open, keeps the shoulders covered on the open stretches of road. For dinner at one of the hotels on the west coast, the Amelia linen dress shirt in Coral Orange or Dubarry.

The east coast and the seasons

The road across the island climbs to Grand Anse, and Petite Anse and Anse Cocos lie beyond it on foot, wilder beaches where the sea can be rough when the south-east trade winds blow, broadly from May to September. Swimming there is a matter for local advice on the day. The north-west monsoon months, roughly December to March, are warmer and more humid, with showers that pass quickly; April and October to November are the calm months between the two. Linen suits all of them, worn loose and light, with a spare shirt in the basket on the wettest days.

Evening in the village

La Digue is quiet after dark. Dinner is grilled fish, Creole curry and a table under the trees. Men wear the PP Casual Linen Trousers in Roosewood Pink with a Bliss linen shirt in Vanille, its sleeves rolled once against the warmth; for those who prefer a looser silhouette, the Vibes linen shirt in Orchid. The natural swim shorts are hung to dry on the balcony for the morning.

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