Alphonse Atoll is one of two atolls of the Alphonse Group, and located 87 km south of the Amirante Islands, and just three kilometers north of St. François Atoll, the second atoll of Alphonse Group. The atoll has just one island, Alphonse Island, with a population of fewer than 300. It was discovered on 28 January 1730 by Chevalier Alphonse de Pontevez, commanding the French frigate Le Lys. A luxury hotel has been build on Alphonse Island, generating frequent traffic between other islands in the group. The area of the island is 1.74 km². The total area of the atoll, with more than 3 km in diameter, is about 8 km², including reef flat and lagoon.
