Holiday on the Island of Oléron on the French Atlantic Coast

Have you ever thought of having a holiday break on the island of Oléron? Whilst several intercontinental travellers flock to the Côte d’Azur in southern France, the locals from places such as Paris or Bordeaux commit their vacations on the Island of Oléron (Île d’Oléron). Staying the next-biggest island of France on the Europe continent, the Island of Oléron is related to the mainland by a bridge and is property to around 22,000 inhabitants.

Oléron has quite contrasting landscapes, from a seaside vacation resort to an oyster farming hub, from a pine forest to the salt marsh landscape, and even from sandy shorelines to rocky foreshores. Throughout our household holiday getaway in Bourcefranc-Le-Chapus, we did a several things to do there, these kinds of as traveling to the beautiful oyster huts and possessing a boat trip as a result of the salt marshes. It is also truly worth mentioning that the island gives lots of campgrounds, this sort of as Sandaya campsite, which welcomes you all through the season!

Eight municipalities of the island present a lot of household activities on the Île d’Oléron. Some of them are special to the area and are really memorable. Where by to go on vacation on the island of Oléron?  Here are some activities to plan when you have a Holiday break on the Island of Oléron:

• Devote 50 %-working day at Fort Louvois
• Climbing and biking around the island
• Stroll all over the imposing ramparts in the vicinity of the citadel of Le Château-d’Oléron
• Go to the Salt marshes in Le Grand Village Plage
• Unwind on the seashores
• Examine vibrant oyster huts

Devote half-working day at Fort Louvois

On the way to the Island Oléron from Bourcefranc-Le-Chapus, the initial sight is Fort Louvoi on the proper aspect of the bridge. This 17th-century maritime fortification is easy to access at minimal tide on foot and by boat at large tide. Even so, the avenue to the fortification is coated by seaweed and thus incredibly slippery. You can examine its barracks or sign up for a novel tour that normally takes you back by way of time with the complete spouse and children. And, you can also participate some game titles to have pleasurable or have an interactive working experience. 

Climbing and cycling close to the island

Because the island has an regular elevation of 1 metre, it is a excellent place to cycle about. The island has quite a few shady locations, so even in the summertime, cycling is also a well-known activity for the complete family members.

Our family members enjoys climbing. We found one mountaineering path at the northern tip of the island all around the lighthouse, the Phare de Chassiron. The lighthouse, designed on the cliff, was originally painted in white like its very similar-searching ‘twin’ the Phare des Baleines on the Ile-de-Ré. Bewildered by sailors and likely dangerous, in 1926, the a few six-metre-higher black bands ended up painted to distinguish the lighthouse, the Phare des Baleines.

The spherical stroll around the lighthouse rewarded us with rocky coastal sights. We went there late in the afternoon in stormy temperature. Nevertheless, the sunset was nonetheless having difficulties via the rainy clouds, supplying us a lightning possibility to capture the sights. Some locations have warning signals considering that the cliff has erosion. Hence, we experienced to get precautions walking on the cliffside. Despite of the unpleasant weather, we had a good coastal stroll.

Stroll about the imposing ramparts near the citadel of Le Château-d’Oléron

The citadel and ramparts encompassing the medieval district of Le Château-d’Oléronare are obtainable year-round. The ramparts of the web site offer a panoramic view of the Natural Reserve of Moëze-Oléron. It is intriguing to watch how the tides change the landscape of the port. At the very low tide, I discovered a narrow channel, Chenal du Château crossing the sand bank to the sea. This waterway guarantees the site visitors route for the fisherman’s boats.

The wide web site includes many buildings with cost-free entry, this kind of as the arsenal, the Powder Magazine, and the Royal Bastion. You can join a guided tour or choose a compact teach excursion to learn the citadel and the ramparts.

Pay a visit to the Salt marshes in Le Grand Village Plage

Salt marshes and salt farming have contributed to the Charente’s landscape. The salt farming sector used to be the livelihood in the Middle Ages but declined right after the salt marshes dried up from the close of the 19th century. 

In modern decades, salt farming is revival, and quite a few salt producers welcome website visitors to share their enthusiasm, giving excursions to introduce salt farming operates and history. Today, guests can also discover the salt marshes on their bikes or hire a boat at Le Port des Salines, like we did. It took us about 45 minutes to finish the boat journey. There is a small store providing salt at various stages. As an iconic component of Charente-Maritime’s heritage, a salt marsh is a worth-see location if you have a holiday break on the island.

Relax on the seashores

To reach numerous sandy beach locations, you very first go the extensive pine forests by using compact streets, for illustration, the Forest of Saint-Trojan. Nonetheless, only some of the seashores are supervised by lifeguards for the duration of the summertime. Other beaches offer you water sports from browsing, sailing, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and sand yachting. In the Springtime, the drinking water is far too cold for swimming, but the limitless sandy shorelines, in particular for the duration of the reduced tides, are excellent for walking!

Investigate vibrant oyster huts

Not far from the citadel, at the cross of the Chenal du Château and the Avenue du port, there are several vibrant huts, Cabanes de créateurs(the designer huts). They applied to be the oyster huts. To stay clear of the old residences becoming dilapidated regional city corridor rents them to artists. Now, artists and craftsmen enhance the destinations with their creativity and bring the old oyster huts back to lifetime. When I strolled in the port of Château-d’Oléron, my eyes were being drawn to a blue hut, a purple 1, and a yellow just one at the waterfront. The artists, from sculptors, and jewelers, to cutlers, have been establishing and repainting the locations for decades. The web-site is a person of the greatest places on the island for photography.

But, if you want to visit the doing work oyster huts, head to the century-outdated oyster-farming village of Fort-Royer in Saint-Georges d’Oléron. All those multi-coloured huts there is the witness of common oyster farming.

Vacation guidelines for a getaway on the Island of Oléron (Île d’Oléron)

Wherever to stay

There are lots of decisions from great accommodations to getaway resorts and camping internet sites, for case in point, Camping Signol, a 4-star campground which is 150 metre from the city centre and 800 metre from Boyardville Beach front.

How to get there

• By street: Ile d’Oléron is achieved by a toll-cost-free bridge from Bourcfranc-le-Chapus on the mainland. There is no cycle lane on the bridge so acquire safeguards. From Paris or Bordeaux, take A10 to Saintes and then drive 45 km to Bourcfranc-le-Chapus. 
• By water: From La Rochelle, choose ferries to the island. Be sure to visit www.inter-iles.com to get the thorough data.
• By coach: Area trains run to Saintes, Rochefort, and La Rochelle, and close by Surgères connect with the TGV to Paris (three several hours).