Holiday on the Island of Oléron in the French Atlantic Coast

Have you ever imagined of getting a holiday break on the island of Oléron? When many global travellers flock to the Côte d’Azur in southern France, the locals from regions such as Paris or Bordeaux commit their holiday seasons on the Island of Oléron (Île d’Oléron). Remaining the next-biggest island of France on the Europe continent, the Island of Oléron is related to the mainland by a bridge and is household to approximately 22,000 inhabitants.

Oléron has very contrasting landscapes, from a seaside resort to an oyster farming hub, from a pine forest to the salt marsh landscape, and even from sandy beaches to rocky foreshores. In the course of our family members getaway in Bourcefranc-Le-Chapus, we did a number of activities there, these kinds of as browsing the stunning oyster huts and owning a boat trip through the salt marshes. It is also truly worth mentioning that the island gives many campgrounds, these kinds of as Sandaya campsite, which welcomes you all over the period!

Eight municipalities of the island offer you many relatives routines on the Île d’Oléron. Some of them are distinctive to the region and are genuinely memorable. In which to go on getaway on the island of Oléron?  Here are some pursuits to program when you have a Holiday break on the Island of Oléron:

• Shell out fifty percent-day at Fort Louvois
• Hiking and biking all over the island
• Stroll all over the imposing ramparts around the citadel of Le Château-d’Oléron
• Take a look at the Salt marshes in Le Grand Village Plage
• Chill out on the shorelines
• Check out colourful oyster huts

Spend 50 %-day at Fort Louvois

On the way to the Island Oléron from Bourcefranc-Le-Chapus, the very first sight is Fort Louvoi on the proper side of the bridge. This 17th-century maritime fortification is effortless to achieve at very low tide on foot and by boat at large tide. Having said that, the street to the fortification is covered by seaweed and thus pretty slippery. You can investigate its barracks or be a part of a novel tour that normally takes you back by means of time with the entire family. And, you can also participate some online games to have exciting or have an interactive encounter. 

Mountaineering and biking all-around the island

Since the island has an regular elevation of 1 metre, it is a excellent place to cycle close to. The island has a lot of shady parts, so even in the summertime, biking is also a well-known activity for the complete family.

Our family enjoys hiking. We uncovered just one climbing path at the northern tip of the island close to the lighthouse, the Phare de Chassiron. The lighthouse, developed on the cliff, was initially painted in white like its comparable-seeking ‘twin’ the Phare des Baleines on the Ile-de-Ré. Puzzled by sailors and perhaps hazardous, in 1926, the three six-metre-large black bands ended up painted to distinguish the lighthouse, the Phare des Baleines.

The round stroll all-around the lighthouse rewarded us with rocky coastal sights. We went there late in the afternoon in stormy weather conditions. Nonetheless, the sunset was even now struggling through the wet clouds, supplying us a lightning probability to seize the views. Some spots have warning signs given that the cliff has erosion. As a result, we experienced to consider safety measures going for walks on the cliffside. Irrespective of of the uncomfortable weather conditions, we had a good coastal walk.

Stroll all-around the imposing ramparts around 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 page give a panoramic view of the Organic Reserve of Moëze-Oléron. It is fascinating to watch how the tides modify the landscape of the port. At the low tide, I found a slim channel, Chenal du Château crossing the sand bank to the sea. This waterway assures the traffic route for the fisherman’s boats.

The vast web page contains several properties with absolutely free obtain, this kind of as the arsenal, the Powder Journal, and the Royal Bastion. You can sign up for a guided tour or just take a tiny prepare excursion to find out the citadel and the ramparts.

Go 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 Center Ages but declined right after the salt marshes dried up from the end of the 19th century. 

In modern several years, salt farming is revival, and various salt producers welcome guests to share their passion, featuring tours to introduce salt farming operates and heritage. Presently, website visitors can also take a look at 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 excursion. There is a smaller shop advertising salt at diverse stages. As an legendary part of Charente-Maritime’s heritage, a salt marsh is a worthy of-see position if you have a getaway on the island.

Rest on the seashores

To attain numerous sandy beaches, you initially pass the broad pine forests by using little roads, for case in point, the Forest of Saint-Trojan. Nonetheless, only some of the beaches are supervised by lifeguards throughout the summertime. Other seashores offer h2o sporting activities from browsing, sailing, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and sand yachting. In the Springtime, the water is far too cold for swimming, but the limitless sandy seashores, particularly throughout the small tides, are fantastic for strolling!

Examine vibrant oyster huts

Not much from the citadel, at the cross of the Chenal du Château and the Avenue du port, there are quite a few vibrant huts, Cabanes de créateurs(the designer huts). They applied to be the oyster huts. To prevent the previous houses being dilapidated neighborhood city hall rents them to artists. Now, artists and craftsmen decorate the places with their creativeness and provide the aged oyster huts back again to lifetime. When I strolled in the port of Château-d’Oléron, my eyes were being drawn to a blue hut, a crimson one particular, and a yellow a single at the waterfront. The artists, from sculptors, and jewelers, to cutlers, have been building and repainting the sites for several years. The website is one of the very best spots on the island for images.

But, if you want to take a look at the working 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 regular oyster farming.

Journey tips for a holiday getaway on the Island of Oléron (Île d’Oléron)

Exactly where to keep

There are lots of selections from good resorts to holiday resorts and tenting internet sites, for example, Tenting 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 attained by a toll-no cost bridge from Bourcfranc-le-Chapus on the mainland. There is no cycle lane on the bridge so just take safety measures. From Paris or Bordeaux, take A10 to Saintes and then generate 45 km to Bourcfranc-le-Chapus. 
• By drinking water: From La Rochelle, just take ferries to the island. Make sure you stop by www.inter-iles.com to get the specific information.
• By train: Nearby trains operate to Saintes, Rochefort, and La Rochelle, and close by Surgères hook up with the TGV to Paris (3 hours).