Holiday on the Island of Oléron in the French Atlantic Coast

Holiday on the Island of Oléron in the French Atlantic Coast

Have you ever thought of possessing a getaway on the island of Oléron? When several worldwide travellers flock to the Côte d’Azur in southern France, the locals from places this kind of as Paris or Bordeaux commit their holidays on the Island of Oléron (Île d’Oléron). Staying the next-premier island of France on the Europe continent, the Island of Oléron is related to the mainland by a bridge and is home to roughly 22,000 inhabitants.

Oléron has quite contrasting landscapes, from a seaside resort to an oyster farming hub, from a pine forest to the salt marsh landscape, and even from sandy seashores to rocky foreshores. In the course of our family members vacation in Bourcefranc-Le-Chapus, we did a several activities there, this sort of as viewing the beautiful oyster huts and having a boat trip by the salt marshes. It is also worthy of mentioning that the island features several campgrounds, this kind of as Sandaya campsite, which welcomes you all over the period!

Eight municipalities of the island offer several family members actions on the Île d’Oléron. Some of them are exceptional to the place and are actually unforgettable. Wherever to go on holiday getaway on the island of Oléron?  Here are some things to do to prepare when you have a Holiday break on the Island of Oléron:

  • Expend half-day at Fort Louvois
  • Mountaineering and cycling close to the island
  • Stroll all over the imposing ramparts close to the citadel of Le Château-d’Oléron
  • Go to the Salt marshes in Le Grand Village Plage
  • Rest on the shorelines
  • Discover colourful oyster huts

Commit 50 %-working day at Fort Louvois

On the way to the Island Oléron from Bourcefranc-Le-Chapus, the to start with sight is Fort Louvoi on the proper facet of the bridge. This 17th-century maritime fortification is quick to attain at small tide on foot and by boat at significant tide. Having said that, the street to the fortification is protected by seaweed and consequently pretty slippery. You can examine its barracks or be a part of a novel tour that usually takes you back by time with the complete spouse and children. And, you can also participate some online games to have enjoyment or have an interactive experience. 

Hiking and cycling all-around the island

Since the island has an typical elevation of 1 metre, it is a excellent place to cycle around. The island has quite a few shady places, so even in the summertime, biking is also a popular exercise for the complete loved ones.

Our family enjoys hiking. We found out one particular climbing path at the northern suggestion of the island all around the lighthouse, the Phare de Chassiron. The lighthouse, designed on the cliff, was in the beginning painted in white like its identical-wanting ‘twin’ the Phare des Baleines on the Ile-de-Ré. Perplexed by sailors and likely perilous, in 1926, the 3 6-metre-large black bands ended up painted to distinguish the lighthouse, the Phare des Baleines.

The round stroll close to the lighthouse rewarded us with rocky coastal views. We went there late in the afternoon in stormy climate. On the other hand, the sunset was nevertheless having difficulties by the rainy clouds, supplying us a lightning opportunity to capture the sights. Some locations have warning indications due to the fact the cliff has erosion. Thus, we experienced to get safeguards going for walks on the cliffside. Despite of the unpleasant temperature, we experienced a very good coastal stroll.

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

The citadel and ramparts surrounding the medieval district of Le Château-d’Oléronare are accessible calendar year-spherical. The ramparts of the site provide a panoramic perspective of the Normal Reserve of Moëze-Oléron. It is appealing to check out how the tides change the landscape of the port. At the low tide, I seen a narrow channel, Chenal du Château crossing the sand lender to the sea. This waterway ensures the site visitors route for the fisherman’s boats.

The wide web-site features lots of properties with free of charge accessibility, such as the arsenal, the Powder Journal, and the Royal Bastion. You can be part of a guided tour or take a small practice excursion to find out the citadel and the ramparts.

Take a look at the Salt marshes in Le Grand Village Plage

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

In recent yrs, salt farming is revival, and numerous salt producers welcome site visitors to share their enthusiasm, featuring excursions to introduce salt farming performs and historical past. Presently, site visitors can also investigate the salt marshes on their bikes or use a boat at Le Port des Salines, like we did. It took us about 45 minutes to finish the boat excursion. There is a modest store marketing salt at diverse levels. As an iconic section of Charente-Maritime’s heritage, a salt marsh is a worthy of-see spot if you have a vacation on the island.

Rest on the beaches

To achieve numerous sandy seashores, you to start with go the extensive pine forests through small roads, for example, the Forest of Saint-Trojan. Having said that, only some of the beach locations are supervised by lifeguards throughout the summertime. Other beach locations give drinking water athletics from surfing, sailing, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and sand yachting. In the Springtime, the water is far too cold for swimming, but the unlimited sandy shorelines, especially for the duration of the very low tides, are excellent for strolling!

Examine colourful oyster huts

Not much from the citadel, at the cross of the Chenal du Château and the Avenue du port, there are numerous colourful huts, Cabanes de créateurs(the designer huts). They utilized to be the oyster huts. To keep away from the previous houses getting dilapidated local town corridor rents them to artists. Now, artists and craftsmen adorn the destinations with their creative imagination and convey the aged oyster huts back to life. When I strolled in the port of Château-d’Oléron, my eyes have been drawn to a blue hut, a purple just one, and a yellow a person at the waterfront. The artists, from sculptors, and jewelers, to cutlers, have been producing and repainting the spots for yrs. The web-site is 1 of the ideal locations on the island for images.

But, if you want to take a look at the operating oyster huts, head to the century-old oyster-farming village of Fort-Royer in Saint-Georges d’Oléron. People multi-coloured huts there is the witness of traditional oyster farming.

Travel ideas for a holiday on the Island of Oléron (Île d’Oléron)

Exactly where to remain

There are a great deal of decisions from fantastic motels to getaway resorts and tenting websites, for case in point, 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 road: Ile d’Oléron is arrived at 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, choose A10 to Saintes and then generate 45 km to Bourcfranc-le-Chapus. 
  • By h2o: From La Rochelle, take ferries to the island. Remember to visit www.inter-iles.com to get the in-depth details.
  • By practice: Area trains run to Saintes, Rochefort, and La Rochelle, and nearby Surgères link with the TGV to Paris (three several hours).