Found off the west coast of France, south of Normandy, in the Atlantic Ocean, the 32-square-mile island of Île de Ré is a very popular destination for a staycation among the French.
It is best known for its salt marshes, oyster beds and bike paths. While the island is connected to the mainland at La Rochelle via the 1.8-mile Île de Ré bridge, completed in 1988, residents rarely use cars.
Instead, they make use of the over 62 miles of cycle paths which connect almost all beaches and villages.
It takes around two hours to cycle from end to end and there are hire shops in every village, offering tandems, electric bikes and trailers for children – or dogs if preferred.
During Roman times, Île de Ré was an archipelago of three small islands, however the space between them was progressively filled by both human activity and silting.
Île de Ré can be reached via high-speed train (TGV) from Paris, taking about three hours, before driving or taking the bus for the final part. It can also be reached by plane, taking around 85 minutes to fly from Paris to La Rochelle airport. It is no surprise, therefore, that the island is popular among Parisians as the place to purchase a holiday home for weekend breaks in the spring and summer.
The main town, Saint-Martin-de-Ré, is home to an ancient citadel and a colourful harbour, surrounded by seventeenth-century walls. Its Vauban fortifications, a prime example of military architecture, earned it the status of a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.
The island is dotted with several other small villages, each with its own atmosphere, beaches, seasonal markets and seafood restaurants. For example La Flotte is home to a small harbour, cafes, and a food market. The island is also known as Ré la Blanche, inspired by the typical architecture of white houses.
Chateliers Abbey, described as one of the most beautiful ruins in France, offers free admission in all seasons, allowing visitors to explore the remains of an abbey built by Cistercian monks in 1156.
As the westernmost tip of the island lies the 59-metre Phare des Baleines lighthouse, which has been guiding ships since 1854. The reward for climbing the 257 spiral steps is a view that stretches back as far as the French mainland.
Interestingly, Île de Ré is one of the few locations in the world where cross seas produce a square grid of waves.
The island’s beaches offer soft golden sand, with the beaches in the south being closer to the villages and therefore more popular with tourists in the summer. For example, Plage de la Conche des Baleines, backed by dunes and pine forests, is incredibly popular. It merges into Plage de la Conche and Plage du Lizay and is largely unorganised.
Despite its location in the Atlantic instead of the Mediterranean, Île de Ré has the same number of hours of sunshine as the southern coast of France – some 2,600 per year and around the same as Corsica.
Thanks to the warm current of the Gulf Stream, the island offers a moderate climate year-round, with a light breeze.
“The port in Saint Martin is a lovely traditional French port,” said one visitor to the island’s capital on Tripadvisor. “The cobbled pavement is most authentic and exploring the local shops and alleys is great fun. There is lots to see and do here, definitely worth a visit.”
Another said: “Such a beautiful place to visit. Lots of places to sit for a coffee and restaurants galore of every variety. We visited in May which was lovely, not overly crowded so it made it a lovely visit.”