The island of Ré reveals itself to those who know how to take their time.
Behind the bridge that connects to the mainland, another rhythm begins: that of the salt marshes that sparkle in the setting sun, of the white alleyways lined with hollyhocks, of the tables where you eat with your feet in the sand.
For an exceptional stay between Atlantic France and the art of living on the Île de Ré, here is an itinerary designed for you, from charming accommodation to the last pedal stroke along the wild beaches.
Choose charming accommodation in Saint-Martin-de-Ré for your stay
Saint-Martin-de-Ré stands out as the beating heart of the island.
Its lively port, its ramparts listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its whitewashed facades: the fortified village concentrates in a few streets what is most unique about the island of Ré.
Settling there means choosing not to miss a thing!
A boutique hotel in this village is much more than just a roof over your head. It's an old house where the stone retains the coolness of the mornings, a garden where jasmine perfumes the air before breakfast, a spa where you can find peace and quiet after a day of exploring.
The best establishments in the historic center offer rooms with windows overlooking tiled roofs or the ramparts, a few minutes' walk from the market and the port.
To fully enjoy every moment of your getaway, book your hotel in Saint-Martin-de-Ré as soon as your date is set: charming hotels fill up early in the season.
Enjoy the oysters and culinary treasures of the salt marshes
The island of Ré produces two things that cannot be found anywhere else with the same intensity: its oysters and its salt.
Tasting them on site is to understand why food lovers make the trip.
On the salt marsh side, salt workers harvest fleur de sel and grey salt by hand in basins that the wind and sun have shaped for centuries.
You can find these products directly from the producers, in small shops in the villages or at the markets of La Flotte and Ars-en-Ré.
A few grams of fleur de sel on a freshly opened oyster: this is a combination that Michelin-starred restaurants seek to reproduce.
Oyster huts dot the southern coast of the island, and some open their doors for direct tastings, a glass of Muscadet placed on a raw wooden board, facing the oyster beds.
The restaurants in the port of Saint-Martin and the village of La Flotte extend this experience with short menus, rooted in the local produce of Ré: sole meunière, bouchot mussels, salt marsh lamb, etc.
Book your table the day before, especially in July and August!
Explore the villages, beaches and lighthouses of Île de Ré by bike
The island of Ré can be explored by bicycle like no other destination in France.
Its cycle paths cross marshes, run alongside vineyards and connect villages to each other without ever taking you away from the Atlantic light.
Leave Saint-Martin early in the morning, when the port is still calm.
The road to Ars-en-Ré runs alongside the salt marshes: white egrets hunt in the basins, windmills stand out against the sky.
Ars is a unique village, with its black and white bell tower visible from afar, its alleyways so narrow that bicycles can barely pass through.
Take some time for a coffee on the terrace before hitting the road again towards Les Baleines.
The Phare des Baleines lighthouse marks the northwestern tip of the island. Climbing its steps allows you to take in at a single glance the wild northern beaches, the pine forests and the horizon opening onto the Atlantic.
The beach below invites you to take a dip before heading back, and on the way, the village of La Flotte, one of the most beautiful villages in France, deserves a stop: its covered market, its fishing port and its flowery streets make it a stop that you will never regret.
One day is enough to complete this circuit of about thirty kilometers, but there is no need to rush, because the island of Ré rewards those who stop, look, and let the landscape come to them.
Your stay on the island of Ré takes on its full dimension when every element fits together: a charming room in Saint-Martin, an oyster opened facing the salt marshes, a bicycle launched towards the Phare des Baleines under the French sky.
It's not a program, it's a way of being in the world, for a few days. The island will long remember those who listened to it!
