It’s summer season in France as soon as once more, and like each different summer season that preceded it, vacationers can be flocking en masse to St Tropez. Instagrammable pastel-hue buildings, $12 gelatos, and sundown events at Nikki Beach… how unique.
For the French, that is Île de Ré, an island off the nation’s west coast, over on the Atlantic aspect, house to solely about 17,000 inhabitants, and the form of unspoiled tradition you do not get within the French Riviera:
Is Île de Ré France’s Best-Kept Secret?
According to a brand new research performed by Elabe, a well-reputed polling and consulting agency in France, Île de Ré is the one vacation spot French folks ‘dream about visiting essentially the most’ this summer season, surpassing each Côte d’Azur and Corsica.
Can you blame them?
At solely 19 miles lengthy and three.1 miles vast at its widest level, Île de Ré is a historic coastal neighborhood well-known in France for its paradisaical sandy seashores, quaint fishing villages that have not modified within the slightest over the previous 150–200 years, and luxurious nature.
A UNESCO-Listed Capital
The essential attraction on the island is its capital, and largest settlement, Saint-Martin-de-Ré, a ravishing port city ringed by defensive partitions, and peppered with laid-back cafés, family-owned boulangeries, and heritage houses.
Its defensive system and well-preserved Seventeenth-century townscape kind a UNESCO World Heritage Site referred to as the Vauban fortifications, and there’s no doubt Saint-Martin-de-Ré is a must-see for guests to the island.
As nice to walk as it’s photogenic, Saint-Martin’s harbor homes a number of inexpensive eateries, resembling Le Belem, the place you’ll be able to gorge on moules-frites and freshly-caught fish, or Crêperie La Sarrasine, which serves the most effective ham-and-cheese galettes on the town, all at inexpensive costs.
Delicious French Food At Affordable Prices
On common, a sit-down meal at a kind of no-frills, downtown brasseries frequented by locals will set you again $14–$20, whereas a extra elaborate, 3-course dinner with harbor views averages $45.
Prices can actually fluctuate, particularly within the excessive season after they are inclined to go up, however as you’ll be able to verify for your self on Tripadvisor, it is nearly a consensus amongst guests that Île de Ré is on the cheaper aspect in comparison with different touristy French vacation spots.
It’s no surprise the French themselves come right here as an alternative of Saint Tropez!
On the opposite hand, for those who’re coming for a chronic weekend, which we extremely advocate you do as there’s actually a lot to see past simply Saint-Martin—we’ll get to that shortly—there are guesthouses and B&Bs ranging from solely $85 per particular person (for two adults).
What To See In Ré Outside Saint-Martin
If you are questioning what else is there to see on Ré past its picture-perfect capital, you need to know 62 miles of shoreline, previous lighthouses, and scenic biking paths resulting in untouched nature reserves await discovery.
Historic Lighthouses
Speaking of lighthouses, the Phare des Baleines might be the highest spot for catching the sundown anyplace on Ré.
Occupying the western tip of the island, it is open for guests to climb—if 257 steps do not put you off—and it provides sweeping views of the azure sea.
Salt Marshes
The island is equally widespread for its salt marshes as it’s for its Atlantic nature, and vacationers are welcome to go to the Écomusée du Marais Salant, a museum devoted to the centuries-old salt manufacturing and the islander life, close to Loix, within the north.
Quaint Fishing Villages
For a style of native life, away from the ever-busy St-Martin, try Ars-en-Ré, voted one of the crucial lovely villages in France, with its iconic black-and-white church spire (traditionally utilized by sailors as a navigation landmark), and quaint marina.
Our private favourite, nonetheless, needs to be La Flotte: characterised by its signature off-white stone homes with inexperienced shutters anchored by the port, and its medieval-style farmers’ market, open day-after-day from 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM, it looks like St-Martin’s compact, much more peaceable small sister.
Oh, and most journey publications normally will not let you know this, however you’ll be able to even go to the ruins of a medieval abbey close to La Flotte, at Abbaye des Châteliers.
Gorgeous Atlantic Beaches
Of course, one of many major the explanation why the French drive all the way in which to Ré in summer season is its largely abandoned, unruffled sandy seashores.
From Le Bois-Plage to La Conche des Baleines, there are a number of choices catering to each traveler, whether or not you like them utterly undeveloped or busier areas with extra facilities—simply take into account that is no ‘St Trop‘, so not one of the unique seaside golf equipment.
The seaside closest to the lighthouse is the liveliest one on the island, whereas the northeastern aspect, close to Loix, and significantly Rivedoux-Plage, is quieter.
If you are the adventurous sort, and you’ve got introduced a motorcycle with you, you’ll be able to even set out on the favored La Vélodyssée biking route, which loops across the complete coast, visiting tiny fishing villages, secret, unmarked coves, and different beautiful seashores.
Just take into account that is the Atlantic, not the Mediterranean: the water will be freezing chilly no matter how heat it’s on a summer season day!
How To Get To The Island If You’re Visiting France This Summer
The island lies simply off the shoreline from La Rochelle, yet one more charming medieval gem we have written extensively about right here, and it may be simply accessed by way of the Pont de l’île de Ré, a bridge that connects it to the mainland.
Driving nonstop from Paris to the Ré entry level takes just below 5 hours, and it is a good shorter 1 hr 41 minutes drive from Nantes. As you’ll be able to see, that is no distant island in the midst of the Atlantic that may solely be reached by way of an extended boat crossing.
It’s completely accessible! The stunning half is that only a few worldwide vacationers are coming:
It is amongst France’s less-visited locations, with underneath 3 million guests recorded per yr, and 81% of these being French again in 2019. In different phrases, only a few étrangers—that is French for obnoxious, beret-clad, baguette-in-hand Instagrammers, ha!—are coming right here.
This helps hold Ré genuine, and undeniably française by means of and thru.
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