It is summer season in France as soon as once more, and like each different summer season that preceded it, vacationers shall be flocking en masse to St Tropez. Instagrammable pastel-hue buildings, $12 gelatos, and sundown events at Nikki Seashore… how unique.
We’re Journey Off Path, your main impartial journey information supply, unveiling Europe’s best-kept secrets and techniques. As we have realized from our journey journaling over time, essentially the most genuine and unbelievable locations are sometimes those locals frequent.
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 sort of unspoiled tradition you aren’t getting within the French Riviera:
Is Île de Ré France’s Finest-Stored Secret?
In accordance with a new study carried out by Elabe, a well-reputed polling and consulting agency in France, Île de Ré is the one vacation spot French individuals ‘dream about visiting essentially the most’ this summer season, surpassing each Côte d’Azur and Corsica.
Are you able to blame them?
At solely 19 miles lengthy and three.1 miles extensive at its widest level, Île de Ré is a historic coastal group 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 plush nature.
A UNESCO-Listed Capital
The primary 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 type a UNESCO World Heritage Web site often known 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 reasonably priced eateries, equivalent to Le Belem, the place you may gorge on moules-frites and freshly-caught fish, or Crêperie La Sarrasine, which serves one of the best ham-and-cheese galettes on the town, all at reasonably priced costs.
Scrumptious French Meals At Reasonably priced Costs
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.
Costs can actually differ, particularly within the excessive season after they are likely to go up, however as you may examine 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 is no surprise the French themselves come right here as an alternative of Saint Tropez!
Alternatively, in case you’re coming for a chronic weekend, which we extremely suggest 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 starting from only $85 per individual (for two adults).
What To See In Ré Exterior Saint-Martin
Should you’re questioning what else is there to see on Ré past its picture-perfect capital, it’s best to know 62 miles of shoreline, previous lighthouses, and scenic biking paths resulting in untouched nature reserves await discovery.
Historic Lighthouses
Talking of lighthouses, the Phare des Baleines might be the highest spot for catching the sundown wherever 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 gives sweeping views of the azure sea.
Salt Marshes
The island is equally well-liked 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, take a look at Ars-en-Ré, voted one of the most beautiful 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, nevertheless, 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 inform you this, however you may even go to the ruins of a medieval abbey close to La Flotte, at Abbaye des Châteliers.
Attractive Atlantic Seashores
After all, one of many main the reason 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 fully undeveloped or busier areas with extra facilities—simply have in mind that is no ‘St Trop‘, so not one of the unique seashore golf equipment.
The seashore closest to the lighthouse is the liveliest one on the island, whereas the northeastern aspect, close to Loix, and notably Rivedoux-Plage, is quieter.
Should you’re the adventurous sort, and you’ve got introduced a motorcycle with you, you may 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.
Simply have in mind that is the Atlantic, not the Mediterranean: the water could be freezing chilly no matter how heat it’s on a summer season day!
How To Get To The Island If You are Visiting France This Summer season
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 slightly below 5 hours, and it is a fair shorter 1 hr 41 minutes drive from Nantes. As you may 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 is completely accessible! The surprising half is that only a few worldwide vacationers are coming:
It’s amongst France’s less-visited locations, with beneath 3 million guests recorded per 12 months, and 81% of these being French back 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 maintain Ré genuine, and undeniably française by means of and thru.
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