Island life 

Quick to get to and simple to navigate thanks to an extensive network of pathways and cycle trails, Île de Ré is easy to reach whether you prefer planes, trains or automobiles. Less than 10km from La Rochelle airport, or accessible in under three hours from Paris by train, it’s as realistic a possibility for a long weekend away as it is for a two-week summer holiday. This VIP island is linked to the mainland by an impressive bridge spanning almost two miles of Atlantic Ocean and it attracts a sophisticated crowd, where quiet good taste and understated style meet bohemian flair and bourgeois chic. Wooden shutters painted in a picture postcard palette of misty blues and earthy greens adorn pretty pebble-white houses and even the artistic street signs and door knockers are a reflection of the island’s highly creative air. The pedestrianised streets offer a unique feast of historical monuments, artisan boutiques, colourful markets and excellent restaurants. As you might expect, seafood is a particular speciality and the locally produced oysters are an obsession, but the island also takes ice-cream very seriously, with whole menus given over to design-your-own-flavour combinations and tempting sundaes. And this being France, you can rely on an excellent selection of wines by the glass wherever you go.

One island, ten villages

The ten harbour towns and villages that make up the island are straight out of the pages of a lifestyle magazine. The island capital Saint-Martin-de-Ré is a cultural and gourmet haven, with UNESCO-listed 17th-century Vauban fortifications that will appeal to imaginative kids as well as historians. Don't miss the charming harbour, lined with smart boutiques and lively cafés. La Flotte claims the coveted title of one of France's 'most beautiful villages' and it's also one of the oldest on the island. Come to browse the famous market, and leave yourself time to meander its pretty, flower-filled streets and harbour. Le Bois-Plage-en-Ré is arguably the village of choice for family holidays on Île de Ré, with long sandy beaches, watersports and a relaxed yet chic atmosphere pervading its many wonderful little shops and restaurants.

Beaches and bicycles

Cycling is the favoured mode of transport, offering the potential for a car-free holiday and an opportunity to reconnect with nature and enjoy a simpler way of life. With 100km of gloriously unspoilt coastline, accessed by an extensive network of cycle trails criss-crossing the island through fields and vineyards, woodland and salt marshes, cycling is as much a part of life on Île de Ré as the ebb and flow of the tide. Wide stretches of immaculate golden sand, backed by dunes and pine forests, give parts of the island a wild and remote feel, while other beaches offering watersports, children’s activities and play areas evoke a classic summer holiday atmosphere.

Markets and Monuments

From the impressive UNESCO-listed fortifications in the capital Saint Martin to Phare des Baleines, the famous lighthouse at its northern tip, Ile de Ré has its fair share of historic monuments. In 2012 it became France’s first island to join the country’s celebrated regions of art and history and the creativity of its inhabitants is evident as you wander the pedestrianised streets of the village centres; artisan shops exhibit distinctive homewares (Rétais), local artists showcase their latest works and stylish boutiques lure you in with an eclectic array of high-end, bohemian fashion. The colourful markets are also a big part of life on the island, each village hosting its own in the height of summer.

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