Standing atop the bell tower of the Le Lanternon hotel, I watched the weathered, pale stone buildings of the capital of the Îl de Ré fade into a shadow of ripe peach flesh. Saint-Martin-de-Ré opened up in front of me in the shape of a star against the Atlantic Ocean. Behind him, the three-kilometer bridge connecting Îl de Ré to La Rochelle felt as if it existed in another universe.
This seaside island off the coast of western France has soared in popularity during the pandemic; affluent Parisians flocked to enjoy 10 hollyhock-filled villages, salt flats, cycle paths, dune-backed beaches, oyster shacks and a Unesco lodge. listed port city. So who can blame them? The Gulf Stream creates a microclimate that makes Îl de Ré one of the sunniest places in France, with an average of 2,600 hours of sunlight per year. Only Corsica and Marseille can achieve this. At 33 square miles and flat as a pancake, Îl de Ré is ideal for exploring by bike, and spring is the best time to avoid bike traffic along the 60-mile trail.
Considering that 580 hectares of the island are under vine trees, it is perhaps surprising that local people have not historically graded the local field. There is a long history of the construction of the fortified Pineau des Charentes and Cognac, which you can find here in the newly renovated museum in Saint-Martin-de-Ré.
These wines are not produced to international standards page (grape varieties) and traditionally still not great for winemaking, but things are changing. Domaine Arica, the island’s first organic winery and tasting room, opened in April 2024, and owners Marine Houttemonne, 33, and Simon Pitoizet, 34, have big plans for Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Provence-style rosés. The couple told me that the soil there was quite similar to the soil of Sancerre in the Loire Valley; Its wines are included in the best wine lists of the island.
The picturesque port capital of Saint-Martin-de-Ré is surrounded by a Unesco-listed Vauban castle and home to a variety of boutiques selling Breton tops and wicker market bags to well-heeled visitors. In the spring, you may not need to make a reservation at the lively beachfront Bistrot Marin; The daily menu here usually includes sweet razor clams dipped in parsley oil and the best fish of the day. Or there’s the relatively new Le Sergi on the harbor front, which offers upscale yet simple dining; Le Bordan Zinc serves seafood burgers and tapas. For those traveling with Enfants, don’t miss the ice cream at La Martinière or Crêperie La Sarrasine. Whatever the season, make advance reservations at A Côté de Chez Fred, an unassuming place with red plastic chairs in a waterfront alleyway, where my husband and I enjoyed our best meal of the week; oysters, pan-fried tongue meunière and a gorgeously minerally bottle of Menetou-Salon.
The north and west of the island are devoted to vineyards and salt flats; Several whitewashed stone buildings serve fresh oysters and shellfish on paper plates until mid-afternoon. Ré Ostrea is a popular spot, with colorful metal bar stools overlooking the water’s edge and oyster tots that act as the restaurant’s lobster tank. La Cabane du Feneau’s garden environment fills up quickly and is only open between 11.30 and 15.00.
The best beaches are in the south of the island. Surrounded by dunes or forests, La Couarde, Gros Joncs and Grennettes are better protected from the wind and ideal for diving. The Beach Bar at Plage des Gollandières serves large plates of steak fries and has tables on the sand. Nearby Le Bois-Plage-en-Ré is ideally located for family holidays, with many of its Eurocamp-style accommodations tucked away among the island’s pine forests.
Loix is the place to enjoy water-based activities. Organize a guided kayaking or paddleboarding excursion in Fier d’Ars with Planète Sport et Loisirs, try your hand at windsurfing or rent a catamaran. Horseback riding with Les Chevaux de Loix is another way to see more of the island.
The further north you move, the quieter the island becomes, and among the cages of salt flats you will find the most beautiful villages and ports. Fleur de sel, known locally as white gold, is still picked by hand here, and there are honesty boxes along the bike paths where you can buy 250 gram (or larger) bags to take home as souvenirs. At the tip of the island, you can climb the 1850 Phare des Baleines lighthouse for panoramic views of the golden sand beach. From Les Baleines return to Les-Portes-en-Ré, where 80 percent of the village and its surroundings have been bought by second home owners. The village is very quiet; It’s home to a ceramics boutique, a small boulangerie, a great little wine shop, and a few popular brunch spots, like Café Maau, run by a collective of young surfers. Proceed a little further to Cabane La Patache for experimental French cuisine set in a pine-lined bay that disappears at high tide.
Each of the island’s 10 villages has a fresh produce market, some of which are open every day. Flotte, a “Plus Beaux Villages de France” (the official classification of the country’s most beautiful villages), has a charming medieval market selling fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, local cheeses, local meats, salt and takeaway food. Ars-en-Ré has a large indoor and outdoor market and a small but perfectly formed harbor with several good restaurants and several art galleries. Combining pre-Romanesque, Romanesque and Gothic architecture, Saint Etienne Church has an octagonal monochrome bell tower that can be seen for kilometers.
Le Lanternon, a five-room design hotel in Saint-Martin-de-Ré that owner Jérôme spent two years renovating, features original moldings, parquet floors, fireplaces, porcelain sinks and curved wooden staircases against a backdrop of muted paint colors and antiques . sourced from the island and objets d’art. There is a peaceful south-facing garden with mature fig and olive trees around a small pool. Villa Clarisse & Spa is only slightly larger, with nine rooms and a pool, and a spa added last year, while Relais Thalasso Ile de Ré recently opened an improved thalassotherapy centre. Le Phare, meanwhile, calls itself an “open-air hotel,” with a stylish draft bar and heated outdoor pool.
Although it is no longer France’s best kept secret, it is still possible to taste this delicacy. la beautiful vie If you travel to this perfect French island paradise outside of high season, it’s a place Parisians enjoy without the crowds.
Emilee Tombs was a guest at Le Secret (00 33 5 46 34 83 68; lesecretdere.com), which offers pairs from £178. ryanair London flies from Stansted to La Rochelle (from £15 one way) and from there it’s a half-hour journey across the bridge.
