Blog 08: Island-hopping! Part 2

Île de Ré is really the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the islands off La Rochelle, and definitely my favourite!

It is beautiful and unspoilt with miles of well-maintained cycle tracks to make it easy to explore without a car. The weather while we were there was amazing too – warm and sunny with clear blue skies most of the time.

Such a contrast to the day we sailed to Île de Ré from La Rochelle, when we had waves crashing over the bow and drenching us in the cockpit!

The trip started off well …

This is leaving La Rochelle for the final time.

This is approaching the bridge which always looks too low to get under! The sea is looking a bit choppy.

Once under the bridge, this was the effect of wind against tide – about Force 6 in exactly the wrong direction! If we’d been going the other way – with the wind behind us – we’d have thought it was a lovely day for a sail!

But once we’d arrived and tied up in the sheltered harbour the weather was lovely, so we went for a walk in the evening sunshine …

… and had a delicious dinner overlooking our boat.

I made several trips round the island by bike, usually my own folding bike, but one day I hired an electric bicycle.

I rode about 60 or 70 kilometres to the salt marshes and bird sanctuary at the far northern tip of the island. It was certainly very easy to ride, but still took some effort so provided exercise too.

There are well-marked cycle tracks all over the island which take you along the coast and through unspoilt countryside.

You can cycle right through the famous Île de Ré salt marshes, which produce ‘fleurs de sel’ – delicious sea salt – and various other products such as salted caramel and chocolate.

The sea water covering the salt pans is controlled by sluices like these.

The salt marshes are a haven for wildflowers …

… and also a bird sanctuary where many migrating birds gather.

This heron was patiently fishing and caught quite a few while I watched.

When I was there, the island was covered in a yellow flower I didn’t recognise which turned out to be mustard …

… and I was able to buy a jar of it at a roadside stall.

There are also spectacular sandy beaches all around the island

… with one or two hardy souls braving the sea, but I think it must still be a bit bracing in May!

There is an active fishing and shellfish industry, and the oysters here are second to none and so fresh. I only eat oysters in places where I know they’ve been collected straight from the sea!

This is the tiny harbour at Loix.

Île de Ré also has enough residents and visitors to be a lively place with some great restaurants and bars.

Ars-en-Ré is a favourite lunch destination by car, boat or bike. It has an attractive little harbour, church and surrounding countryside.

There are plenty of outdoor cafés and restaurants.

This little restaurant, K Ré d’Ars is one of our favourites and does lovely seafood platters …

… like these langoustines

The Church Tower at Ars-en-Ré

Lovely old traditional farm buildings

Vineyards produce enough grapes to produce an excellent local wine.

Saint-Martin-de-Ré is the main town on the island and held an important strategic position. In the 17^th century a massive fortress was built, designed by Vauban in his typical star formation, which is extremely well-preserved.

This is a plan and model of the fortress, large parts of which are still intact.

Part of the outer walls showing the star-shaped bastions

One of the entrances to the city across the moat.

Some parts of the fortress are still in use today as government offices.

One of the gates to St Martin, the main town on Île de Ré.

The Phare de Baleine lighthouse was also important in the defence of the island. It is an impressive structure and still in use as a lighthouse today.

It is 57 metres high and 257 steps spiral up inside it, but the effort is worth it for the fantastic view from the top.

In this picture, you can just make out the remains of the horse-shoe shaped Fish Locks, stone constructions built out into the sea, which are designed to trap fish which enter the lock with the rising tide and find themselves unable to escape once the tide has gone out. This ancient method of fishing dates from the Middle Ages, and the earliest locks are almost a thousand years old.

The Church in St Martin also has a tower you can climb.

This time only 117 steps, much less effort, although the steps are narrow, wooden and uneven and you have to watch your head!

You also have to be prepared to be deafened by the huge bells which chime every hour and also sound the Angelus twice a day which lasts for 6 minutes! If there’s a wedding or special occasion the bells will ring for 15 minutes – pretty loud if you happen to be ascending the tower at that moment!

There’s a good view from the top of St Martin and the surrounding area.

Inside the Church is this rather unusual and colourful altar screen – painted with fake marble and with a golden finish.

The Church has been rebuilt at various times in its history, but the ruins of the two towers over the transept roof have been retained as they provide navigation marks for ships at sea.

This is the Ernest Cognacq Museum in St Martin. Built in around 1470, the building was originally a private mansion for the local tax collector, then in the 17^th century it was used as an arsenal and became part of Vauban’s fortifications, eventually becoming the museum in 1955.

One of my favourite exhibits was this 1861 cafetière shaped like a locomotive.

And I also liked the exhibition of watercolours by Joël Thézard

… including this quirky one of a donkey in pyjamas!

There are some lovely little back streets in St Martin …

… and lots of the local wild roses clambering round the doorways.

Another typical cobbled back street in St Martin

The local beach in St Martin – Plage de la Cible – only a 10 minute cycle ride from the boat.

I went for another lovely cycle ride to La Flotte – this time on my folding bike rather than the electric one, so a bit more effort and exercise!

The cycle path was idyllic through fields of wildflowers.

This is the small harbour at La Flotte.

The beautiful ruins of the Abbaye de Châteliers lie just beyond La Flotte.

The abbey can be seen from far and wide, and is used as a navigation mark by ships at sea.

This is a tiny cottage in the countryside near the Abbey.

Back in St Martin, the harbour has got busier and the restaurants more crowded as it’s a long weekend in France.

The busy harbour at night over the long weekend

But just 100 yards from the busy waterfront, we found a delightful uncrowded restaurant Au Pot d’Etain, where we enjoyed delicious galettes and some of the local Île de Ré bière blanche.

Our final evening in St Martin and Astraia is moored to the quay with 4 other boats tied alongside her. The harbour has suddenly got busy with it being a French holiday weekend. We explain to the other boats that we are leaving at 8am in the morning so they can be up and ready to move out of the way by then!