2019-02-01_Lonely_Planet_Traveller

Adishofroasted

langoustines with herb

crumble at La Table

d’Olivia in St-Martin-de-Ré.

Left: Salt pans at Loix

PHOTOGRAPHS: PHILIP LEE HARVEY/LONELY PLANET, HOTEL DE TOIRAS/JACQUES LEBAR. WRITTEN BY SOPHIE DENING

ILE DE RÉ PICK ’N’ MIX

cyclepathstowhizzalongjoyfully,awareofbirdsong,

5'*"̮-5#01 ," 5'"# -.#, 1)'#1Ɵ --2-- '!7!*# &'0# ',

St-Martin is open all year round, and provides helmets

," !&'*" 1#21Ơ 1 5#** 1 40'-31 !*11#1 -$ 0'"#Ɵ 

2ư1

5-02& 2&# #620 $-0  .""#" 1""*# '$ 7-3ư0# .*,,',%

+-0#2&,/3'!)2--2*#(from £10 a day; cycles-yootoo.

com)Ɵ*2#0,2'4#*7Ơ2)#2-horsebackat low tide, and

you can thunder along the beach at Conche des Baleines

and through the pine forest that fringes it

(leschevauxdeloix.frƻƟ+-,%2&# #!
-$2
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coast of Île de Ré, Plage du Gros Jonc is a centre forsurfing

(re-surf.com),")7)',%(ilederevoile.com)Ɵ

Explore the

island*2&04#12',%&12)#,.*!#-,_*#"#¹1',!#

2*#122&#2&!#,2307Ơ,"51)#72-2&#'1*,"ư1

1#22*#+#,2 ," .0-1.#0'27Ɵ &# Ƥ+',32# 2-30 ,"

demonstration at Ecomusée du Marais Salant(£5;

marais-salant.com)'1.*#1',%*732&#,2'!,"*-Ƥ̭Ơ

and gives insight into theisland’s historyƟ

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%--" .*!# 2- 37 %0-1 1#* ," ̮#30 "# 1#*Ɵ &# '1*,"ư1

+01&*,"1,"+3"̮210#12-,'1&',%*70'!&',

birdlife, including wading birds such as sandpipers

and avocets, and Ré is an essential pitstop between the

0!2'! ," $0'! $-0 +'%02-07 1.#!'#1Ɵ #0, +-0# -,

anature tour1202',%$0-+2&#120')',%5--"#,

+31#3+Ơ"'131#"1*21&#"Ơ2'**#3"#1'%#1,230#

reserveƺ˅ƟƢ+'1-,"3̭#0Ɵ$0ƻƟ

',**7Ơ2-*#0,+-0#

 -32_*#"#¹ư11202#%'!.12,"1'#%#20'3+.&-4#0

2&#0'2'1&Ơ4'1'2

-02*0¹#Ơ2&#oldest military

fortification-,2&#'1*,"Ɵ1'12#0!'2"#*2-2&#-,#2

2Ƥ02',Ơ'2'1*#11.-.3*01,220!2'-,Ơ *#)#0,"

more atmospheric (£5; fort-la-pree.comƻƟ

Beaches

galore-30#203*7,#4#0$0$0-+1,"7120,"

�#Ɵ0-"*71.#)',%Ơ&#"5#122-%#257$0-+2&#

crowds, or hit the south coast for beaches with amenities

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Gollandières is popular for water sports, swimming,

sunbathing andall-round family funƟ

2'1!!#11' *#Ơ

with tiralos (beach chairs designed for those with

0#"3!#"+- '*'27ƻƟ.,#0#1-02#1Ơ2!&#'1

secludedƠ5'*"#0Ƥ$##*',% #!&Ơ%--"$-05*)',%,"

#',%*-,#-,Ɵ-20#Ƥ+# #!&'1̭,#Ơ1,"7

unsupervised stretch at Sainte-Marie-de Ré that isideal

for crabbingƠ0-!).--*̭1&',%,"52!&',% '0"1Ɵ

Watch the

sunset  /3'..#"5'2&,#+.27 !).!)Ơ03%,"

,&-302-1.0#Ơ1#2-$$$0-+01Ƥ#,Ƥ¹,"!7!*#!0-11

2
*2̮212-#1Ƥ-02#1Ƥ#,Ƥ¹Ơ5�#7-3!,.'!)3.

.'!,'!5�#5'2&*22&# )#07Ơ"#*',"#1-02#1

5',#+#0!&,21Ɵ&#,̭,"sheltered spoton Conche

des Baleines beach, from where you can watch the sun

1',)',2-2&#2*,2'!Ɵ

L a Ro c h e l l e a i r p o r t i s s e r v e d b y d i r e c t fl i g h t s w i t h e a s yJ e t , F l y b e, J e t 2 a n d R y a n a i r (fr o m £ 8 0 ; r y a n a i r.c o m).