Looking for a place to stay during your stay on the Ile d’Oléron? Below we’ve listed the different types of accommodation available on the island, as well as our favorite villages to stay in and easily visit on this magnificent island.
We also present our best addresses for hotels, camping sites and vacation homes.
- The best villages to sleep in on the Ile d’Oléron ?
- 1. La Cotinière: a hotel by the sea
- 2. In Dolus d’Oléron: a self-catering holiday cottage
- 3. Saint George d’Oléron: a family campsite
- 4. Saint-Pierre d’Oléron: a hotel in the historic center
- 5. On the wild coast to the north of the island: a campsite with its feet in the water
- 6. In Saint-Trojan: a hotel with a sea view
- Our top 3 accommodations on Ile D’Oléron
The best villages to sleep in on the Ile d’Oléron ?
On the Ile d’Oléron, things to see and do are spread out all over the island. We therefore advise you to choose central accommodation so that you can get to the various points of interest easily.
In summer, we advise you to use the cycle paths to get around more easily.
In our opinion, the best place to stay is on the coast near La Cotinière, where you’ll have easy access to one of the great beaches of the Côte Sauvage, and you’ll be able to take advantage of the many night-time activities in high season.
If you really want to be at the center of Oléronaise life, we recommend the village of Saint-Pierre d’Oléron or Dolus-d’Oléron, where you can enjoy the many restaurants and markets while being only a few kilometers from the beaches.
We’ve put together a map of the most beautiful villages in the Oléronnais region and all the things to do!
A quick note before we start: obviously, we didn’t test all the accommodations on Oleron. This selection has been made from among those we have tested and those that have been recommended to us. Feel free to leave us a comment at the end of the article with your favorite addresses to share with other readers.
1. La Cotinière: a hotel by the sea
La Cotinière is a charming fishing port on the west coast of the Ile d’Oléron. It’s one of the island’s most lively tourist villages, with a market held every day in season. Many restaurants and bars opposite the port are open in summer. We fell in love with its small fishing port.
It’s also a strategic location for visiting the island by bike, as many cycle paths cross La Cotinière.
To make the most of this village, without being disturbed by the crowds and noise, we recommend you stay to the south of the village, close to the coast, where you’ll have easy access to one of the great beaches of the wild coast.
Hôtel Île de Lumière à la Cotinière: The rooms are magnificent, and the seaside decor, with its soft, restful tones, immediately conveys the spirit of a vacation in the sun. The hotel is ideally located, with ocean access and just a few minutes’ walk from the lively fishing port of La Cotinière. Free parking + breakfast. In short, go for it!
2. In Dolus d’Oléron: a self-catering holiday cottage
It’s a pleasant little village, but we love it above all for its central location, which makes it easy to visit all the island’s spots.
Another interesting point is that it’s a little less touristy, so the price of accommodation is more attractive, and you’ll also enjoy greater peace of mind. There’s also a baker, a delicatessen, a fishmonger and numerous bars and restaurants in downtown Dolus. A great Ludotheque, right in the center, will keep the kids busy on rainy days.
A food market is held once a week, and a lively night market with foodtruck and local designer stalls also takes place once a week. It’s our favorite night market in season.
We recommend that you choose accommodation close to the city center. You can easily reach the western beaches by bike or car.
Le Pressoir, in Dolus d’Oléron, is an ideal option for families, as all accommodation comes with a fully equipped kitchen to make you feel right at home. Ideally located a few minutes from the pretty village of Dolus-d’Oléron, and close to the Remigeasse beach.
3. Saint George d’Oléron: a family campsite
The charming village of Saint-Georges-d’Oléron, in the north of the island, is one of the most charming villages on the island. Don’t miss the historic center, with its timber-framed covered market and Romanesque church.
Staying in this area means you can easily visit the north of the island, including the famous Chassiron lighthouse, the adorable port of Le Douet, and the typical Oleron villages covered in hollyhocks (Saint Denis, Domino and Chaucre). And let’s not forget the wild beaches on the west coast and the colorful hut beaches on the east coast (La Brée and La Boirie).
Camping Oléron Loisirs is a family-friendly campsite located south of Saint-Georges-d’Oléron.
The main advantage of this campsite is its huge water park with heated pool, slides and paddling pool, ideal for keeping the kids busy. It’s a great option for families.
4. Saint-Pierre d’Oléron: a hotel in the historic center
The dynamic Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron is located in the center of the island. It’s one of the liveliest cities in the off-season.
You can stroll through its historic center and narrow streets without missing Pierre Loti‘s house.
If it rains during your stay, this is where you’ll find the cinema, the Ile d’Oléron museum and a great media library, with a comfortable children’s area and a great section of comics and travel books (obviously, this is a section we know well.). There’s plenty of entertainment for children, often free of charge.
Hôtel Le Square in Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron is an excellent option if you want to enjoy the center of Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron and its small restaurants. The hotel is nicely decorated and equipped with a heated pool. Public parking and breakfast.
5. On the wild coast to the north of the island: a campsite with its feet in the water
The ideal place to stay on the island of Oleron is as close as possible to the ocean. We’ve listed our favorite beaches in an article you can read here.
You can choose between beaches facing theAtlantic Ocean (west side), which are more exposed to the wind, or beaches facing the mainland (east side), which are more family-friendly and quieter, with beautiful views of Fort Boyard, the Ile de Ré and La Rochelle.
Many campsites are located on the north-western side of the island, facing the Atlantic Ocean, making them an excellent option for staying on the island.
L’Anse des Pins family campsite, located west of Saint-Georges-d’Oléron in the north of the island, offers easy access to the north of the island.
It overlooks the ocean, which you can enjoy on some of the pitches. This campsite has beautiful indoor and outdoor pools, with waterslides, a paddling pool and a pirate structure. The beautiful sandy beach of Domino is just 500 metres away on foot. An ideal waterfront family campsite! Types of accommodation: mobile home, cottage and ecolodge for 4 to 8 people
6. In Saint-Trojan: a hotel with a sea view
Saint Trojan Les Bains is the small seaside town to the south of the island, close to the viaduct .
In Saint-Trojan-les-Bains, don’t miss the harbor, lined with little wooden huts hosting designers and restaurants. Saint Trojan beach on the west side and the wave-sheltered Gatseau beach (south of the village) are two very beautiful beaches.
Hotel L’Albatros enjoys a privileged location south of Saint-Trojan, on the edge of the ocean. The rooms are magnificent and some have a sea view. The hotel restaurant is also one of the best on the island.
Our top 3 accommodations on Ile D’Oléron
We advise you to book your accommodation as far in advance as possible so that you can have the best possible choice. greater choice and best hotels, because the island of Oléron is very popular in high season, and the accommodation on offer is limited, as the population rises from just 20,000 year-round to 300 000 in the summer season!
- Feet in the water: Hôtel Île de Lumière in La Cotinière
- Fully-equipped apartment with swimming pool: Le Pressoir, Dolus d’Oléron
- Camping les pieds dans l’eau : camping Oléron Loisirs in Saint Pierre d’Oléron
We wish you an excellent trip to the island of Oleron, which we know by heart! Feel free to leave us a quick note or 5 stars below, to tell us if you’re planning this trip, to ask any questions you may have, here or on Instagram, we’ll get back to you with great pleasure.
Don’t hesitate to leave us your good accommodation addresses in comments.
