What to do in Oleron island, 15 activities to visit the island as an Oleronian

We’ve been living on theIle d’Oléron for several years now, and in this article we’d like to share with you our top tips for visiting the island like an Oleronian.

The island of Oleron is the largest of the three islands of the Charente coastline in front of the island of Ré and the island of Aix. It is famous for its diversity of landscapes. In a single day, you can go from dunes to forest, from oyster beds to fish locks, from vineyards to small picturesque villages.

We share with you in this article, what to do and see on the island of Oleron, our 15 must-sees, our ideal itinerary for a weekend and our secrets to visit the island like a local. For us, the island of Oleron is clearly a paradise on earth!

What is the most beautiful part of the island of Oleron?

It is impossible for us to answer this question. According to us, everything is beautiful in Oleron, even when it rains.

84% of the total surface of the island is registered as a classified site, of which 12% is forest, which guarantees the preservation of the landscape and heritage.

The island of Oleron offers a great diversity of landscapes, on a small territory, 30 kilometers long and 8 kilometers wide at most. With 100 kilometers of coastline, 70 kilometers of beaches, some with views of the famous Fort Boyard, and 160 kilometers of cycling routes, you’re bound to find something to do on land or water .

The south of the island is more populated and the north wilder. We advise you to visit your favorite spots at different times of the day, as the same landscape changes completely with the tides.

Our 15 activities to visit the island of Oleron

There really is so much to do and see on the Ile d’Oléron, even in winter. We could almost have started with a top 20 or 25!

Our recommendations for sleeping during your stay in Oléron :

• With pool and sea view: information and booking for the Île de Lumière hotel next to Cotinière harbor
• Family campsite: Ostrea campsite in the south of the island on the oyster route
• Family hotel with pool + beach access : see prices for Hôtel le Vert Bois

◊ Get some height at Chassiron ◊

Located at the northern end of the island of Oleron, 30 minutes by car from the viaduct, the Chassiron lighthouse with its white and black stripes, stands proudly at the end of the island.

Once at its feet, you will feel a bit like at the end of the world.

You can climb its 224 steps, to admire a beautiful panorama of the ocean, the wild coast and the compass rose gardens surrounding the lighthouse.

We also recommend a walk around the lighthouse for nice views of the coastline and the old fish locks. It is an old fishing technique, whose use goes back to the Middle Ages, consisting of a dry stone wall, having the shape of a horseshoe, at low tide, the fish are trapped.

Open all year round, full price 4€, reduced price 2€50 and free under 6 years old, tickets to be bought at the box office.

◊ Château d’Oléron and its cabins ◊

This is one of our favorite spotson the island of Oleron, located on the southeast coast at the entrance to the island. In our opinion, you’ll find everything the island of Oleron has to offer: a picturesque village, a beautiful fortress, an oyster-farming port, pretty colorful huts and a lovely view over the bridge.

After exploring the city center, you can enter the citadel via the dormant bridge and under the Royal Gate. Inside the citadel, get a good view of the viaduct linking the island to the mainland and Fort Louvois. You can then leave the citadel via the inclined plane to reach the port and its colorful huts.

We advise you to pick up the“heritage circuit” brochure at the tourist office (place de la république open from April to October), which offers a detailed itinerary to discover the historical wealth of the Château d’Oléron. A little culture never hurts!

Our good addresses: the restaurant “Les Frits de Mer”, the bar “L’Annex” and the hut “G Céramique”.

◊ Boyardville beach: one of the most beautiful ◊

On the Ile d’Oléron, 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.

Discover our selection of the most beautiful beaches on the Ile d’Oléron

On the northwest side, we advise you to swim at the supervised beaches, especially with your children, between the blue flags, because the waves can be very strong.

Boyardville beach, located on the east coast of the island, is a beach not to be missed! Bordered by the forest of Saumonards, this immense beach of fine sand, will offer you a beautiful panorama on the mythical Fort Boyard.

The beach is ideal for families, as it is on the mainland with few waves and is supervised.

Here’s a tip for photographers: you can take beautiful photos of Fort Boyard from above, at dune level.

Sandy beach, supervised and easy access from the free parking

◊ Explore the mythical Fort Boyard ◊

Fort Boyard, built to protect the Rochefort naval arsenal, is the star of the famous television show and thus of the Charente-Maritime region.

Obviously from the island of Oleron, you can go for a sea trip by boat or sailboat to get closer to it, the departure of cruises is located in Boyardville, at the pier of the port.

The interior of the fort cannot be visited, except if you are selected for the television game Fort Boyard, in this case do not hesitate to send us a small dedication of Father Fouras!

Favorite ❤️: From the peaceful little port of Boyardville, on the east coast of the Ile d’Oléron, we boarded an elegant, intimate sailboat with a maximum of 11 passengers, bound for the famous Fort Boyard!

The enthusiastic and welcoming crew shared with us many anecdotes about the fort and sailing in the Pertuis d’Antioche. Touring Fort Boyard from the sea is an impressive experience: the building seems to rise from the waves, massive and solitary, steeped in history.

What we loved:

• The leisurely pace of the outing
• Off the beaten track
• Getting as close as possible to the fort.
  
  The Compagnie Interîles company, which operates the cruise, has an excellent reputation.

➡️ We really recommend booking this tour in advance (approx. €29 per person – duration 1h30). It’s a very popular activity, especially during the vacations, and places are limited.

And the big plus via GetYourGuide: free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance, with full refund. Real peace of mind, especially when you consider the vagaries of the weather on the Atlantic coast.

🎟️Infos and booking to discover Fort Boyard from the island of Oléron.

◊ Sunset at Vert Bois beach ◊

We love the immense, wild beach of Vert Bois on the west coast of the Ile d’Oléron, it’s our favorite beach (we put it on the same level as Boyard) and we live just a few kilometers away.

On this side of the island, you’ll be fascinated by the immensity of the ocean and the spectacular sunsets. An ideal place to enjoy an aperitif at the end of the day and which has proved itself after many tests! In short, a great time with friends or family!

🛎️ Hotel with swimming pool + direct access to Vert Bois beach: see prices for Hôtel le Vert Bois (double and family rooms)

This beach is also the ideal spot for surfing (even for beginners) and bodysurfing.

◊ Ride the bike paths ◊

It is themain activity of the island of Oleron, with more than 160 kilometers of cycle tracks, you have enough to enjoy. For the most courageous, the current network allows to cross the whole island. There are barriers for bicycles everywhere on the island, especially at the beaches.

Our article on cycle paths on the Ile d’Oléron

We have a small preference for the portion between Grand-Village-Plage and Château-d’Oléron. This itinerary in the interior of the island, will allow you to take bicycle paths crossing marshes populated with birds.

Please note that in high season, from mid-July to mid-August, we recommend you to travel by bicycle. To give you an idea, the island has grown from 20,000 inhabitants during the year to several hundred thousand during the summer season. The road infrastructure is not adapted to this number of people.

To borrow classic or electric bikes, we recommend the Beach Bikeschain of stores, very well rated on the Internet, with several stores on the island (if you need to be helped, it’s still convenient) and a nice team.

We got help from the store clerk in Grand Village when Matthew got a flat tire with his personal bike.

◊ The must-do family activity ◊

Fishing on foot, accessible to all, is an essential family activity. Here are a few places, easily accessible, where you can go fishing on foot in Oleron without much difficulty. At low tide, the ocean gives way to rocks, it is an ideal place for fishing on foot, gray shrimp, crabs, tellin, cockles …

• Pass of the Ecuissière in Dolus-d’Oléron
• On both sides of the Oleron bridge
• Boyardville Beach

Fishing on foot is regulated, for more information on the authorized quantities, the authorized periods, we advise you to consult the site of theIODDE (Ile d’Oléron Sustainable Development Environment)

◊ The most beautiful photo of the island ◊

The Baudissière channel with its colorful huts is one of the most photogenic spots on the island of Oleron. Artists and fishermen live together harmoniously. We advise you to walk between the huts and of course to take lots of pictures.

Our good addresses: la savonnière d’Oléron, Chez Mamelou oysters, les moules à facettes restaurant + Ostrea family campsite

◊ The port of La Cotinière and its fish market ◊

One of the island’s main activities is fishing: the port of La Cotinière is France’s 7th largest fishing port, and the largest in Charente-Maritime. Guided tours are offered to learn more about the assets of the port, the different fishing techniques, and some tours also allow you to enter the fish market. You can check the times of visits and prices in the different tourist offices of the island.

The other must-do activity in La Cotinière is to try an excellent ice cream, from the L’Angélys ice cream parlour (located in the shopping street), a local artisan we’ve been fond of for several years, opposite the port.

🛎️ Info and booking for Hotel Île de Lumière next to Cotinière harbor with swimming pool and sea view

◊ Have fun discovering the island ◊

Discover or rediscover theisland of Oleron in a different way, thanks to a life-size treasure hunt. We recommend the Ularius Trail activity, a 100% original concept from Oleron.

It’s a life-size game, with several teams competing in a succession ofriddles, tests and quizzes. Throughout the rally, Vincent, the game’s super-master, accompanies you to provide you with as manyanecdotes as possible.

We love the concept, it reminds me of the big games I used to organize when I was a leisure center animator, the many escapes games we’ve tried and of course Pékin express which we followed for many years!

We tested the rally at Chateau d’Oléron. The riddles and games are really great! We learned a lot and even discovered new places, even though we know the island of Oléron well.

Information and reservation on the website: Sur les Traces d’Ularius

◊ Explore the most beautiful villages ◊

There is more to Oleron than the beach and water sports! We advise you to take a walk in the small picturesque villages with white houses and colored shutters.

We have a slight preference for the following villages: the authentic Saint-Denis-d’Oléron in the north of the island, the dynamic Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron, the center of the island, where you can stroll through the narrow streets without missing Pierre Loti‘s house, the small port village of La Cotinière and the small seaside town of Saint Trojan Les Bains in the south of the island.

◊ Salt farming at the Port des Salines ◊

Located on the commune of Grand Village, the port of the saltworks is always exploited.

You can walk through the salt marshes and learn more in the small museum open to all. A pleasant place in the middle of nature, which allows to appreciate the diversity of the fauna and flora.

5 ◊ Unlocking the secret of oysters ◊

Fort Royer is the ideal place to discover the secret of oysters. It is a small oyster farm, built in the middle of oyster beds and channels, with a view of an incredibly beautiful coastline with oyster beds and bouchots in front. And in the middle of this amazing place stood the colorful huts of the oyster farmers. Very instructive guided tours are offered to learn more about the hard job of oyster farmer and oyster farming. Guided tour from 6€.

The village is located in the heart of the nature reserve, Moëze-Oléron, where thousands of birds nest. Explanatory panels along the coastline offer a beautiful and instructive walk.

We recommend the 17 Fort Royer hut, where you can enjoy hot or cold oysters. An authentic place with an incredible view of Fort Royer and the nature reserve.

◊ Plage de la Boirie: the most photogenic ◊

Located in Saint-Denis, in the north-east of the island, Plage de la Boirie, with its 36 colorful huts, offers an exceptional panorama of the Ile de Ré, the mainland, La Rochelle, the Ile d’Aix and, of course, Fort Boyard. You will certainly want to photograph them all!

◊ Family activities ◊

The island of Oleron is an ideal family vacation spot, although most of the activities listed above are suitable for children, here is a list of things to do especially for the younger ones:

❤️ Cruise to Fort Boyard, the must-do family activity on Oleron! Info and booking here.

• Geocaching: we advise you to download thefree mobile geocaching application: Terra aventure.
  
  How does Terra Aventura work? the application proposes courses in different places in new Aquitaine, the players visualize their position on the map and must answer the enigmas to advance from stage to stage, two courses are proposed on the island a Saint Trojan and another in Saint Denis!
  
  We love the principle of this application, because we are guided to explore the cities and we learn a lot about history, architecture, gastronomy… All this in a fun way, for young and old! Count on 2h30 to complete the courses and to find the treasure!
  
  
• The accrobranche at Château d’Oléronis our 6-year-old daughter’s favorite activity! Several courses for young and old. Children’s rates from €10 depending on the itinerary – accompanying adult free.
  
• The free, manual wooden merry-go-round in the port of Chateau d’Oléron, combining sport and fun for the little ones!
  
• Le marais aux oiseaux, in Dolus, is a 1.5km trail where you can observe birds (grey herons, little egrets, ducks, etc.) and turtles in their natural environment. A treasure hunt is available free of charge at reception. A low-cost family activity! Full price €5
  
• Les ânes d’Oléron, educational farm and donkey ride, tested and approved by our friends Amandine and PA and their 2 children.
  
• The little Saint-Trojan train, a 12 km round trip, will take you to the wild confines of the Pertuis de Maumusson through the pine forest, inaccessible by car, a fun and enjoyable activity for children. We advise you to leave for the day and take a picnic, then on the way back, stop off at Gatseau beach. Full price €13
  
• Plaine de jeux des Prés Valet, in Saint-Georges-d’Oléron, is the ideal spot for a family day out, strolling around the small lake, guinguette in summer, with adjoining play area + zip line + pumptrack + skatepark + picnic tables (free activity).
  
• Port miniature Ti’bato in Saint-Georges-d’Oléron offers rental of small electric boats (for children aged 9 and over) on the Prés Valet pond (fee required).
  
• Take surfing lessons, several schools are located along the wild coast, most of them are very well rated on Google. Or bodyboard on most of Oleron’s beaches.
  
• Horseback riding at the Carbet equestrian center in Saint-Trojan, an activity our daughter also enjoys.
  
• Liberté Oléron canoeing, in Dolus d’Oléron, free or guided tour of the marshes in the heart of the Moëze-Oléron nature reserve.
  

We’re currently preparing an article dedicated to things to do with the family on the island of Oleron.

Itinerary for a 2-3 day weekend

If you have a big 3-day weekend, we recommend the following itinerary of all the best places on the island:

• Day 1: Concentrate on the east coast of the island, starting with Chateau d’Oléron and its citadel, then in the afternoon explore Fort Royer, then take a cruise to explore Fort Boyard (from the port of Boyardville), returning for a stroll or swim at the nearby Boyardville beach.
  
• Day 2: Heading north to the lighthouse of Chassiron, then stop at the small village of Saint-Denis and the beach of La Brée Les Bains, then the port in the afternoon explore the fishing port of Cotinière
  
• Day 3: We recommend renting a bike to explore part of the island, then taking a ride to the port of Les Salinesand then to Saint-Trojan with an adventure rally before leaving the island.

Do not hesitate to stay 1 week to explore the whole island of Oleron at your own pace!

Where to sleep on the island of Oleron ?

On the island of Oleron, things to do and see are spread out over the whole island. We therefore advise you to choose a central accommodation to be able to go to the different points of interest easily.

In our opinion, the best place to stay is on the coast near La Cotinière (we live on the west coast, 3km from La Cotinière, because we love this area), where you’ll have easy access to one of the great beaches of the wild coast, and you’ll be able to take advantage of the many night-time activities in high season.

If you really want to be in the center of Oleron’s life, we recommend the village of Saint-Pierre or Dolus-d’Oléron, where you can enjoy the many restaurants and markets while being only a few kilometers from the beaches.

Hotel and B&B

Finally, we have a real soft spot for theHôtel le Vert Boisnot least because it’s just a stone’s throw from our favorite beach on the Ile d’Oléron: Plage de Vert-Bois. Calm, wild and lined with pine trees, it’s the perfect place to relax and enjoy the ocean away from the hustle and bustle.

The hotel is simple, friendly and surrounded by nature. Its location is ideal for exploring the south and west of the island by bike, thanks to the many cycle paths. Double and family rooms are available on site, as well as a lovely swimming pool to cool off in after a day in the sun.

After a day of swimming and strolling around the island, we particularly appreciate the comfort and tranquility of the premises. A no-fuss address, perfect for a relaxing vacation with the Atlantic Ocean just around the corner. 🌊

More info and booking forHotel le Vert Bois

Camping in Oleron

You will find your happiness by consulting the numerous campsites on the island of Oleron here, you can sort according to the type of accommodation and facilities offered (swimming pools, parking …)

• Camping Ostrea: a family-run campsite, located on the south side of the island on the Route des Huîtres (one of our favorite coastal roads in Oléron) and next tothe colorful descabanes de la Baudissière (where we buy our Chez Mamelou oysters). An ideal location for easy access between the south and the center of Oléron, without spending too much time in the car.

• In the north of the island with swimming pool : Les Hameaux des Marines (Terre de France group), in Saint Denis, thiscampsite offers cottages and bungalows in a calm, green setting, just a stone’s throw from the beach.

What to do in Oleron when it rains ?

The island of Oleron is an ideal family vacation spot, but the weather can sometimes be a bit temperamental. Don’t panic, we’ve put together a few ideas for indoor activities to escape the rain:

• Ludo Café in Dolus-d’Oléron, a recently renovated, pleasant and free toy library, with lots of games for the little ones (ball pool, cooking, dolls, first age puzzles…) and board games for the adults, we go there almost every week.
  
• The Musée de L’Ile d’Oléron in Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron, with over 500 objects. It presents the history of the island and its inhabitants over the centuries.
  
• Iléo in Dolus-d’Oléron is a swimming pool and wellness area (with sauna, hammam, balneotherapy pool and jacuzzi) that transforms into a huge water park in July and August.
  
• TheEldorado cinema in Saint Pierre d’Oléron offers daily screenings for young and old.
  
• Even if it’s raining, you can stroll around the port of Château d’Oléron and take shelter in the various cabins.
  
• You can also go to the market in Saint Pierre and Saint Trojan, which is covered.

How to come to the island of Oleron?

• By plane : La Rochelle airport is 1 hour from the south of the island. The easiest way is to rent a car from the airport, as the island’s public transport network is not very developed.

After testing a number of comparators, Discover Cars has clearly become our favorite site for comparing car rental prices. The site aggregates offers from hundreds of rental companies, allowing you to quickly identify the best rate according to your criteria.

This filter lets you check at a glance :

• the amount of the security deposit
• type of bank card accepted (debit or credit)
• what’s really included in insurance
• customer reviews for each rental company

As an example, we found a car for €40 via Avis (excluding insurance).

🚗 Easily compare La Rochelle airport car rental deals on DiscoverCars

• By car: from Paris and Bordeaux, you must follow the A10 and exit at Saintes and from Paris exit at La Rochelle. The bridge of the island of Oleron is free.
  
• By train + bus: you can stop at La Rochelle station, then take the boat (April to October) or rent a car. You can also stop at the Rochefort or Surgères train stations, and bus connections to the island of Oleron and Marennes are available all year round.

During the May bridges and summer vacations, to avoid traffic jams around the bridge, which can be significant, you can watch the traffic in real time on the Info Trafic website.

Where to eat and drink on the Ile d’Oléron?

Restaurants

• Le Zorba is the not-to-be-missed family guinguette at Château d’Oléron for a drink or a burger, with an adjoining play area, and concerts on certain evenings – see the program here.
  
• Pizza: this is our favorite address in Saint-Pierre, Bella Ciao, the dough is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and the pizzas are well topped.
  
• Frits de Mer on the port du Château is the island’s fish and chips, with a choice of breading and homemade sauce, in a superb setting. The interior is decorated with artists’ works (Matthieu’s sister created the canvas with the pretty octopus at the back of the room) and the outside terrace overlooks a lovely little channel and the citadel. (remember to make reservations and takeaway service)
  
• Les Vagabonds, located right next to Les Frits de Mer, also at the Port du Château, is the brunch place to be in Oléron. The dishes are excellent, hearty and beautifully presented. Remember to book in advance to secure a place on the superb terrace at the back.
  
• Moules frites : we have two options that we really like, A la Peche aux Moules in Chateau d’Oléron , which offers different mussel recipes to eat on the terrace facing the colorful huts, and Café de la plage, one of our favorite restaurants on the island, with excellent hot oysters and very good moules marinières, with Pineau, fourme d’Ambert… With an outdoor terrace under the pines and in front of the dunes. It is a ” kids friendly” place, our daughter loves to go there, because the children can play in the sand or in the little wooden hut with lots of beach games, located next to the terrace. Don’t forget to make a reservation! (remember to reserve the second one)
  
• Le Petit Burgeur in Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron: Very good burger. Quality products and generous burger size. (open in the evening)

• L’Ecume in Saint-Trojan : ideal if you’re looking for refined, elegant cuisine with fresh produce in a magnificent setting with a small sea view from the terrace, and this is one of the restaurants open all year round (it even offers takeaway menus for Christmas and New Year’s), (we recommend the very affordable lunchtime menu and remember to book in advance).

Have a drink

We like the following places: L’Annex’ in Chateau d’Oléron with concerts in summer and a lovely terrace, Médo, a wine bar in Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron (open all year) and L’Atypique in La Brée Les Bains with a beautiful view of La Rochelle and the Ile de Ré (open in summer).

Where to shop in Oleron ?

Eating well

In addition to the well-known products, salt, oysters and Oleron wine. Many excellent quality food products are produced on the island of Oleron.

• La Lumineuse, in La Cotinière and Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron, a cannery made in Oléron ! For the different products, they favor local fishing as much as possible. Made on the spot, the products are elaborated without additive, without coloring nor conservative.
  
• The eggs of the Little Organic Farm, the hens are raised in the forest. We met Matthieu during the agricultural days who explained us with passion the history of his small farm. You can buy his excellent eggs at Super U and Intermarché.
  
• The bread, at Pain des Bois in Dolus-d’Oléron, Morgane selects her raw materials and bakes her bread over a wood fire. We, who are not big bread consumers, ate much more than usual, her bread is excellent! (open Monday and Friday bread to be ordered by sms)
  
• La ferme de la Poltière in Dolus-d’Oléron, for quality organic vegetables (open Tuesday and Friday)
  
• Maje organic wine in Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron, we particularly like their white wine range.

Our favorite creators from Oleron

We lived several months on the island of Oleron, so we had the time to discover and exchange with several creators from Oleron.

We were pleasantly surprised by the number of creators in Oleron. We are delighted to be able to honor all these talented people here.

• La Savonnière d’Oléron: as you may have read in previous articles, we’ve been making our own household products and cosmetics for several years now. Concerning the soaps, with the handling of soda, we were not serene. So I took part in a workshop with Carole to learn how to make them myself.

In the end, by taking a few precautions and following Carole’s advice, it is very simple and I spent a pleasant afternoon, I left with a recipe and soaps. In short, a great gift to make or to offer.

Organic soaps made by cold saponification on the Ile d’Oléron, with love, by Carole and Louis. We recommend you to go to one of their two pretty huts (in Baudissière or in the port of Saint-Trojan), to discover their realization, don’t miss the black coal soap: the Chassiron + online sale.

• L’After Shop: a mobile boutique selling customized denim jackets and hand-embroidered clothes made by the dynamic Sandrine. Stand to be found on the markets of Oléron
  
• Løuløute & Simone is a brand from Oléron, specializing in hair accessories (scrunchies, headbands, barrettes). All products are designed and manufactured by the talented Marie. His store, entirely renovated, located on the port of Saint-Trojan is a real little haven of peace.

I participated in a workshop where Marie gently and patiently guided me to sew my own maxi scrunchie. Another great gift idea to offer or to offer yourself.

Sales at the store and online, + workshop at the store or on the pretty terrace when the weather permits.

• G. Ceramics: when we arrived on Oléron, after several months wandering around Europe with our family in a camping car, we needed to take some time for ourselves and create things with our hands. So we did a few ceramics workshops at the cabane G. Céramique in Chateau d’Oléron, with Charlène.

The workshop takes place on a terrace at the water’s edge (at high tide), with a view of the pretty colored huts. It’s hard to find a more inspiring place to make your piece (mug, plate, trivet…). Then, the creations are sent once they are fired and glazed or you can come and pick them up (that’s what we did).

Our good addresses on our map

As you know, we love to write down all our good addresses and our itinerary on a map to facilitate our readers’ stay. Obviously, we share this map below with you:

What is the price of the Oleron Island bridge?

Contrary to the viaduct on the island of Ré, the one in Oleron is free. We just advise you to calculate your schedule during high season.

Avoid, for example, Friday and Sunday, after 6pm, unless you want to spend your evening in traffic. If you have to leave the island on a Sunday, prefer to leave in the late morning then picnic and spend the afternoon on one of the pretty beaches in Marennes, located just off the bridge.

What to do around the island of Oleron ?

Visit La Rochelle

The city of Rochelle is located 1 hour from theisland of Oleron, is a city to visit absolutely that we have explored several times, especially when we lived in Paris and to attend the festival Les Francofolies. With its towers and charming old port, La Rochelle offers a wide range of water and land-based activities.

It’s been our favorite city break since we moved to the Ile d’Oléron, so we’ ve written an article to help you plan your visit to La Rochelle.

Discover the island of Ré

This is the other island to visit in Charente-Maritime. You will also find charming white villages and beautiful wild beaches. The bridge to get there is not free.

Walking in Rochefort

Rochefort is ideally located, just a few kilometers from the ocean and close to many tourist destinations, including the Ile d’Oléron (45 minutes), Ile d’Aix, Ile Madame, La Rochelle…

Read our tips for visiting Rochefort in our dedicated article

A city steeped in history that was once an important maritime arsenal, including the home port of Hermione. Today named “Ville d’Art et d’Histoire”, its charming city center will seduce you immediately.

We had a lot of fun writing this article about this island that we love and know (almost) by heart. We’d like to thank all our family and friends who have given us invaluable advice, and we’ll be updating this article regularly as we’re currently living there.

If you have any other suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment below. We’ll be adding them to our list of things to visit on the Ile d’Oléron.

If you enjoyed reading it as much as we did writing it, feel free to give it 5 stars below!

We wish you an excellent stay in Oleron ! 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.