Art de vivre à la rétaise

Here, we take our time!

Cycling is the island’s main activity for both locals and vacationers. Kilometers of cycle paths allow you to get out and about on your bike while admiring the scenery. Cycling is a great way to see the island from a different angle, to explore the coastline and enjoy the island’s natural beauty, where ocean and salt marshes intermingle.

On foot, the charm of Ile de Ré’s alleyways is sure to charm you, whatever the time of year. These cobbled lanes, typical of the region, also change with the seasons. At times flowery, at others colorful, and at others illuminated by a bewitching light, these labyrinth-like paths invite you to lose track of time and stroll, observe and escape.

Good times and good company

The region also abounds in markets, where a visit is an ideal opportunity to simply enjoy yourself. Meet new acquaintances, chat with producers, buy local and seasonal food – all the ingredients are there for a pleasant and convivial time. What could be better than picking up your dozen oysters and fresh vegetables for lunch?

After your refreshment break, why not relax on the terrace over a coffee in one of the villages on the Ile de Ré? Whether you’re from here or there, a visitor for a day or a lifetime, a chat on the terrace about local life or your vacation plans is often a must when visiting the island.

The art of living à la rétaise also means lounging on the beach on long summer days, or enjoying a breath of fresh air even in winter. Its stretches of fine sand offer the opportunity to take part in a wide range of sporting and water sports. Surfing, kitesurfing, windsurfing… You’re bound to find what you’re looking for! Fishing on foot is also very popular, as are evening strolls by the sea to admire the rhythm of the waves and the changing glow of sunsets.

A land of encounters and passion

That’s it, you’ve just moored on the island. So it’s time to let yourself be carried away by the art of living à la rétaise, which has so much to offer. Don’t be afraid to let yourself be carried away by the encounters you’ll have with the locals and the craftspeople who, every day, shape the island’s attractions.

Imagine yourself, for example, on an early morning stroll through a vineyard, when the first light of the sun caresses the dew and is poetically reflected in the droplets that slowly slide down the bunches of grapes. You’ll talk to passionate winegrowers who’ve been established on the island for years, and who are eager to share their passion and know-how with you, so that you can (re)feel it, touch it, taste it. To understand it better, quite simply.

Nature at the heart of people

To connect with nature, so precious and preserved, there’s nothing like being able to decipher it alongside the people whose trades sublimate its assets. During your stay, you may also have the opportunity to meet the eco-guards. These guardians, whose primary mission is to help preserve the island’s territory and its wonders, organize numerous educational outings to help you understand the different natural environments that make up the island. To discover the island of Ré is to immerse yourself in its art of living, but also in the surrounding biodiversity.

And once you’re here, don’t hesitate to visit the various museums to learn more about the history and life of the island, its traditions and local know-how. The Ernest Cognacq Museum in Saint-Martin-de-Ré, for example, traces the history of the island from its earliest settlements to the present day. The tour covers trade, fortifications, the penal colony and the rise of tourism. The Musée du Platin in La Flotte, a warm and lively cultural venue, places the island and its inhabitants at the heart of their history, through a work of remembrance and presentations of the arts and traditions of the Ile de Ré. L’Ancre Maritaise in Sainte-Marie-de-Ré showcases the island’s rich natural and built heritage. And La Maison du Fier in Les Portes-en-Ré, nestled in the heart of the Lilleau de Niges nature reserve, takes you on a bird’s-eye tour of the island’s biodiversity, with binoculars in hand… So don’t wait any longer, discover all the destination’s museums and monuments!