Lovely Islands within the Vendee, France

Ile d’Yeu

Situated 20 km from the Vendee mainland, the island is accessed by boat or by flying to the islands small airport. The quick ferries go away often from Fromentine (earlier than you attain Noirmoutier) taking simply over an hour and in the summertime months from St Gilles Croix de Vie and Noirmoutier. In the event you needed to take your car or travel at a extra leisurely tempo a every day car ferry additionally runs between Fromentine and the island. It’s a comparatively small, rugged and picturesque island being 10km by 4km at its widest factors, and has a winter a inhabitants of 5000, which rises fairly significantly in the summertime when the vacationers and vacation makers arrive! The principle city of the island, and likewise the port by which you’ll arrive for those who take the ferry, is Port Joinville. Being the primary port on the island Joinville is a busy place with cafes, bars, eating places and retailers lining the quayside. To not point out the various fishing boats bringing of their catches of tuna and lobster, for which the island is famend for. It is usually the most effective place to type out bike rent, or if you want car rent to discover the island’s small roads and pathways. By far one of the best ways to discover is by bike, the island has a number of marked cycle routes however maps are available permitting you to make your personal itinerary to go to the islands sandy bays, chapels and chateau. Port de la Meule is the opposite port on the island, it’s a small harbour housing a number of small fishing boats with a pure rocky inlet and makes for a pleasant cycle from Port Joinville in case you are visiting the island on a day journey. There are additionally a few cafes arrange alongside the way in which for those who fancy a drink or one thing to eat. The island is steeped in historical past with neolithic markings having been discovered on a lot of stones and the island was occupied by monks throughout the tenth century. It additionally has a formidable fortress constructed on rocks alongside the island. The ‘Vieux-chateau de I’le d’Yeu’ was constructed to protect the island from overseas invasion and was put to the take a look at in 1550 when the Spanish tried to take the island however ended up retreating again into the sea. The island additionally has a large number of seashores and hidden coves, that are implausible for swimming and solar bathing!

Ile de Re

The island of Ile de Re is located about one hour drive from Camping L’Oceano D’Or. Its located off the coast by La Rochelle. It’s 30km lengthy and 5km vast and consists of ten small communes (villages), fine sandy seashores, ports, pine forests and salt marshes.

The island is UNESCO protected, with the villages having 17thCentury cobbled streets and whitewashed cottages. It has a strict coverage on constructing and development which has helped to preserve the character and attraction of the island. The easiest way to discover Ile de Re is by parking up the car and hiring a motorbike from one of many many bike retailers located everywhere in the island. Throughout the constructing of the bridge the island council determined to enhance entry and constructed 100km of cycle tracks. Most of those are wonderful tracks and are for cyclers and walkers solely which means you do not have to fret about site visitors so are nice in case you are with the youngsters 제주도룸싸롱!

As is common alongside the Vendee coast the island enjoys a gentle local weather and is thought for its manufacturing of ‘fleur de sel’ (flower of salt) in its many salt beds positioned all through the island, in addition to for its oysters beds and contemporary fish. The principle port and capitol of the island is Saint Martin-de-Re. It is a vigorous bustling place with a pleasant boat crammed harbour and an array of gorgeous and stylish retailers extra akin to Paris than an island! Nonetheless this does imply costs are a little bit on the steep facet for those who fancy a shopping spree.

Ile De Noirmoutier

Noirmoutier is located within the north of the Vendee. It’s linked to the mainland by a arched bridge which was in-built 1971. The choice (and extra enjoyable!) method to get to get to the island is to drive throughout the ‘Passage du Grois’, a 3 mile lengthy paved causeway which is roofed twice a day by the incoming tide. It was additionally the beginning of the Tour de France in 2011. The tide occasions are posted on a board earlier than you get to the passage and its advisable to test these earlier than venturing throughout! There are refuge towers alongside the causeway do you have to be unlucky sufficient to get caught out!

The island is 20 kilometres lengthy and seven kilometres vast, with over 50 km of seashores. The most effective seashore is on the on the far finish of the island, after a drive by means of the city, and is a cove surrounded by seashore huts referred to as ‘Plage des Dames’.

The island is thought for its manufacturing of potatoes, you’ll be able to usually see Noirmoutier potatoes within the supermarkets and its manufacturing of sea salt. As you’re driving by means of the island you’ll cross the various salt marshes, many of those have small retailers the place you should purchase the sea salt bagged up.

The island has a water park, Oceanile, which has a lot of waterslides and swimming pools. It additionally has an aquarium, Sealand, which though small does have a great stay show with sea lions at numerous occasions all through the day.

The principle city of Noirmoutier has a market on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday throughout the season in addition to having a great variety of retailers, bars and eating places.