Bicycles are the best means to go and discover the riches of the Island of Ré. With its 100 km of biking paths and its absence of elevations, the island is a paradise for bikers, including kids and less sportive users.
His great, great, great grandfather, Nicolas Martiau was born on the Island of Ré in 1591. As a fervent protestant, he went to exile in Great Britain before he crossed the Atlantic to America. By the way, Nicolas Martiau is also an ancestor of Queen Elizabeth II!
Crédit photos : ©Musée Ernest Cognacq
Two golf courses nearby are open all year long for professionals and amateurs of greens ready for discovery: Golf de Trousse-Chemise (9 holes), La Rochelle (18 holes).
The “stone boat”. . . that’s the surname of this fortress because it very much looks like a boat. The old fortress built on a shoal in front of the island of Oléron is today well known by the public at large for the television programme broadcast since 1990. The fortress cannot be visited but it is possible to turn around it by boat. A wonderful sea excursion which will be exciting for lovers of history and fans of the television programme.
The whale lighthouse is dominating the point of the Island of Ré. With its 60 metres height, it unveils a breathtaking panorama view of the island and the ocean. On the same site, you can also visit the ancient lighthouse built by Vauban in the 17th century.
The ramparts of Saint-Martin-de-Ré, inscribed in the World Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, are a unique testimony to the defensive architecture erected by the engineer Vauban. These ramparts, built under the reign of Louis XIV, allowed the city to serve as a shelter for the entire island population in the event of landing by enemies.
<i>Crédits photos : ©Musée Ernest Cognacq</i>
Donkey milk, a beauty secret since antiquity, the elixir of the queens of Egypt, is rare and precious and since time immemorial it has been considered as a magic remedy. The soap works at the Island of Ré let you discover the secrets of making these soaps which boast multiple virtues.
The salt marshes are part of the heritage of the Island of Ré and the Charente region. Apart from the salt harvest, the marshes host many different species of birds and plants like glassworts or sea lavender. These landscapes between land and sea with their breathtaking beauty can be discovered by walking, biking, canoeing or even paddling!
The Tour de Termes in Armagnac is the last remnant of the old medieval palace of the Gascon Thibault de Termes, a fellow soldier of Joan of Arc. From the top of the 36 m dungeon you can enjoy a magnificent panorama view of the valley of the river Adour and the Pyrenees. Throughout the year historical re-enactments and medieval animations are enjoyed by audiences of all ages.
80 km from Eugénie-les-Bains, at the foot of the Pyrenees, the city of Lourdes is one of the main Catholic pilgrimage sites in the world. In 1858 the young shepherdess Bernadette Soubirous testified to the appearance of Virgin Mary in the cave next to Massabielle. Declared “Marian City” by the Catholic church, Lourdes receives every year millions of pilgrims from all over the world. It is also a Pyrenean city full of charm, nestling around its fortress which has hosted since 1921 the Pyrenean Museum and is dominated by the Pic du Jer, which can be accessed by a funicular railway.
Crédit photos : © P. Vincent 15-OT Lourdes