Standing atop the observation tower of Hotel Le Lanternon, I watched as the weathered, pale stone buildings of the capital of Îl de Ré turned the shade of ripe peach flesh. Before me, Saint-Martin-de-Ré unfolded in a star shape against the Atlantic Ocean. Beyond, the two-mile bridge connecting Îl de Ré to La Rochelle felt as if it existed in another universe.
This beach island off the coast of western France boomed in popularity during the pandemic, with well-heeled Parisians flocking to enjoy its patchwork of 10 hollyhock-filled villages, salt flats, cycle paths, dune-lined beaches, oyster shacks and a UNESCO island. monumental port city. And who can blame them? The Gulf Stream creates a microclimate that makes Îl de Ré one of the sunniest places in France, with an average of 2,600 hours of sunshine per year. Only Corsica and Marseille can top this. Covering an area of 33 square kilometers and flat as a crepe, Îl de Ré is ideal for exploring by bike, and spring is the best time to avoid getting stuck in bike traffic jams along the 90 kilometers of cycle paths.
Considering that 580 hectares of the island is covered in vines, it is perhaps surprising that locals have not historically appreciated the local plonk. There is a long history of making fortified Pineau des Charentes and Cognac here, which you can learn more about at the recently renovated museum in Saint-Martin-de-Ré.
These wines are not made with international cépage (grape varieties) and are not traditionally considered great for making still wines, but things are changing. The island’s first organic winery and tasting room, Domaine Arica, opened in April 2024, and owners Marine Houttemonne, 33, and Simon Pitoizet, 34, have big plans for their Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and Provence-style rosé. The couple told me that the soil there is remarkably similar to that of Sancerre in the Loire Valley; their wines are on the island’s best wine lists.
The picturesque port capital of Saint-Martin-de-Ré is surrounded by a UNESCO-listed Vauban citadel and is home to the kind of boutiques that sell Breton tops and straw bags to well-heeled visitors. In spring, you may not need a reservation for the bustling Bistrot Marin on the waterfront, where the menu du jour often includes sweet razor clams dipped in parsley butter and catch of the day. Or there’s the relatively new Le Sergi, which offers upscale yet simple harborside dining, while Le Bordan Zinc serves seafood burgers and tapas. For those traveling with children, don’t miss the ice cream at La Martinière or Crêperie La Sarrasine. Regardless of the season, you can make advance reservations for A Côté de Chez Fred, an unassuming spot with red plastic chairs, tucked away in an alley on the waterfront, where my husband and I enjoyed the best meal of the week; oysters, fried sole meunière and a delicious mineral bottle of Menetou-Salon.
The north and west of the island consist of vineyards and salt flats, with several whitewashed stone buildings serving fresh oysters and shellfish on paper plates until mid-afternoon. Ré Ostrea, with its colorful metal bar stools overlooking the waterfront and oyster claires that act like a lobster tank of a restaurant, is a popular spot, while the garden setting of La Cabane du Feneau fills up quickly and is only open between 11.30am and 3pm.
The best beaches are in the south of the island. Bordered by dunes or forests, La Couarde, Gros Joncs and Grennettes are better protected from the wind and ideal for taking a dip. At Plage des Gollandières, the Beach Bar serves huge plates of steak frites and tables on the sand. Nearby Le Bois-Plage-en-Ré is ideally located for family holidays, with many of the island’s Eurocamp-style accommodations hidden away among the pine forests.
Loix is the place to enjoy water activities. Arrange a guided canoe or paddleboard excursion on the Fier d’Ars with Planète Sport et Loisirs, try your hand at windsurfing or charter a catamaran. Horseback riding with Les Chevaux de Loix is another way to see more of the island.
The further north you go, the quieter the island becomes, and between the latticework of salt flats you will find the most beautiful villages and harbors. Fleur de sel – known locally as the white gold – is still raked by hand here, and there are honesty boxes along the cycle paths where you can buy 250 gram (or larger) bags to take home as souvenirs. At the tip of the island you can climb the Phare des Baleines lighthouse from 1850 for a beautiful view over the golden sandy beach. From Les Baleines you walk around to Les-Portes-en-Ré, where 80 percent of the village and surrounding area has been bought up by second-home owners. The village is pleasantly quiet and is home to a ceramics boutique, a small bakery, a nice wine shop and a few hip brunch spots such as Café Maau, run by a collective of young surfers. Head a little further to Cabane La Patache for experimental French cuisine, located on a pine-covered bay that disappears at high tide.
Each of the island’s 10 villages has a fresh produce market, some open daily. A “Plus Beaux Villages de France” (an official classification of the most beautiful villages in the country), Flotte has a charming medieval market selling fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, local cheeses, local meat, salt and takeaway food. Ars-en-Ré has a large indoor-outdoor market and a small but perfectly formed harbor with a few good restaurants and several art galleries. The Saint Etienne Church, where pre-Romanesque, Romanesque and Gothic architecture come together, has an octagonal monochrome bell tower visible for miles.
Back in Saint-Martin-de-Ré, the five-room design hotel Le Lanternon, which owner Jérôme spent two years renovating, features original moldings, parquet floors, fireplaces, porcelain sinks and curved wooden staircases against a backdrop of muted paint colors, antiques sourced from the island and artefacts. There is a peaceful south facing garden with mature fig and olive trees surrounding a small swimming pool. Villa Clarisse & Spa is only marginally larger, with nine rooms and a pool, and a spa was added last year, while Relais Thalasso Ile de Ré recently unveiled an upgraded thalassotherapy centre. Le Phare now calls itself an ‘open-air hotel’, with a trendy airstream bar and heated outdoor swimming pool.
While it may no longer be France’s best-kept secret, you can still get a taste of it la belle vie that Parisians enjoy, minus the crowds, when you travel to this perfect French island idyll outside of high season.
Emilee Tombs was a guest at Le Secret (00 33 5 46 34 83 68; lesecretdere.com), which offers double deals from £178. Ryanair flies to La Rochelle from London Stansted (from £15 one way), and from there it’s a half-hour drive across the bridge.
