TR AV E L
The island of dreams Be prepared to fall in love with the Île de Ré which can be found off the west coast of France opposite La Rochelle
the stunning surroundings that include beautiful villages such as two of France’s beaux villages, La Flotte and Ars en Ré, and that’s without mentioning the capital city’ - ie the tiny fortified town of Saint Martin de Ré. With large, quiet, sandy beaches, think Norfolk but guaranteed hot sunshine - lighthouses, local markets daily in every village and miles and miles of cycle tracks with no cars. Virtually everyone who visits the island gets around on bike as it is only km long, and five wide and, most importantly, virtually at. Cycle paths criss cross the island which is car free in many of the
W
E ALL KNOW France has islands that are worth visiting; Corsica springs to mind straight away, but there are many more scattered along the coastline from Brittany in the north down to the French Riviera, many of which we in the UK have never heard of. One of the most beautiful, and perhaps one of France’s best kept secrets is the le de R o the west coast. O cially it’s possibly not even an island any longer as it is connected to La Rochelle by a road bridge constructed in the late 1980s; but this does make it more easily accessible. Popular with, traditionally, Parisians who would spend their summers here, this little gem is definitely worth a visit and without a doubt you will fall for its charm. Here you can escape the trials and tribulations of everyday life (very poor wifi and become absorbed in
20 August 2022 / theactivemag.com
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