Valentines on the Ile de Ré

I first published this last year but given it’s Valentines we want to give more love to the Ile de Ré.  For many February 14th means it has to be oysters.  There are plenty of them to be had at the moment on the island.   I clocked these with their special Saint Valentin box in La Flotte.

Our half hour Sunday morning walk from our house in St Martin de Ré to La Flotte certainly left us feeling peckish and there was plenty to choose from in the market.  The big bonus no peak season crowds.

It’s not just about seafood.  It’s amazing what they can do with pork.  Great lumps of it.

I always find Sunday mornings in La Flotte market a bit of a treat and this time despite it being winter, the sun was shining.

After a coffee while watching the world go by down by the harbour, we walked back to St Martin, taking the coast route.  A chance to see the migratory birds that have arrived and to just listen to the sea.

If you would like to enjoy a Sunday morning like this have a look at our Ile de Ré holiday home. Remember, the Easter holidays are sooner than you think. You can book it here.

Ile de Ré: One of France’s Best Holidays

 

Last winter it was the New York Times that put the Ile de Ré on a best list.  Now The Times has done it.  Celebrating the island in its list of the 50 best French holidays and as one of the 10 best French breaks for families. I have to agree…

Great beaches, lovely food and if you want to get on a bike, brilliant.  The island is a cyclist’s dream.  A network of cycle routes goes up, down and across Ré.  Pedalling is made that much easier by the lack of hills.

By bike you are never more than a few minutes from another beach.  Of course if four legs rather than two wheels is your kind of thing, there are always the donkeys.  On a good day you can hear them from our garden.

There are more places to rent a bike than rent a car on the island.  A cycle certainly gets you to places you can’t drive to.  Your wheels will be handy for some of the oyster shacks.

However you spend your day, be it on the  beach or just wandering the whitewashed villages, you need to be ready for sundown.  The island gets some brilliant sunsets.  We love the short walk from our house in St Martin de Ré  to see the amazing colours round the harbour.

In summer St Martin de Ré has its own night market. You can have dinner at our favourite harbourside restaurant, Bistrot Marin and then check out the stalls as you wander home to dream of the next day. Hoping it will start with breakfast in the garden.

To find out more about our house on the Ile de Ré click here.

For the latest on availability check here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Valentines on the Ile de Ré

If it’s Valentines then surely it has to be oysters.  There are plenty of them to be had at the moment on the Ile de Ré.  I clocked these with their special Saint Valentin box in La Flotte.

Our half hour Sunday morning walk from our house in St Martin de Ré to La Flotte certainly left us feeling peckish and there was plenty to choose from in the market.  The big bonus no peak season crowds.

It’s not just about seafood.  It’s amazing what they can do with pork.  Great lumps of it.

I always find Sunday mornings in La Flotte market a bit of a treat and this time despite it being winter, the sun was shining.

After a coffee while watching the world go by down by the harbour, we walked back to St Martin, taking the coast route.  A chance to see the migratory birds that have arrived and to just listen to the sea.

If you would like to enjoy a Sunday morning like this have a look at our Ile de Ré holiday home.  You can book it here.