Booking open for 2018 on the Ile de Ré

It may be all about Christmas in the shops right now but I know some people will already be thinking summer 2018 and holiday plans.  Our booking website has just been updated so you can pick dates for next year.  At the same time we have been busy giving the outside of our house in Saint Martin de Ré a fresh lick of paint.

So if you are thinking summer 2018, how about the Ile de Ré and its beautiful beaches, amazing bike rides, lovely local seafood and even rasta donkeys…

And yes, we can even do you a lovely sunset…

To read more about our house in Saint Martin de Ré click here.

To book our house right now click here.

In 2018 the Ile de Ré will be connected to even more of the UK.  Jet2 will be flying to La Rochelle/Ile de Ré from Leeds Bradford starting in June.  You can also fly from Birmingham, Bristol, Gatwick, Manchester and Southampton .  In addition Ryanair flies all year round from London Stanstead.  Ideal for a bit of winter sunshine on the Ile de Ré.

 

 

Stretching Summer on the Ile de Ré

Sunday afternoon on the Ile de Ré.  It looks lovely.  Even better is that it is a Sunday in late September.  A Sunday so warm you can go swimming in the sea at 6pm.  It hit 28 celsius the afternoon these pictures were taken. We had friends over from London.  They got a breakfast time Ryanair flight from Stanstead and were at our house in St Martin de Ré before 11am.  A quick walk to the bike rental shop and we were off to a brocante in La Flotte.We found a Le Creuset baking dish for 50 cents and then stopped for moules frites and a glass of rose in the sunshine.  Next stop the beach. Despite the sun it was far from packed.Imagine the delight of our friends.  Just a few hours after leaving London they were lying on the sand topping up their tans.  September on the Ile de Ré is like this most years.  Days of temperatures around 28 celsius and of course the kids are back at school.  Ideal for a quiet sunshine break at low season rates. To find out more about renting our holiday home on the Ile de Ré click here…

http://reagence.fr/location,vacances,iledere,st-martin-de-re,maison-de-pays/0312.html

 

 

 

 

Perfect poisson

If Jemapa ( see the When the Boat comes in entry ) can’t provide the fish you need, then surely the Bordin family can come up with goods.

From Bar to Rouget. Not forgetting Moules, Crevettes and even Anchois, they have it all.  If you can’t make your mind up you can always snap up one of their big jars of fish soup.

But what makes their stall in the St Martin de Re market stand out is the way all the fish is displayed.  It looks so fresh, you want to buy something. 

The best time to see the show and it is a show, even if it’s your taste buds that will enjoy it most, is first thing in the morning, when the market has just opened.

Sometimes you’ll think how can they sell this much fish? But come back close to 1pm and often the choice is limited.  It is simply the finest fresh fish.

And if you need a house to cook it in.  Just click here…

http://reagence.fr/st-martin-de-re/maison-de-pays/interieur-village/0312.html

When the boat comes in

One of the many delights of the island is the fish.  In restaurants keep your eyes open for poissons from petit bateau.  The fish that comes in on the small boats.  Probably the best known small boat on the island is Jemapa, the last surviving working fishing boat in La Flotte.

The catch is unloaded on the quay just in front of the Tourist Office.

You can buy the fish direct every Monday to Saturday morning 10.30 – 12.30 from the family house at 63 Route De St Martin, La Flotte.  (2018 UPDATE: Since this blog post was first written Jemapa has switched to selling several afternoons a week on the quayside in St Martin de Ré)

Hungry for more?  Then check the availability of our lovely house in St Martin right now.  It sleeps up to 8 but is also ideal for just a couple or two couples wanting to share a week on one of France’s loveliest islands.

http://vacances-iledere.fr/location-vacances-0312-villa-4-pieces-saint-martin-de-re.html