A TRENDY CHIC ISLAND TAILORED TO HUMAN PROPORTIONS:
This beautiful exclusive villa is on Ile de Ré, a popular summer resort in Charente-Maritime on the western shore of the Atlantic. The tiny island (30 km long and between 100 m and 5 km wide) possesses many navigable waterways, a varied coastline with the largest beaches along the southern coast and yachting harbours on the sheltered northern side. The “White Island”, as it is also known, is linked to the busy port of La Rochelle by a bridge (built in 1988) stretching in a gentle curve over 3, 5 km. It is located 500 km from Paris and is reached daily by direct plane from Paris, London-Stansted, Birmingham and Southampton; by TGV in 3 hours or by the motorway in 4 and half hours from Paris. Bordeaux, the ancient city and wine centre, is 150 kilometres away. Ile de Ré is best visited by bike. (Bikes are for rent everywhere). It is home to 16, 000 islanders who have chosen to live there year-round. It boasts 10 communes, all distinctly genuine villages. Please ask to see our website.
VINEYARDS, SALT, OYSTERS AND POTATOES:
In the 17th century, boats exported wine and salt from “Ré la Blanche” so named for its salt-marshes. The second part of the 19th century proved disastrous: phylloxera destroyed the vineyards and the salt- marshes were ruined by bad weather and competition from imported salt from the East and South of France. The population fell by half. Today, vineyards occupy five times as little area as they once did. However, they still produce the traditional Cognac, Charente table wines and the excellent “Pineau des Charentes”. Farmers grow a type of early potato, for which they have managed to gain an Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (A.0.C.). Oyster-farming made its appearance around 150 years ago when people learned to cultivate the oysters (“Fines” and “Spéciales de claires”) which so far they had merely gathered Salt production had very nearly disappeared. A new generation has now rolled up their sleeves to prepare salt-pans and revive the harvesting of “white gold”.
SIGHTSEEING ON THE ISLAND :
The 10 typical villages of the island (Rivedoux,-Plage, Sainte-Marie de Ré (labelled Station Verte de Vacances), Le Bois Plage en Ré, La Couarde sur Mer, Ars en Ré, Saint-Clément des Baleines, Les Portes en Ré, Loix, Saint-Martin de Ré, La Flotte); Saint-Martin, the historical capital with its beautiful precincts fortified by Vauban; 12th-century Cistercian Abbaye des Châteliers; old royal buildings dating back to the British and French periods and the French religious wars (13th and 17th centuries); small museums such as the Hôtel de Clergeotte in Saint-Martin, or the Musée du Platin at La Flotte; one of the biggest European wild bird sanctuaries: Lilleau des Niges; salt-marshes where salt is still harvested before your eyes, oyster-farms, vineyards; the alleys between the green-shuttered whitewashed houses and their hollyhocks; numerous cycle-paths, windmills and thousands of other surprises – and finally, the bustling protestant city of La Rochelle with its museums and restaurants.
Other Activities:
Salt Marshes, historical and local museums, the bustling Protestant city of La Rochelle
