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Ile D’Oleron is a Picturesque French Island and is a Wonderful Alternative to More Mainstream
Vacation Spots
At the end of a picturesque drive over a three-kilometer long bridge somewhere in France, lies an equally picturesque island called Ile D’Oleron. Actually, it’s not just anywhere. Ile D’Oleron or Oleron as the locals call it, is situated between La Rochelle and Rochefort. It lies to the south of a petite island called Ile d’Re and both these islands belong to the department of Poitou-Charentes.
This is one of those few places where even modern transport cannot take you to all the way. You have to drive into this island regardless of whether you have to take a train or fly into the closest city. Fishing boats sail below the bridge during high tide and you get a phenomenal view of the little inlet that is formed by the flowing water.
Summers are crazy and everybody in Europe wants to make the most of their vacation time. With the French and Italian Riviera and even Costa del Sol burgeoning with the number of people that make their way there every year, vacationers are only too happy to tread off the beaten track. They are making their way to places like Ile D’Oleron that are relatively undiscovered and have so much to offer. Other than beautiful and clean beaches, white sand and aquamarine water, the island is covered with forests, an enormous oyster farm and long winding cycling tracks.
The blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean looked like a scene from a picture postcard. Unfortunately, an occasional cold drift can make the water quite chilly. However, you can indulge in several activities on the beach if the water is not too inviting. A cautionary note on swimming would be to stay vigilant for lurking jellyfish and if you do get stung, some vinegar poured over the bite will help.
This is France, which is known to be quite a liberal country. Topless sunbathing is not illegal and you’ll find quite a few women, and men, lying endlessly on their beach towels for that perfect tan. Off the main beach of the island lies oval shaped Fort Boyard. This is an island fort and was the focus of an immensely popular T.V show in France, something along the lines of The Crystal Maze. Put aside an entire day to visit the fort.
Should you need any help; the island’s tourism office will provide you with all the necessary information. Hire a bike and explore the area where the ride through fields, past defunct distilleries, along virgin beaches and over rivulets will leave you captivated. It’s difficult to get lost here as most tracks go around the entire island, so in all probability, you’re just going in circles.
The phare or the lighthouse of Ile D’Oleron is of the few attraction of historical value on the island. To get a breathtaking view climb the narrow winding 5 flights of stairs. Getting to the top is quite a task and the original wooden staircase still exists. This means only one-way traffic, which is a bit tedious yet humorous! Legend has it that Europeans once though of this point as the end of the world and there is even an ancient milestone that says this. After the trek up and down the lighthouse try out the wares of the ice cream vendor in the premises who boasts of selling 101 flavours of sorbet and ice cream.
The Huitre or Oyster Farm is a fascinating place where you can see how oysters are produced. A tractor ride takes you through the endless rows of oysters on manmade trellises. It can get very boring since there’s not much to see except well…oysters! An occasional sighting of a jellyfish will perhaps be the highlight of the tour. The guide unfortunately spoke only French, and despite understanding the language very well, I couldn’t wait to get off the tractor and onto the white sands of the beach and into the water.
Chillibreeze's disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article.
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