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Things to do in the Ile d'Oleron

Things to do in the Ile d'Oleron

The Ile d’Oleron (the island of Oleron) is a holiday-makers’ paradise, with miles upon miles of sandy beaches, a very extensive network of cycle paths, lots of opportunities for fishing and a number of historic buildings. This means there are lots of things to do for all, regardless of age, centres of interest or physical fitness, making it the perfect place for a weekend break in France.

The outdoor life par excellence on the Ile d’Oleron

There are few better places to enjoy the outdoor life than the island of Oleron just off France’s Atlantic coast. One of the best ways of really getting into the great outdoors on your holidays is sleeping outside in a tent but benefitting from the mod cons provided by Azureva’s very own campsite and holiday village on the island of Oleron.

If you haven’t brought your own bicycles, don’t worry, you can hire them at the resort. Then you’re free to enjoy over 130km of cycle paths winding their way through the island’s diverse landscapes, from pine forests to marshes and dunes and meadows. Other ways of travelling around the island include horse-riding and scooters!

Of course, the outdoor life isn’t confined to dry land. Holidays on the island generally involve at least some water sports activities. There are multiple ways of getting out on the waves: yachting, windsurfing, catamarans, stand-up paddleboarding, surfing, bodyboarding, jet skiing and scuba diving!

If the weather takes a turn for the worse, or you aren’t sure what to do with the kids, the facilities of the resort, which specializes in family friendly holidays in France give you a variety of additional entertainment options!

Explore the Ile d’Oleron’s rich natural heritage

You’ll soon discover that the island’s wide variety of habitats has not only been a blessing to its wildlife, but also its human inhabitants down the years. The mildness of the maritime climate on the Ile d’Oleron means plants and trees more associated with the south of France like olive, fig and orange trees grow here. You maybe wouldn’t associate holidays on the island with activities such as wine tasting, but there are a number of vineyard tours available, including the chance to sample something of a local star tipple – the fortified white and red wines known as ‘Pineau de Charentes’. The island’s grapes are also made into a slightly more famous product – Cognac!

Much of nature’s bounty on the island of Oleron is, naturally enough, associated with the ocean. One industry that has recently started again is that of sea salt harvesting. You can visit the ‘Port des Salines’, a fascinating working museum and nature centre which delves into the age-old salt production industry and the unusual natural world of the salt marsh and the wildlife that inhabits it. Guided tours and boat rentals offer yet more perspectives on this facet of the island’s past.

If you’re running out of things to do, why not head to the island’s east coast – home of one of its most delicious residents – locally-produced oysters! At Fort-Royer, guided tours explain the mysteries of this now reinvigorated local industry – followed, of course, by a tasting session!

Holidays in the wider West of France region

As the Ile d’Oleron is connected to the mainland by a bridge, it’s easy to explore other parts of the west of France from this island base. There’s a particularly good selection of accommodation ideal for nature holidays in France located in the nearby Vendée, just north of the island. Although it doesn’t offer the option of camping, Vendée holidays, based out of the holiday resort of Longeville-sur-Mer, give you the chance to explore France’s second-largest wetland, the Marais Poitevin, which is just on the doorstep!

If you want to find out more about things to do on an Azureva holiday, just give us a call on 0033 (0)4 74 32 74 63 or email us at [email protected].

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