The west coast of the island

Three splendid villages enliven the west coast of the island: la Couarde- sur-Mer, Le Bois-Plage-en-Ré and Sainte-Marie-de-Ré.

La Couarde-sur-mer

Located at the centre of the island, the village of La Couarde seduces by the diversity of its landscape: kilometres of fine white sand, dunes, salt marshes, grapevine… It’s all eye-candy!
The flowered alleyways of this village will take you on a sweet reverie and numerous festivities take place at the centre of the village and in its picturesque bandstand.

The village of La Couarde also welcomes la Maline,  the only performance venue and film theatre of the île de Ré.

Check the programme of the shows and the film screenings at your campsite reception or at the tourist office.

Le Bois-plage-en-Ré

The name of this village speaks for itself. Le Bois-Plage stretches among lovely pine and oak woods and boarded by wonderful beaches. Let’s mention the widely known Plages des Gollandières (and the Beach Volley court), the Gros Jonc (a surfer’s paradise) or even the Pas des Bœufs. There is a family and festive mood in the centre of village which is one of the most animated of the island. Its huge colourful market on the village and church square and its fairground (during the summertime and some holidays) will rejoice all.

Sainte-Marie-de-Ré

Here we are now in the most populated village of the island year-round (3379 inhabitants in 2015). Between ocean, cliffs and grapevine, Sainte-Marie is an invitation to walks, rides and reverie.

Lose yourself in the maze of its flowered alleyways, admire its church and its pointy steeple with the shopkeepers of the place d’Antioche and place des Tilleuls, and stroll along its daily markets.

Feel like reading? The Sainte-Marie library is the largest library with the largest collection of the island. Each year, it comes to the plage Montamer just to offer you the simple joy of quietly basking in the sun with a good book. The parc de Montamer, just by the beach, is a great place to spend some time for grown-ups and children alike, with its playgrounds.

Feel like being pampered? Book some time at the Relais Thalasso  (Thalassotherapy institute).