Friday Fun - Ile de Re

The posh side of the harbour in St Martin

"There’s something oddly egalitarian about the French island of Ile de Ré. It’s Unesco-protected, attracts wealthy Parisians and British holidaymakers, and St Martin, the capital, has restaurants and boutiques that post prices to rival Paris or Nice. And yet its former citadel is home to France’s largest correctional facility, and until 1938 was the departure point for convicts bound for the French penal colonies.

The island is in its prime in the summer, but is equally appealing off season... " or so said Simon Horsford in a newspaper article a couple of years ago and so we went to test his view.

...and the not so posh - see the difference

The bridge is as ever a brilliant site as it crescents across the water. In the low season the tariff for a car is 8 euro - the tariff is now an eco-tariff, replacing the bridge toll as of January 1st. We passed by Rivedoux and pottered through a picturesque but (all bit) deserted La Flotte and pulled up on the quay in St Martin. It was - very cold - as it had been all week - but with less wind around we were able to have an amble around. There was plenty of life around the harbour including a several cafes open for lunch. We settled for a coffee and a snack in Fred's at Rivedoux before returning to Nantilly to settle in front of the fire for the rest of the day.