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NEW YORK, NY, NOVEMBER 17, 2014 — The Atlantic coastal stretch of Poitou-Charentes, an off-the-beaten-path region of central western France, is said to be one of the sunniest in the country. Two of its most prominent draws are the port city of La Rochelle and the island of Ile de Ré, separately and together able to offer distractions of great appeal to American travelers: history, culture, pampering, gastronomy and adventure.
La Rochelle La Rochelle is the principal port of the Poitou-Charentes region. Founded in the 10th century, it started as a town of fishermen and salt merchants, but grew into a major seafaring center. By virtue of its position, medieval walls, arcaded streets, and 16th- and 17th-century houses with sculpted facades, La Rochelle is now the third most-visited town in France.
Old Port and Old Center – With its three solid towers guarding the harbor entrance, the Old Port (Vieux Port) of La Rochelle is one of the most photographed ports on the Atlantic coast. On summer evenings, the quays are closed to traffic and street entertainers move in. Imposing private mansions still overlook the port and line the arcaded streets of the old town. Other landmarks include the great clock tower, La Bourse (the Stock Exchange), the Renaissance Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall) and the galleried Maison Henri II mansion. The city’s covered market occurs every morning until noon.
Aquarium – La Rochelle's aquarium is home to around 10,000 creatures from the world’s oceans that live in 800,000 gallons of seawater. The highlight for many visitors is a close encounter with the sharks. Open 365 days a year, the aquarium doors don't shut until 11pm in July and August.
Events – La Rochelle hosts many nationally and internationally known festivals. These include Francofolies, a celebration of all types of French-language music and one of France’s leading annual summer music festivals; Grand Pavois, one of the top five international in-water boat shows, held in the Minimes Port for pleasure boaters; and the La Rochelle International Film Festival, during which tens of thousands of spectators take in hundreds of film screenings.
Accommodation – Just five minutes from the Old Port of La Rochelle, the three-star Best Western Hotel Champlain France-Angleterre has both comfort and garden calm right in the city center. The Best Western Hôtel Masqhotel is a four-star design hotel featuring the work of great contemporary designers. A stone's throw from the Tour de la Lanterne is the four-star La Monnaie Art & Spa Hotel, located in a renovated 17th-century residence.
Ile de Ré
Appealing whitewashed houses and famous sun-bleached salt marshes give Ile de Ré its nickname - the White Island. But its color and beauty are more complex than that, typified by brightly painted shutters on the houses, but also brought to life by its gorgeous villages, thalassotherapy spas, natural appeal, bicycling activities and high-end accommodation.
Gorgeous Villages – The largest village on the island is honeysuckle- and hollyhock-filled St-Martin-de-Ré, which boasts a sizable fortified harbor for both working and pleasure boats. The citadel and star-shaped ramparts, improved by Louis XIV’s renowned military engineer, Vauban, are now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They can best be admired from the town's bell tower (1.75 € per person to climb). Watch out on the ramparts for the Anes en Culottes, the island’s famous Donkeys in Trousers – a reminder of the days when donkeys worked the salt pans, their legs protected by striped trousers.
Thalassotherapy Spas – Given its expansive embrace of and by the sea, Ile de Ré offers top-quality thalassotherapy in three renowned establishments: Relais Thalasso Ile de Ré , Thalacap Ile de Ré and Centre de Thalasso le Richelieu - Institut Thalgo . Classic revitalizing, young-mother, anti-stress and slimming treatments are complemented by a full menu of special attentions and spa facilities for massage, modeling, jet baths and showers, seaweed wraps, marine mud baths and more.
Natural Appeal (Salt Marshes) – The northwest of the island is dominated by 1,135 acres of white salt marshes. Every year between June and September, a cooperative of a hundred or so salt workers gathers for the annual harvest, using time-worn traditional methods dating back to the 12th century. The marshes are key to safeguarding the extraordinary floral and faunal biodiversity of the island. Situated at Loix and open all year round is an ecomuseum (www.marais-salant.com, 4.80 € per person) that explores the history of salt production on the island.
Bicycling Activities – Among many other outdoor activities (like standup paddling, canoeing and sailing), bicycling is a way of life on Ile de Ré, where the highest point is just 62 feet above sea level. More than 60 miles of marked cycle tracks wind through the vineyards, forests, salt marshes, oyster beds and nature reserves. In summer, the centers of most villages are closed to vehicular traffic and there is bike hire in every village and at most hotels.
High-End Accommodation – Surrounded by a park just a few steps from St-Martin-de-Ré's port and fortifications, the four-star Clos Saint-Martin Hôtel & Spa promises quality service, calm, a heated outdoor pools and the Spa by Clarins. Also in town, in a 17th-century former ship owner’s residence are the five-star Hotel Toiras and its sister property, the four-star Villa Clarisse (Relais & Châteaux), the latter on Travel + Leisure's ‘It List Best News Hotels 2012’. MV Lodges (Minutias Villages) (http://www.mv-lodge.com/) is a new generation of holiday homes providing two- or three-bedroom accommodation with en suite bathrooms, dining room and kitchen.
