YOUR PROGRAM

Day 1 :

Arrival at La Rochelle. Installation at the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.

Day 2 :

Breakfast. Guided walking tour of the old town of La Rochelle with the old port and its towers, arcaded streets, half-timbered houses and its majestic Town Hall. Discovery of the ports of this maritime city par excellence. Lunch. Afternoon free for an individual discovery or a visit the famous aquarium. Return to the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.

Day 3 :

Breakfast. Guided excursion to Ré Island, linked to the mainland by a magnificent viaduct bridge. Passage near the commercial port of La Pallice. After the bridge, it is a succession of fishing villages, oyster beds, vineyards and long sandy beaches. Arrival in Saint-Martin-de-Ré, capital of the island, a fortified town with its citadel built by Vauban and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lunch. Continuation of your discovery by Ars and its black and white bell tower which dominates the island’s salt-growing region and a vast nature reserve. Stop at the Whale Lighthouse. Continue to Loix-en-Ré in an exceptional setting. Discovery of the history of the salt marshes with an explanation of how the marshes work, production techniques and a visit to the site. Return to the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.

Day 4 :

Breakfast. Departure for a guided excursion in the Poitevin marshes. Arrival in Coulon and visit of the wet marshes house. Located in a 16th and 17th century building, this ecomuseum bears witness to the history of these men and women through their traditions and their environment. Lunch with market garden specialities. In the afternoon, commented tour aboard a “plate”, traditional boat of the marshes which was for a long time the only way of transportation. Pushed silently with a stick called “la Pigouille”, the boats will take you to the heart of this maze of greenery. Enjoy a regional local snack. Return to the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.

Day 5 :

Breakfast. Guided excursion to the Oléron Island. Guided discovery by small train of the citadel of the castle of Oléron. Oyster tasting. Lunch. Guided tour of the fish auction of the fishing port of La Cotinière, number 6 in the ranking of French fishing ports. Discover the behind-the-scenes of the port: the boats of the fishermen and their fishing techniques. Then, watch the auction from a gallery above the auction room. Visit a wine estate with sampling. Return to the hotel. Dinner and accommodation.

Day 6 :

Breakfast. Check out and transfer to your next destination.