Tanfans may simply want to bask on the idyllic beaches of the west coast and its islands, and will find themselves virtually alone out of season. Surfers and wave-riders of all kinds will know the beaches of the north-west coast of the Île d’Oléron and cyclists the kilometres of routes which crisscross the peaceful Île de Ré. Gourmets will certainly have heard of the oysters of Marennes but all foodies can eat their hearts out here on the simple fare made from spanking fresh produce straight from the sea, rivers, marshes, vineyards and farmland.

A twitcher’s delight
With three nature reserves and the headquarters of the bird protection association, the Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux, at Rochefort. The Marais de Moëze marshland, opposite the Île d’Oléron, is the second most important winter stop in France (after Mont Saint-Michel) for migrating birds. Here is your chance to see the white stork, and, in summer, the hobby and short-toed eagle. Lilleaudes- Niges, on the northern tip of the Île de Ré, is home to the bright shelduck, the western marsh harrier and the European spoonbill, to name a few. In the Fouras marshes, storks perch in their telegraph pole nests like sentinels. In summer, look out for purple herons. You may even spot the rare garganey, as well as widgeons, pintail ducks, pochards and little ringed plovers… just be patient.

Besides substantial prehistoric and Roman remains, the area abounds in magnificent ecclesiastic and secular architecture. The wealth from the salt trade was often spent, in the fervently religious Middle Ages, on endowing churches, hostels and abbeys. All around the Saintonge are signs of the facilities for welcoming exhausted pilgrims on their long journey to Santiago de Compostela along the Via Turonensis.
To appreciate the very distinct atmospheres and architecture of the inland cities and the islands, museums help to give at least an inkling of the history of this key point on France’s west coast where les Anglais have more than a small hand in the story.
So if you hazard an out-of-season visit and are unlucky with the weather, don’t rush away, the clouds pass quickly here. A rainy day is an opportunity to do some sightseeing and maybe learn something of the area’s fascinating history. Museums these days are attractive, often hi-tech and interactive, aimed at interesting everyone from French schoolchildren to visiting grown-ups.