Ile de re or D' oleron (1 Viewer)

Aug 10, 2008
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we are thinking of going to one of the above next year poss end June or July, is it to far for 2 weeks ? Which is the best, will be taking bike and dog,
 

Anthea M

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We like both but marginally preferred the Ilse de re have a look at @Mousy trip that's a great read about the island.

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haganap

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We done oleron this year. ..wouldn't want twould weeks there tbh ..some great beaches ...
 

magicsurfbus

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Both are very similar in character, have similar points of interest to visit, are equally bike friendly, and are equally difficult to park motorhomes outside the aires and campsites. Bikes are a must for both islands. My preference is for the Ile de Re, simply because the sandy beaches on the south west side are easier to get to if you have a MH. There's an aire next to one of them.

As for distance, you can be there in two days if you don't mind a long haul from Calais on day one. You could stop overnight in the huge aires at either Parc Futuroscope or Parc Puy du Fou then head for the coast next day - the Parks themselves are both worth some time. La Rochelle is also worth a look and has an aire in the P&R.
 
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magicsurfbus

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The toll rate halves outside the high season. I seem to remember it being around €16 for 3.5 tonnes last August.
 

mikebeaches

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If you did the longer sea crossing on Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth to St Malo, you should easily get to either island in the day. But as mentioned by magicsufbus, you'd really need an overnight if driving from Calais.

I reckon they would be easy to visit on a fortnight's holiday.
 

Techno

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From a French website

The bridge toll costs €16 return in the summer season (20 June to 11 September) and €8 return at all other times.

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Hollyberry

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Either are easily done in 2 weeks in a motorhome, with visiting Loire on the way down and other coastal areas on the way up.
My daughter, husband and 2 kids (7&3) spent 2 weeks on the Il de Re this summer, with an overnight stop in each direction. They stayed on the island as it was just after the Nice attacks and my daughter was wary of visiting cities with the children. They found enough to do, kids are happy playing on a beach and the 7 year old surfs with dad. She thought food was expensive! Daily market and enough shops.
 

Baggers53

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We have just been to both.
The Ile D`Oleron is bigger and hence there is more to do and see, although its not that easy to get
around in a MH.
The Ile du Re is much smaller and appears to be prettier.Great beaches and a cyclists dream.
Both are worth a visit but for me its the Ile du Re.

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May 7, 2011
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Been too both prefer Ile de Re , personally!!
We too are thinking of going back next year , not sure whether June or Sept. But taking dog this time so more than likely use a campsite for a few days, we don't use c/sites usually.we did last time & it was right next to the beach,
That's us on the right with our 2 friends in there moho
upload_2016-10-6_12-27-3.jpeg


This was the beach ,not brill but good to collect moules
upload_2016-10-6_12-28-10.jpeg


Breakfast with seaviews
upload_2016-10-6_12-29-1.jpeg


Evening BBQ
upload_2016-10-6_12-29-37.jpeg


This was a cheap municipal c/site at St Marie de Re
 
May 21, 2008
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The municipal site is good.

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denisejoe

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just checked the islands web site and it just says cars and motorhomes are the same price €16 summer €9 other times

joe
 

Emmit

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We were in France earlier in the year and on our travels we visited a bit of a motorhome show (somewhere near the bottom of Brittany.
One thing I did notice was that every motorhome, regardless of size indicated that it was 3.5tonnes. It didn't matter whether it was a coachbuilt or a big A Class. it said 3.5 tonnes.
I wonder whether the tollsters at the Ile de Re have the thought process Motorhome =3.5tns. Therefore Motorhome, regardless of size is the same as a car (for their purposes.)
 

snowdrops

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On Ile de Re toll very reasonable and only one way ...
Prices:

For cars / motor caravans:

> Winter season (12/09 to 19/06 included): €8

> Summer season (20/06 to 11/09 included): €16

Spent weeks on the Ile de re, beautiful beaches, great campsites, fab restaurants, lots of history and for us, we just love that you can bike around the whole island. We usually stay nr Loix for a few days then move down nr Flotte for the rest. Very different areas. If you love birding there's loads on the saltmarsh. Not been to the other. Ile de Re very easily reached from Calais in one go, (apart from some coffee, lunch breaks).

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Nov 9, 2011
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Been to Il de Re many times with our dogs smashing place, another excellent site apart from the municipal at St Marie is La Puma at La Courde but you may not be able to take your dog on the beach in July on the island. Picture is the beach 5 mins walk through pine forest from La Puma. We will be there again next year but we go over end of Aug to middle of Oct
 

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Ridgeway

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Planning a trip this summer but just noticed that the bridge toll looks like €40 >3m. Will try to use my dodgy BipnGo box...

Is it possible to "survive" for a week there and can you get by on bicycles and local shopping ?

My guess is big shop on the mainland and then local shops.
 
Nov 9, 2011
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Hi Ridgeway, bridge tolls are as snowdrops posted 8 euro low season 16 high. We always used to stock up at La Rochelle before we went over the bridge but there's no need there are lots of supermarkets on the island and they are not any dearer than the big hypermarkets on the mainland, also lots of markets there's a good one at Le Bois. We do our daily shopping on our bikes and then a supermarket shop about every 4 days or so in the van at St Martins which has 2 good size supermarkets.
Hope you enjoy it over there as much as we have, been going there for about 15 years now.

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kelv

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I will be going to il de re last 2 weeks in June fantastic island very bike friendly have been to both islands
 

MattR

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we are thinking of going to one of the above next year poss end June or July, is it to far for 2 weeks ? Which is the best, will be taking bike and dog,

Why not do both? Only an hour and a half driving time apart.
 

Ridgeway

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Hi Ridgeway, bridge tolls are as snowdrops posted 8 euro low season 16 high. We always used to stock up at La Rochelle before we went over the bridge but there's no need there are lots of supermarkets on the island and they are not any dearer than the big hypermarkets on the mainland, also lots of markets there's a good one at Le Bois. We do our daily shopping on our bikes and then a supermarket shop about every 4 days or so in the van at St Martins which has 2 good size supermarkets.
Hope you enjoy it over there as much as we have, been going there for about 15 years now.

Yes that was the part that was confusing me as I checked the prices here and it states €40 for class 4 (>3m) but it's good to here that the supermarkets are competitive on the island and easy to get to.

Thanks

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Stayed at aires on both islands and had great time. Brilliant for bikes and dog walks ,would recommend both.
 

magicsurfbus

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Yes that was the part that was confusing me as I checked the prices here and it states €40 for class 4 (>3m) but it's good to here that the supermarkets are competitive on the island and easy to get to.
Thanks

Most MHs would be Class 2 (ours was), maybe class 3 if over 3.5 tonnes, just like the Autoroute toll booths. There's a bit of leeway with height in reality.

The big supermarkets are at Saint-Martin-de-Re, Chateau d'Oleron, and Saint Pierre d'Oleron.

La Rochelle has more shops than a shopper could shake a shopping trolley at. It's just a huge shop basically, with some old stone bits and water thrown in. Great if you like to shop.
 

Ridgeway

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Thanks MSB, i'll deflate the tyres a bit and try to sneak in as class3.... agree it's 50/50 though on the tolls. Good to know about the supermarkets, thanks for that.

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