Domaine Le Midi

Around 80 kilometres of cycle routes and 64 kilometres of walking trails connect the north and south of Noirmoutier, past pretty picturesque villages, wild coastline and wide beaches. The island's also a nature reserve, known for its birdwatching, and a place of traditional culture and farming methods such as salt extraction and oyster and shellfish farming; have a day around 12th-century Château de Noirmoutier and its museum for more info on the island and its heritage. It's a short stroll of 650 metres or so from the site to the lively tourist town of Barbatre, the closest commune to the Passage du Gois leading from mainland France to Noirmoutier. A 10-minute drive north from Barbatre is the island's main town of Noirmoutier-en-Ille, where a morning market runs four days a week. Sailing schools and boat trips are easily accessible nearby: ask the site team for details.