Camping La Perroche Plage

The excellent Île d'Oléron is an island of cycle paths, watersports, oyster farms, salt marshes and over 80 kilometres of coastline, most of which can be hiked or biked. Canoeing, sea kayaking, scuba diving, sailing, kitesurfing and paddleboarding are all available nearby, and a sailing school is at the site's beach of La Perroche. A couple of kilometres away, La Cotinière has been an island fishing port for centuries, most famously yielding sardines and shrimp, but also a landing point for cuttlefish, lobster and langoustine, and around half of all of France's production of céteau. The port is also the site of the Lighthouse of La Cotinière, standing scenically on the island's south-west. Lighthouse fans should see Chassiron lighthouse on the north of the island too, for its museum as well as its picworthy views over Oléron's east coast, Fort Boyard and the Île de Ré. The 17th-century fortress of the Château d'Oléron (eight kilometres) has regular exhibitions and events, and the La Cité de l'Huître oyster museum has tours of the salt marshes alongside the story of Oléron's oyster farming industry.