Au Petit Port de L’Houmeau

Wander west for 10 minutes or so from the site and you’ll hit the coast: the nearest beach is a quiet pebbly stretch with lush views and safe swims. Stroll a little further up the coast (around 10 minutes) to the fishing village of Plomb, where you can sample local seafood including fresh oysters. Perhaps the best way to get around these parts is to hire bikes on site (adult and kids’ bikes available, plus trailers for the tinies). Take them off to Île de Ré for a fab day of cycling around some of the island’s 110 kilometres of bike path, taking in dunes, lighthouses and historic fortifications as you pedal, and maybe stopping off for watersports including sailing and kitesurfing. Also easily accessed by bike is La Rochelle, where you can potter around the old port, visit the maritime museum and see the sea life at the excellent aquarium.