Olonne-sur-mer The real target of our trip was Brittany so after the Ile d'Oleron, we picked a point about half way: Olonne-sur-mer. I knew there was surf in the area, and from the photos and the bit of research I did, the place looked interesting.
There are miles of beaches ranging from very rugged rocky areas to large sand dunes. Just inland from the ocean is a forest, which Napoleon had planted to protect the inland areas from the sand blowing off the coast, and just a bit further inland from the forest are marshes which are stops for migrating birds and home to many exotic orchids.
The forest and the marshes are crisscrossed by almost 75 kilometers (~45 miles) of biking/hiking trails and kayaks and canoes are available for exploring the marshes.
The area has a remarkable history dating back 2500 years. The Romans occupied it because of its prosperous port. England owned it beginning in the 9th century and Richard the Lionhearted considered it his favorite hunting area in France.
There are miles of beaches ranging from very rugged rocky areas to large sand dunes. Just inland from the ocean is a forest, which Napoleon had planted to protect the inland areas from the sand blowing off the coast, and just a bit further inland from the forest are marshes which are stops for migrating birds and home to many exotic orchids.
The forest and the marshes are crisscrossed by almost 75 kilometers (~45 miles) of biking/hiking trails and kayaks and canoes are available for exploring the marshes.
The area has a remarkable history dating back 2500 years. The Romans occupied it because of its prosperous port. England owned it beginning in the 9th century and Richard the Lionhearted considered it his favorite hunting area in France.
View of Olonne-sur-mer Olonne-sur-mer is a community of about 14,000 people, just 5 minutes from the city of Les Sable d'Olonne. Contrary to its name, Les Sable d'Olonne doesn't have much sand and the city is trying to find ways to save its main beach. There's some discussion about unifying the two communities.
We arrived at the Logis Des Maraichers Monday night after a 5 hour drive that was supposed to be half that. Philip greeted us and showed us to our room. The Logis has 4 very elegant rooms in a closed courtyard with an outside dining area (for breakfast), and a swimming pool. Philip then invited us to the office where he showed us maps of the area, indicated surfing spots, and made some restaurant recommendations. He thought most would be open since it was a holiday.
Unfortunately, his first recommendation was closed so we chose another on his list - touted for great seafood. I'd have to say that although the service was excellent, the food was mediocre.
We arrived at the Logis Des Maraichers Monday night after a 5 hour drive that was supposed to be half that. Philip greeted us and showed us to our room. The Logis has 4 very elegant rooms in a closed courtyard with an outside dining area (for breakfast), and a swimming pool. Philip then invited us to the office where he showed us maps of the area, indicated surfing spots, and made some restaurant recommendations. He thought most would be open since it was a holiday.
Unfortunately, his first recommendation was closed so we chose another on his list - touted for great seafood. I'd have to say that although the service was excellent, the food was mediocre.
After dinner we drove around the city. Although there is much history in the area, it seems a bit hard to find or perhaps just incongruous with the city itself. The Chateau St. Clair which houses a museum and has a lighthouse on its tower is interesting as are the Menhirs - standing stones that may date from 9000 years ago. But as evidenced by the photo of the main beach which I borrowed from the city's tourism site, it seems like the city is trying to take on a very modern Riviera-like look at the expense of its history. It probably doesn't help that during World War II, as the Germans were retreating, they destroyed the port, mined the beaches, and wiped out much of the city.
There's a nice port, but a lot of industrialization in it. The city doesn't have much charm. We tried to find some cohesiveness but couldn't. Some buildings were very new. Others probably dated from the late 1940s. But we didn't find much that was fascinating. Maybe we just didn't know where to look, but in most French towns and cities, you get a feel for them right away. Overall, Karen and I agreed that Les Sables d'Olonne felt pretty disjoint - a city trying to find its identity. Philip, our host at the Logis, agreed. He's British and came here several years ago in search of an opportunity near the coast. He seems to have found it in Orlonne-sur-mer, just a few miles north of the city, as the area is popular with the British and with people from the low countries who love the biking trails.
There's a nice port, but a lot of industrialization in it. The city doesn't have much charm. We tried to find some cohesiveness but couldn't. Some buildings were very new. Others probably dated from the late 1940s. But we didn't find much that was fascinating. Maybe we just didn't know where to look, but in most French towns and cities, you get a feel for them right away. Overall, Karen and I agreed that Les Sables d'Olonne felt pretty disjoint - a city trying to find its identity. Philip, our host at the Logis, agreed. He's British and came here several years ago in search of an opportunity near the coast. He seems to have found it in Orlonne-sur-mer, just a few miles north of the city, as the area is popular with the British and with people from the low countries who love the biking trails.
 Rocky coastline of the Cote Sauvauge |  Sand dunes south of Sauveterre |  Reef and points north of Sauveterre |
We got up at first light the next morning and went to one of the prime surf spots called Sauveterre. It's also a naturist beach, though on that day, it was a bit chilly. The surf was too small to be of interest, but with miles of sand dunes to the south and reefs from there northward, I could see the potential.
Giving up on surf, we decided to go for a hike through the Foret d'Olonne. Like many of the forests that Napoleon had planted along the coast, it was composed of pines growing in sand or sandy soil. We had a nice walk, but there wasn't anything really remarkable there.
Apparently it wasn't the best time of year for bird viewing so we didn't bring our kayaks and didn't take the time to rent some to explore the marshes. Since the area didn't excite us too much, we were anxious to move on to Brittany and our next stop, Quiberon.
Apparently it wasn't the best time of year for bird viewing so we didn't bring our kayaks and didn't take the time to rent some to explore the marshes. Since the area didn't excite us too much, we were anxious to move on to Brittany and our next stop, Quiberon.
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