Island of Oléron

27.05.24

After the barrier doesn't let us out again 🫣we drive, after we finally manage it,

by ferry across the Gironde estuary from Le Verdon to Royan.

Rudi's first time on the water. We thought about throwing a seasickness tablet into the tank 😭😭 but Rudy can manage without it.

With fresh croissants and baguettes we stand in the short queue in front of the ferry.

Rudy survives the short crossing well and we continue on to the Ile d'Olréron. We wanted to go there last year but didn't manage it.

The island is 34 km long and 12 km wide at its widest point. With a surface area of 175 km² (excluding the overseas departments ), it is the second largest French island after Corsica and the largest on the Atlantic coast, ahead of Belle-Île and Île de Ré ; the highest elevation is 19 m above sea level in the extreme south of the island.

In St. Denis we find a campsite right by the sea. We need to do some laundry, so we're going to shower at a campsite today.

This place is also pretty empty. The weather is fine and the sun is even coming out, so we walk along the beach and look at St. Denis. Another small, pretty and sleepy village.

27.05.24

After breakfast we make our way to the lighthouse.

The Chassiron lighthouse, inaugurated in 1836 after two years of construction, is located in the west of the island of Oléron. It replaced its predecessor from 1685.
The Chassiron lighthouse is a 46-metre-high round tower that was originally painted white. In bad weather, however, it was difficult to distinguish it from the “Phare des Baleines” on the island of Ré, and accidents occurred. In 1926, the lighthouse was given its now characteristic three black horizontal stripes on its belly.

It stands in the middle of a carefully landscaped circular garden, and its 224 steps lead to the surrounding platform, which offers a fantastic panoramic view over the Ile d'Oleron and the neighboring islands.

We climb the 224 steps and have a fantastic view. After visiting the museum in the lighthouse, we cycle along the west coast.

The island of Oléron is still very original and the villages are not in hibernation. Via Les Huttes, Chaucre, Cheray and Saint Georges we return to the east coast.

The villages are sometimes grey and sometimes white and colourful.

After we got a few drops of rain in the morning, the sun came out again in the afternoon. Just right for a coffee in front of Rudy and for a barbecue in the evening.