Charente Islands Family Cycling Tour

Day 1: Arrival in La Rochelle
You will arrive at your hotel in La Rochelle and receive information about the region and your travel book. Take the time to explore the old harbour and its medieval towers, the arcaded streets of the centre and the 15th-century town hall.
Night and breakfast in a 3\* hotel.

Day 2: The Île de Ré – La Rochelle to Saint-Martin-de-Ré (21 km; +90 m)
A day on the Île de Ré. You will cross the bridge to the island and ride through Rivedoux and the 18th-century village of La Flotte-en-Ré, with its fishing boats, to Saint-Martin-de-Ré and its fortifications. If you want to ride further (about +20 km), you can follow the oyster beds and salt marshes to the Lilleau des Niges nature reserve. In the late afternoon, a boat brings you and your bikes back to La Rochelle.
Night and breakfast in the same 3\* hotel.

Day 3: La Rochelle – Fouras (33 km; +60 m)
The route follows the coast to Châtelaillon, one of the prettiest resorts in Charente-Maritime with its Belle Époque villas, and the village of Les Boucholeurs, where wooden huts serve seafood platters. You will then cross the Baie d'Yves nature reserve and reach Fouras, a small seaside resort facing the Île d'Aix.
Night and breakfast in a 2\ or 3\ hotel.

Day 4: The Île d'Aix – Rochefort (30 km; +35 m)
A short ferry ride from Pointe de la Fumée takes you past Fort Enet and Fort Boyard to the Île d'Aix, a car-free island where nature reigns and 15 km of paths can be explored at a gentle pace. Back on the mainland, you will ride along the Charente estuary and its marshes to Rochefort, a 17th-century naval town and home to a unique transporter bridge.
Night and breakfast in a 3\* hotel.

Day 5: Rochefort – Marennes (25–35 km; +30 m)
A pleasant cycle route between two waters crosses marshes laced with small canals to the fortified village of Brouage, hidden in the middle of the wetlands, before ending in Marennes, famous for its oysters.
Night and breakfast in a 3\* hotel.

Day 6: The Île d'Oléron – Marennes to Boyardville (35 km; +20 m)
You will cross the bridge to the Île d'Oléron, the "Island of Mimosas", with its mild climate and authentic character. The route leads to Le Château-d'Oléron and its Vauban citadel, then along the channels and oyster huts of the Oyster Route to Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron and the resort of Boyardville, with its marina and a long sandy beach facing Fort Boyard, ideal for a family swim. In the late afternoon, a boat brings you back to La Rochelle.
Night and breakfast in a 3\* hotel in La Rochelle.

Day 7: Departure
Departure after breakfast.