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PRESS PACK 2015 PACK PRESS ILE DE RE TOURIS DE ILE RE
PRESS PACK 2015
PRESS CONTACT : Catherine SENAND - Ile de Ré Tourisme - Tel: +33 (0)5 46 09 91 34 - [email protected]
Map and Access
By boat Brittany Ferries, Condor Ferries, Norfolkline, P&O-Ferries, DFDS, SpeedFerries Ltd, LDLines and Irish Ferries have regular links with the French Channel ports.
By road From the north of France, from Normandy, Brittany and Paris, main roads lead to Ile de Ré. From the north follow the directions towards Bordeaux (A10) and then La Rochelle. Since 1988, the île de Ré has been linked to La Rochelle by a 3 kilometre toll bridge. Prices of the bridge : summer €16 (from june 20th to Septembre 11th), winter €8 (from September 12th to June 19th) Crossing the bridge cost €3 for motorized two-wheeled vehicles and is free for cyclists and pedestrians.
By train Daily directs connections with Nantes, Bordeaux and Paris by TGV Atlantique. Paris -> La Rochelle less than 3 hours
By air La Rochelle airport is directly linked to main cities of UK and Ireland : London Stansted, Southampton, Bristol, Cork, Dublin, Manchester, Leeds, East Midlands, Edinburgh > La Rochelle airport: www.larochelle.aeroport.fr
By Bus On arrival, buses can be found outside the sncf railway station of La Rochelle that take you directly to the Ile de Ré. Timetables available on : www.lesmouettes-transports.com or www.rtcr.fr (during the summer only)
PRESS CONTACT : Catherine SENAND - Ile de Ré Tourisme - Tel: +33 (0)5 46 09 91 34 - [email protected]
Ile de Ré
Known as the ‘White Island’, the Ile de Ré is the most northerly of the four islands just off the coast and accessible directly from La Rochelle by a bridge. The island is 30 kilometres long and five kilometres wide, and can be easily explored by bicycle thanks to a plethora (100 kilometres) of cycle tracks leading all over the island.
The streets of Ile de Ré are lined with white houses decorated with green shutters, a type of house generally found throughout some of the most gorgeous villages in France (‘Les Beaux Villages de France’). Ars-en- Ré has a black and white bell tower that is a landmark in navigational circles; La Flotte has a famous old market and medieval covered market too. The Ile de Ré is connected to the mainland by a 3 kilometre bridge. New technologies :
The south end of the island is home to relaxing beaches, while the north • IPhone App boasts ports that have always contributed to the economic life of the This FREE app is now available for island. all the information needed on Ile de Ré. Simply connect through Iphone Facts: App or Android market and look for - Surface 85,32km² ‘Ile de Ré Tour’. Smartphone - 17640 inhabitants connection is through: - 10 villages : Ars en Ré, La Couarde sur Mer, Loix, Les Portes en Ré, Saint www.ile-de-re.mobi Clément des Baleines, Le Bois Plage en Ré, La Flotte, Rivedoux Plage, Saint Martin de Ré, Sainte Marie de Ré. • New from March 2013 – foreign visitors will be able to book all their holiday requirements online, thanks to a new English version of the website. www.holidays-iledere.co.uk
PRESS CONTACT : Catherine SENAND - Ile de Ré Tourisme - Tel: +33 (0)5 46 09 91 34 - [email protected]
Bicycle riding for all the family
Bicycles are a way of life on Ile de Ré, where more than 100 km of marked cycle tracks wind through vineyards, salt marshes and nature reserves. And with the highest point just 19 metres above sea level, it is small wonder that bikes are the most popular way to explore the whitewashed villages, sandy beaches and coastal defenses.
It doesn’t matter when you cycle – early in the morning until late at night. For some, cycling is a way of life – for others a simple recreation, a sport or just a way of getting from A to B. In summer on the Ile de Ré the centre of most villages are closed to traffic so this is a great way to explore the island. There are several different cycle routes such as St. Martin to La Couarde – about 20 kilometres through vineyards and marine plantations, that remind one of the agricultural heritage of the Island.
PRESS CONTACT : Catherine SENAND - Ile de Ré Tourisme - Tel: +33 (0)5 46 09 91 34 - [email protected]
Water sports
Stand up paddle Canoë …or SUP as it is known, is a new Absolument Canoe is about you watersport to Europe and has and a canoë or kayak – with a become very popular very quickly. guide or without, enjoying the It was invented in Hawaii in the tranquility and serenity of the Ile 1960’s by Laird Hamilton, as de Ré, for a day or longer…enjoy! analternative to surfing when www.absolumentcanoe.com there are no waves. It took until 2004 however to be rediscovered and since spread all over the world. It is an ideal sport for all age groups and is easy to learn. It works all parts of the body and is excellent for equilibrium and balance. It is also ideal for the Ile de Ré because it has many coastal areas that would only be accessible by board – it is one of the best ways to explore the shallow coastal waters. Many celebrities are now fans including Jennifer Aniston, Sting and Pierce Brosnan. SUP Evasion is based at Sailing School the Plage des Prises and is where Wind surfing, sand-surfing, sailing, you can have lessons or simply yachting, boating, swimming, - all hire your board and paddle. is possible on the Ile de Ré thanks Sports & Leisure Planet www.supevasion.com to the French Sailing School based Based in the heart of the craft here. One may learn to do all of village of Loix on the Ile de Ré, this the above whether on one’s own, is a new concept in France. In his in a group, with the family or little shop, owner Michael shares some friends, and it is open all his passion for all things leisure year round. and sports! You can find www.iledere-voile.com everything from mountain boards to bikes, tennis to underwater diving, hunting to juggling – Michael has it all! He also has four hectares of land where you can learn certain skills such as flying model aircraft and lessons in flying microlight planes – a great way to have an overview of the Ile de Ré. www.planete-sports-loisirs.com
PRESS CONTACT : Catherine SENAND - Ile de Ré Tourisme - Tel: +33 (0)5 46 09 91 34 - [email protected]
Heritage
Saint Martin Saint Martin de Ré, a fishing harbour and the main town on the island of Ré, was also a trading town. The harbor has two basins, one for fishing smacks and the other for yachts. Superb houses recall the prosperity of the ship owners for whom they were built. Along the narrow streets are cottages with blue or green shutters, half- concealed during the summer months beneath a curtain of honeysuckle and hollyhocks. www.saint-martin-de-re.net
Vauban The ‘Sun King’, Louis XIV liked war a lot less than his predecessors and therefore spent more time building fortifications than enticing enemies to fight. He commissioned young Vauban – the chap in charge of the nation’s fortifications (aged 22 years at the time) to build a star shaped wall around St Martin de Ré to shore up what he saw as a possible defensive weak spot. The main intention was to give locals, in case of any hostile approach, the chance to escape across the water to a larger town or citadelle on the mainland, thus improving their chances of survival. www.sites-vauban.org
Phare des Baleines Built in 1854 as the original lighthouse was thought not to be tall enough, it was totally rebuilt. This is a lighthouse of the top order by the architect Leonce Reynaud. Octagonal in design, it has lenses by Fresnel and is still operational. Originally petrol powered it was passed onto the national grid after the Second World War. A king amongst lighthouses! www.lepharedesbaleines.fr
Abbaye des Chateliers The Abbey is now in ruins, plundered for its stone to build the de la Pree fortress, it was burnt and pillaged. Originally constructed in 1011 by monks at the centre of an agricultural area where they planted vines and collected salt. Although consecrated as Notre Dame de Ré, it has always been known as the Abbaye des Chateliers.
PRESS CONTACT : Catherine SENAND - Ile de Ré Tourisme - Tel: +33 (0)5 46 09 91 34 - [email protected]
Eco-friendly
Lilleau des niges Was created in 1980 by the construction of polders in the north of the Ile de Ré and now has an area of 195 hectares. Two types of natural environment can be found here - tidal reserves and salt marshes protected by hydraulically operated dykes. Due to the nature of the site and its geographical position in the flight path of many migratory birds, it has become one of the most important places in France for the migration of grey Plovers, Redshanks and Barnacle Geese, although year round, over 310 different species of bird can be seen here. www.lilleau.niges.reserves-naturelles.org
Ecomusée du marais salant Ancre maritaise Situated at Loix and open all year round the The Ancre Maritaise is set up near to the Montamer ecomuseum explores the history of salt production on Beach on the Ile de Ré with the purpose of informing the Ile de Re (which is now experiencing a revival) as visitors about the local environment through all sorts well as the flora and fauna to be found on the salt of different means – talks, walks, nature trails, flats. Expert guides bring the whole thing to life. exhibitions etc. ‘Ancre’ stands for Arts, Nature, www.marais-salant.com Culture, Research and Ecluses (or locks). www.ancremaritaise.fr
PRESS CONTACT : Catherine SENAND - Ile de Ré Tourisme - Tel: +33 (0)5 46 09 91 34 - [email protected]
Gastronomy
The Market of La Flotte The market ‘of La Flotte’ is the only one on the Ile de Ré that is open every morning all year round. What can be found there? Oysters and other shellfish, fish, salt, wine and seasonal fruit and vegetables. One may otherwise shop for clothes, costume jewellery, beach gear and decorative items for the home. It is held under the partially covered paved central market area that reeks with local atmosphere. Shop ‘til you drop or simply wander and enjoy !
Potatoes What is small, creamy with a slightly sugary taste that one may consume only in May and June ? It is the potato! But not just any old potato – just those from the Ile de Ré that have been given a AOC label (since 1998), the only French potato to have such a stamp of quality. Over 150 hectares, thirty or so farmers cultivate about 2,000 – 2,500 tons of potatoes a year. They are sold in beautifully presented blue boxes. www.pommedeterrenouvelle.com
Salt From Couarde to Loix, as far as the eye can see, there are acres of white salt marshes that contrast in colour with the green vineyards of the areas further to the north of the island. It is here that the hundred or so salt workers gather their annual harvest between June and September. They are now in a cooperative to better produce and market the salt. The salt is a crushed, rock variety sold under their own label or in hypermarkets all over France as ‘own brand’. These salt flats have been harvested in this fashion (by hand) since the twelfth century. The 460 hectares are key to safeguarding the natural flora and fauna of the island which has an extraordinary biodiversity. www.sel-de-re.com
Wine The monks who originally planted vines on the Ile de Ré were not wrong. The sunny climate here was propiscious for the successful growing of grapes. In the last dozen or so years the quality of the wine has moved forward so much that many of the wines have won awards such as the Rosé des Dunes, the Royal and Ilrhéa – favoured by the Guide Hachette des Vins and the Gilbert and Gaillard Wines guide. About 70 wine growers work the vineyards here as a cooperative under the label ‘ Vignerons de l’Ile de Ré’. Both still and sparkling wines are produced with the signature products being the Rosé des Dunes (Voile variety) and the pineau ‘Ilrhéa’. Each of these comprises about 450,000 bottles annually. www.vigneronsiledere.com
Oysters Between six and eight thousand tons of oysters are raised every year on the Ile de Ré. Altogether the French eat over 130,000 tons annually! It takes three years to produce a good oyster – very much like a good wine, each type of production produces an oyster with a different flavour so there are those (fines) that are raised on sand or rocks or otherwise those (fines de claires or speciales) raised in fresh water or in clay-beds. It is still a traditional occupation performed by man and not machine.
PRESS CONTACT : Catherine SENAND - Ile de Ré Tourisme - Tel: +33 (0)5 46 09 91 34 - [email protected]
Festivals
Ré-Majeure Several villages of Ile de Ré Ré Majeur enables everybody to enjoy very high quality opera and chamber music. www.holidays-iledere.co.uk - www.lamaline.net
Festival Musique en Ré This is the only festival in France dedicated to amateur composers gathered together so that the public may appreciate the talent and the diversity of French song. www.musique-en-re.com
Festival BD Ile de Ré This festival welcomes artists and designers from the cartoon world for the most colourful two days of summer! www.festival-bd.com
Festival international de guitare This festival takes place all over the island with a number of recitals given by guitarists from all over the world. www.holidays-iledere.co.uk
Jazz en Ré Taking place at the port of St Martin de Ré under the Vauban fortifications, this enjoyable jazz festival has something for everyone, from swing to ‘manouche’ to blues. www.jazzenre.fr
L’île aux livres Île de Ré Book Fair takes place every year early August at Bois-Plage-en-Ré. It is sponsored by Madeleine Chapsal and Patrick Poivre d’Arvor. Since 2007, the cultural event has been gaining great reputation and becoming very popular during the Rétais summer. Meetings and convivial exchanges with writers, autographs, conferences, debates: two busy days honouring both a uthors and books.
PRESS CONTACT : Catherine SENAND - Ile de Ré Tourisme - Tel: +33 (0)5 46 09 91 34 - [email protected]
PRESS CONTACT
Catherine SENAND - ILE DE RE TOURISME
Tel : +33 (0)5 46 09 91 34 [email protected]
PRESS CONTACT : Catherine SENAND - Ile de Ré Tourisme - Tel: +33 (0)5 46 09 91 34 - [email protected]