The Longtail Guide to Royan Copyright © 2012 Longtail Guides Limited. Notice of Rights All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embedded in critical articles or reviews. Further this book is licensed for your personal use only. Notice of Liability The publisher and contributors have done their best to ensure the accuracy and currency of all the information in this guide and in any associated website, however they can accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by any user of the guide or associated website as a result of information or advice contained in the guide or any associated website. Trademark Notice Rather than indicating every occurrence of a trademarked name or logo as such, this book uses the names only in an editorial fashion with no intention of infringement of the trademark. Preview This preview download consists of six topics taken from across the range of more than 80 in the full Guide. We hope it gives you a ‘taster’ of what the Guide offers to help you get the most from your visit to Royan and the surrounding area. The full copy of the Guide is available for immediate download at http://www.royan.co.uk priced at just £3.50. Your feedback Your views are important to us and we very much appreciate any feedback you have about this guide. Please email us at [email protected] with any questions, suggestions or comments. Your feedback will contribute to making future editions of the Guide better. Published by Longtail Guides Limited Web: www.longtailguides.com Email:[email protected] Longtail Guide to Royan –preview Get the full version at www.royan.co.uk TABLE OF CONTENTS Note this is the Table of Contents of the full Guide. Only the topics marked in red are included in this preview download. WELCOME TO ROYAN Royan blog Online maps o Location Climate Economy HISTORY Early times and English influences Religious wars Tourism arrives Second World War Rebirth and reconstruction GETTING THERE THE BEACHES Conche de St-Georges La Grande Conche Conche de Foncillon Conche du Chay Conche de Pontaillac Conche de Gilet o St Palais sur Mer, Le Platin Plage La Grande Côte La Palmyre La Baie de Bonne Anse Côte Sauvage Naturist beaches LOCAL ATTRACTIONS o La Palmyre Zoo Jardins du Monde, Royan Abbaye aux Dames, Saintes Roman Amphitheatre, Saintes Royan Cathedral Marais Archaeological site at Fâ La Rochelle Aquarium La Roche Courbon (Sleeping Beauty’s castle) Corderie Royale at Rochefort L’Hermione at Rochefort Longtail Guide to Royan –preview Get the full version at www.royan.co.uk Gironde Estuary – Parc de l’Estuaire Les Grottes de Régulus & Les Grottes de Matata Cordouan Lighthouse TOWNS & VILLAGES La Rochelle o Saintes Brouage – citadel port Talmont Mornac sur Seudre Meschers-sur-Gironde Ronce Les Bains Pons Saujon Cognac – the town Jonzac St Savinien L'Eguille St Jean d'Angély THE ISLANDS Île de Ré Île de Aix Île d’Oléron Île Madam FURTHER AFIELD Bordeaux The Medoc vineyards Saint-Émilion and its vineyards o Marais Poitevin NIGHTLIFE KID'S STUFF Horse and pony riding Mini-Golf Le Parc Indian Forest Youpiland Ferme de Magné Longtail Guide to Royan –preview Get the full version at www.royan.co.uk SPORTS & ACTIVITIES Walks Wildlife Cycling Golf Surfing Boating o Fishing COGNAC & PINEAU A Short History The Appellations Vintage Tasting and distillery visits Pineau des Charentes EATING OUT Local cuisine Restaurants cafés and bars MARKETS, BROCANTE & SHOPPING Markets Royan Central Market Le Marché du Parc Other Local Markets Brocante and Antiques Shopping APPENDICES I French/ English Menu Reader II Dates of French Public Holidays Longtail Guide to Royan –preview Get the full version at www.royan.co.uk WELCOME TO ROYAN Royan is undoubtedly a wonderful place to relax and soak up the sun. A favourite of the French themselves, there are miles of wonderful sandy beaches and coves with the added advantage of the freshness of the Atlantic Ocean. The summer weather matches the Mediterranean yet you can still find an empty beach even in August. But there is much more to enjoy and this guide aims to provide you with the local knowledge of the best beaches, culture, places to visit and things to do so that you can get the most from your visit to this delightful region of France. Royan blog Use the dedicated blog at www.royan.co.uk to check out the latest news and to feedback any comments you have about your visit to Royan. Online maps Most of the beaches, attractions and places of interest described in the guide are also included on the interactive online map that accompanies this guide at www.royan.co.uk The map enables you to find precise locations, get directions from where you are staying and plan your days out. Longtail Guide to Royan –preview Get the full version at www.royan.co.uk Location Royan is situated on the Atlantic coast (about 60 km south of La Rochelle and 90 km north of Bordeaux) at the mouth of the Gironde estuary where the combined flows of three of France's great rivers, the Dordogne, the Lot and the Garonne meet the sea. It is the fourth largest town in the department of Charente-Maritime and naturally merges with its coastal neighbours, St Georges de Didonne to the south and Vaux sur Mer to the north. Along the coast outbreaks of limestone cliffs have created a series of sandy beaches known locally as Conches. The smallest is La Conche du Pigeonnier which is just few hundred metres wide and the largest is La Grande Conche which is over 2.5 kilometres wide. The area to the north of Royan, towards Marennes, Rochefort and the Seudre and Charente rivers, consists of very low lying salt and fresh water marshes (Les Marais) and wide silted estuaries which create the perfect habitat for oysters and mussels - making the region the most productive in France - as well as thousands of migrating wildfowl and majestic birds of prey. To the south of Royan lies the Gironde, the widest estuary in Europe (being about 8 km wide at its mouth) and with its cliff-top villages, tiny ports and unspoilt countryside is a designated nature reserve. Travel further down the Gironde and the banks on either side are home to the famous Bordeaux vineyards. Travelling east from the town you will find the gentle unspoilt countryside of Charente- Maritime and the cognac vineyards. Longtail Guide to Royan –preview Get the full version at www.royan.co.uk THE BEACHES Although it started life as a small port, the sea and beaches are the raison d'être of Royan today. You can choose from child-friendly sandy beaches with restaurants close at hand to the wild, almost wilderness, Côte Sauvage beaches where even in the height of summer you can find your own place on the Atlantic Coast. The following is a taken from the descriptions of twelve selected local beaches included in the full guide which follow the coastline starting from St Georges de Didonne travelling north. The location of each of the beaches can be found on the map that accompanies this guide at www.royan.co.uk St Palais sur Mer, Le Platin Plage Le Platin Plage beach is just north of St Palais sur Mer (about 5 km from Royan). A favourite beach of the locals, it is definitely worth a visit. A wide sweeping cove with a backdrop of pine trees, coastal villas and the Coudre lighthouse. The southern edge is formed by the rocky outcrop of Pont du Diable (Devil's Bridge) which is great for exploring rock pools and for sunsets. The beach generally shelves gently although you do need to pay more attention at high tide especially with kids because the rocks can be hidden and are covered with sharp edges of shellfish. There are no facilities on the beach itself although St Palais with restaurants, shops and a market is only about 500m away. There is a small parking area right by the beach if you follow the signs for Platin Plage/Pont Diable but if this is full there is also parking in side streets further north. Even October brings the chance for a stroll along the beach rewarded by hot chocolate in St Palais. Le Platin Plage in October Longtail Guide to Royan –preview Get the full version at www.royan.co.uk LOCAL ATTRACTIONS The following topic is taken from the full guide which covers fourteen of what are considered to be the best tourist attractions in the area. Entry prices and times shown in the guide are as up to date as possible (Spring 2012) but please bear in mind they are liable to change at any time. La Palmyre Zoo La Palmyre is one of the most well-known zoos in Europe with over 1,000 animals to see in spacious enclosures and is a great place to visit for adults and children alike. It is understandable that some people may object to zoos as a matter of principle but it is perhaps worth considering La Palmyre as a special case because it enjoys a good reputation for its work in animal conservation. Depending on the time of year of your visit you may be able to see many newly born animals. Flamingos at the entrance to La Palmyre Zoo The Zoo is open all year: 9am–7pm 1st April to 30th September, and 9am–6pm the rest of year.