T BOARD PRESS PACK 2015 PRESS PACK ILE DE TOURIS 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.