Charente-Maritime: land and sea

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Day 1: Arrival in La Rochelle by train for French participants, by plane for German participants. Pick-up in a 2CV. Visit to the La Rochelle aquarium, followed by lunch in a seafront restaurant in Châtelaillon-Plage. In the early afternoon, departure for Haute Saintonge and the Maison de la Vigne et des Saveurs in Archiac. Visit to the estate of Jean-Bernard de Larquier, a cognac producer. Overnight at the Moulin du Val de Seugne.

La Rochelle aquarium: star fish

And so we enter one of Europe's most famous aquariums. It all began in 1970, when René Coutant opened his first aquarium on a 250m2 site. Today it covers almost 8,000 m2! Coutant Aquariums has become a key player in the sector, deploying its expertise in marine museums in Monaco, Valencia, Madeira, Barcelona and Jeddah. The La Rochelle aquarium has become the department's leading tourist attraction. And it's easy to see why, as you follow the path through 12,000 marine animals. Of course, there are sharks, giant turtles, rays, moray eels... But the eye is also drawn to the more discreet charm of small, perfectly lit scenes, from the dance of a clownfish around an anemone to the bluish pulsation of a jellyfish's filaments. A large part of the collection is devoted to life on our Atlantic coasts, but you can also admire what's going on in the warm seas. The aquarium is also a major player in business tourism, with reception and meeting facilities. The visit - which can be complemented by a meeting with a biologist - is then extended by a cocktail among the fish. And perhaps dinner in the restaurant, with a view of the harbour and the towers of La Rochelle.

Archiac: land of Cognac

Once upon a time, there was the story of a thirst-quenching wine transformed, by the miracle of double distillation, into one of the most famous digestifs in the world, with over 97 % of cognac dedicated to export. But how? And why? That's what you'll find out at the Maison de la Vigne et des Saveurs d'Archiac, opened in July 2010 in the heart of the vineyards of Petite-Champagne, the highest appellation for eaux-de-vie in the Charente. Here, we don't just talk about "pineau" and "cognac", we give you the chance to touch, smell and taste, all in a carefully designed, fun setting. There are no texts to read - this is deliberate - but those who want to extend the journey can read up on the touch screens or, better still, visit one of the 40 farms associated with a cognac house, where the winegrowers offer tastings and events based on local products.

The beautiful countryside of the hotel

Day 2: Departure for La Tremblade via Mornac, listed as one of the "most beautiful villages in France". Oyster tasting in the heart of the Marennes-Oléron basin. Fun day at Fort Louvois. After a diversion to the Ile d'Aix, dinner at the restaurant The four sergeants and overnight at the Best Western Masqhôtel in La Rochelle.

Oysters, oysters, oysters!

A unique setting between land and water, river and ocean: this is the heart of the Marennes-Oleron basin, where almost half of France's oyster production takes place. At the end of a channel lined with colourful huts, Patricia and Daniel Conseil keep their doors open to visitors who want to know a little more about oyster farming, the science that enables a simple mollusc to rise to the top of the French culinary game. "There are as many differences in oysters as there are in wine".warns Daniel Conseil. The temperature of the water, the tides, the ratio of fresh to salt water, the concentration of phytoplankton, the length of maturation: each factor weighs in the balance to obtain the required quantity and quality. But the best way to understand is to taste the cheese right there, in the middle of the "claires", the maturing tanks that once belonged in large part to Cardinal de Richelieu. The tasting allows you to appreciate the nuances between a "fine de claire", a "spéciale de claire" and a "spéciale pousse en claire" from Marennes-Oléron. Not forgetting the glass of white wine that goes with it.

Fort Louvois: a playful fort

There are places that make you wonder why they are not better known. Fort Louvois is one of them, standing opposite Bourcefranc- le-Chapus with a view of the Ile d'Oléron, and which can be reached at low tide by following the pass through the oyster basins. It's a magical place, inherited from the end of the 17th century, when the Marquis de Louvois, Louis XIV's Minister of War, ordered the construction of a tower to block the southern access to Brouage and Rochefort. Its strategic usefulness has disappeared, but Fort Louvois has been given a practical function once again thanks to the launch of the Louvoyades, a fun challenge developed by Kivog Events in collaboration with the Emotion Event agency for the staging. Just about anything is possible, to suit all tastes and budgets: zip-lines installed at the top of the dungeon, riddles to solve in the powder magazine... but also cocktails on the ramparts or dance evenings on the parade ground. As Kivog Events also specialises in water-based activities, an expedition to the fort can be accompanied by a rally in a semi-rigid boat.

Île d'Aix: conflicting stories

For lovers of military architecture, but above all of peace and quiet, suspended time and car-free paths, the Ile d'Aix, the smallest commune in Charente-Maritime, is a confetti on the sea where a perfume of elegance has always hung in the air. Few places can boast of having a powder magazine built by Choderlos de Laclos, of having served as a prison for rebellious soldiers of the Imperial Russian Army trapped on the French front during the Great War, or of having cured Georges Simenon of his unhappy love affair with Josephine Baker. But above all, the chronicles say that it was here that Napoleon spent his last days on French soil before his forced exile. And, as its name suggests, the island of Aix is an island. Visitors should keep a close eye on the ferry timetable to and from Fouras.

Day 3: treasure hunt in La Rochelle, taking in the market, the old port and the city's three towers. Depart for the Ile de Ré for a cocktail on the terrace of the Tour des Baleines. Overnight at the Hôtel Atalante relais-thalasso.

La Rochelle: a green pioneer

Running, cycling, sailing, Segway, climbing: the ecomobile trail designed by the Transversales agency uses the whole range of soft means of transport, in a city that has every right to do so. Take cycling, for example. In 1974, well before Paris and its Vélib', La Rochelle launched the idea of self-service bicycles! Today, the urban community still provides nearly 300 bicycles at around fifty stations. As an alternative to walking, it's an ideal way to discover this human-sized city - with 75,000 inhabitants within its walls and 200,000 in the urban area - with a particularly turbulent history. La Rochelle's destiny changed in the middle of the Middle Ages, when the Dukes of Aquitaine decided to reinforce the port. Well situated at the head of the bay, protecting the islands of Ré and Oléron and close to the salt marshes and vineyards of Aunis, the port was soon to take on a pre-eminent role on the Atlantic coast, thanks to the trade in wine, salt and furs from faraway New France, but also, later, thanks to the slave trade. Although it was by no means spared by the wars - the siege of La Rochelle in 1627-28 wiped out almost 80 % of the population - the town has retained a rich heritage from its trading past, which can be appreciated in its main streets - rue Saint-Yon, rue des merciers, etc. - lined with half-timbered houses and gargoyles. Not forgetting, of course, the charm of the old port.

Whale lighthouse: intoxicating views

The 160,000 annual visitors can't be mistaken. Today, the Baleines lighthouse is the most popular tourist spot on the Ile de Ré, and visitors climb it as much for the exhilarating panoramic view of the surrounding area as for the pleasure of climbing the 257 steps of the legendary spiral staircase. Its brand image is well established and the lighthouse is now entering the events market, with a new meeting room in its left wing and the opening for hire of the reception areas in the old Baleines tower, built to Vauban's specifications. Visitors can now entertain within the walls of the museum and, above all, on the terrace at the top, which is probably the most spectacular place on the island to enjoy an aperitif. The view is exceptional, with the Conche beach, the fish locks and the Baleineaux lighthouse at your feet. And behind them, a breathtaking view of the island, the Ars bell tower, lost mills and forests of holm oaks, elms and cypresses.

The towers: guaranteed spectacle

The hotel: guaranteed well-being

Alternative: preserved privacy

Day 4: Cycle around the island of Ré, passing through the bird sanctuary. Lunch in the port of Saint-Martin-de-Ré. Transfer to La Rochelle station or airport.

Île de Ré: to each his own village

Saint-Martin: urban. Le Bois- Plage: wild. Rivedoux: not crazy. Loix-en-Ré: out of the way. Les Portes: cosy... When you cross the bridge over the Ile de Ré, you enter a world apart, where your choice of destination directly determines the tone of your stay. Ten villages, ten different worlds... Rest assured, however, that tourism here has deliberately chosen to develop with a certain restraint, imposing relatively strict property standards. Whichever village you choose, you'll be sure to find all the charm you're looking for: cobbled streets, hollyhocks and green shutters on white walls.

The island of bicycles

Welcome to an island where there are more bike hire firms than bakeries and tobacconists combined! Whether you're a family or an incentive group, cycling has become a must for all visitors. And no-one is complaining. The paths may be flat, but the scenery is much less so, and the cycle paths offer some spectacular views of salt marshes, oyster beds and isolated windmills in the vineyards.  

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