The coastal departement of Charente-Maritime is located on the western, Atlantic coast of France. Most visitors to this part of the country are probably here to stay in the popular seaside resort of La Rochelle, but there are lots of smaller and quieter seaside villages, as well as more remote areas of beach and countryside to explore if you fancy getting away from the crowds.
There are several beaches in the La Rochelle area that are ideal for families on holiday. All the beaches have the usual amenities such as showers, toilets and snack bars, while there are plenty of tourist shops and supermarkets for those who are staying in self catering or camping accommodation. La Rochelle is most famous for its traditional old port area as well as the more modern marine which is full of yachts and sailing boats in the summer months. As a popular resort, there are several annual festivals in La Rochelle during the summer months, such as sailing festivals in May and June and a music and film festival in July.
Along the rest of the coast, there are several smaller resorts and villages, but most of the Charente-Maritime beaches are quite wild and untamed. Of course, this means that you may have to rough it a bit, as these do not have the same amenities as tourist beaches, but the added bonus is that you will be able to find plenty of space away from the crowds and enjoy swimming and sunbathing while having most of the sands to yourself. The Coubre forest south of La Rochelle is a large area of sand dunes and trees, crossed by a network of paths and providing some welcome shade from the summer sun. Children will enjoy a day at the Palmyre Zoo, with its 1,600 different species in environmentally accurate enclosures.
Off the coast of Charente-Maritime there are two large islands, the Oleron Island and the Re Island. Both can be reached by pleasure boats from La Rochelle and have plenty of beaches of their own. Perhaps the biggest attraction of these two islands is that there is no traffic on either, making it safe to explore by bicycle, even for smaller children. The Oleron Island is also well known for the oyster farms that can be found in the shallows, and there are other areas on the mainland too where oysters are grown and farmed, before being served in local restaurants.
Looking for self catering holiday accommodation in Poitou-Charentes? Then below is a selection of gites in Charente-Maritime and villas in Charente-Maritime that can be rented direct from their owners. You can either click on each listing for further details or you can use our search engine on the left if you are looking for something in particular.
