It took 2 flights, a 2.5 hour high-speed TGV ride, 2 taxis, and a series of 3 buses to reach the northern tip of Île de Ré, a little island off the west coast of France. But the wearying journey made the arrival even sweeter. We came for the wedding of a dear French friend marrying her American sweetheart, and spent 4 full days on the island.
Île de Ré is made up of small villages and harbors, each with distinct character but all with at least one patisserie, bike shop, and cluster of 19th century terra-cotta-roofed, whitewashed stone cottages. Our home in Saint Clement des Baleines was a warm haven of natural stone walls, wooden floors, white linens, and a flowering patio... it was sublime. Biking is the best way to zigzag between the island's salt marshes, beaches, and harbors — our Airbnb even repurposed the wine cellar for bike storage.
Saint Clement des Baleines
The wedding took place in a re-purposed greenhouse overlooking the salt marshes, and was an absolute dream (complete with fresh oysters and foie gras). We drank and toasted and danced until the wee hours! Apart from the festivities, we spent the rest of our island time bathing in sunshine, biking across salt marshes and through fields of wild poppies, sampling all the pastries at the local patisserie, and wandering the 200 year-old market in La Flotte (mmm those fleur du sel caramels).
[Note: The venue photos are not my own!]
We gathered the day following the wedding for a picnic at La Cabane des 3 Cailloux. We lounged, swam, practiced our French, and devoured overflowing cups of mussels.
There's no better combination than salty air, fresh seafood, warm sand, and old friends.
Saint Martin
Saint-Martin-de-Ré, the island's central port, might be my favorite harbor on the island. Although the restaurant terraces fill up at night with tourists eating ice cream cones and drinking wine, there's still something authentic and charming about it all — the liveliness, the winding cobblestone streets, and the weathered buildings. The best part of Saint Martin is the quiet streets surrounding the harbor, where you can get lost in a maze of hollyhocks and blue shutters. Saint Martin is actually a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the local council gets away with prohibiting overhead cables and new construction. They also mandate that shutters be painted one of 16 shades of blue and green.
Cheerful hollyhocks line every street on the island:
A farewell to the bride Marie and her father, and a peek into Marie's grandmother's home!
La Couarde
After most of the wedding party left for Paris, I opted to stay on the island a bit longer in the central, tiny village of La Couarde. Deemed the quaintest town on the island, it was smack in the middle of a maze of bike paths, vineyards, and salt marshes — a healthy 25 minute bike ride away from the larger towns (with salt shacks and oyster cabanes dotting the path, just in case you do need a break). La Couarde is also home to its own long, sandy beach tucked behind the dunes. I stayed at Hôtel Le Vieux Gréement, a stone's throw away from one of the best seafood restaurants on the island: La Cabine de Bain. I ordered for two.
bordeaux
Traveling from Île de Ré to Bordeaux required another combination of (frantic) public buses and cars. It was my first experience with BlaBlaCar, and was mostly successful (besides falling asleep in the backseat. not the most helpful or interesting passenger right here). I made it to Bordeaux by noon, and checked into my room at L’Hôtel Particulier Bordeaux. Of the entire vacation, this is where I treated myself. I stayed in the Pessac Leognan guestroom and felt like I was living in an 18th century French fairytale. I fell in love with the sky high ceilings, marble fireplace, and original moldings. And private patio! If I did it all over again, I'd stay here at least 3 nights and spend more of my time in the room instead of out exploring (it's that beautiful).
With one day to kill in Bordeaux, I squeezed in as much as I could:
— Climb the 229 steps to the top of the Pey-Berland tower (built in year 1500 and separated from the Cathedral in order to support the giant tenor bell)
— Wander around Palais de la Bourse
— Visit the Miroir d'eau, the world's largest reflecting pool that erupts into knee-high mist at certain intervals all summer
— Daydream in the Jardin Public
— Walk down Rue Sainte-Catherine, the longest pedestrian street in France (teeming with tourists, not recommended)
— Try a canelé, Bordeaux's specialty pastry
— Refuel on les gaufres avec chantilly (whipped cream-topped waffles) off the street and hazelnut ice-cream
Bordelais dinner for two ♥
