The Île de Ré is an island on the French Atlantic coast and belongs to the department Charente-Maritime.
The island will mostly Ré la Blanche called (Ré the white).
 Île de Ré | ||
| Île de Ré | ||
| region | New Aquitaine | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 17,700 (as of 2012) | |
no value for residents on Wikidata:  | ||
| no tourist info on Wikidata: | ||
| location | ||
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places
There are ten municipalities on the island, which belong to two different cantons:
- Ars-en-Ré
- Le Bois-Plage-en-Ré
- La Couarde-sur-Mer
- La Flotte-en-Ré
- Loix
- Les Portes-en-Ré
- Rivedoux plague
- Saint-Clément-des-Baleines
- Sainte-Marie-de-Ré / La Noue
- Saint-Martin-de-Ré
Other goals
- The bird sanctuary Natural reserve of Lilleau des Niges
background
The nickname Ré la Blanche (Ré die Weisse) can be traced back to the salt marshes, among other things. Every year around 200,000 tourists visit the island.
language
getting there
By car
Since 1988 the island has been connected to the mainland by a 3 km long, toll bridge. The road joins the national road N 237 at La Rochelle. It is around 70 km to Niort, where you can reach the A 10 motorway (European route E 5) in the north / Paris. This takes just under an hour's drive. In the south / Bordeaux you reach the A 10 at Saintes, it is about 80 km that can be driven in less than an hour.
From the southern ring road of Paris it is approx. 470 km to the bridge on the Île de Ré. The entire route from West Germany (Cologne) via Paris is around 950 km, from South Germany (Karlsruhe) it is almost 1,000 km.
There are parking lots on both sides of the bridge, Belvédère on the mainland and Sablanceaux on the Île de Ré. During the day, buses commute between the two at frequent intervals across the bridge, and the ride costs only € 1.
By train
The closest train station to the Île de Ré is in La Rochelle. From Germany, rail connections take the TGV, ICE or Thalys to Paris, where you change trains in the direction of the Atlantic coast. In Paris, you have to switch between different train stations with the Métro. From Paris Gare Montparnasse train station there are direct TGV connections several times a day via Poitiers and Niort to La Rochelle, the journey time is just under three hours. There are also intercity connections from La Rochelle to, among others, Nantes and Bordeaux. Regional trains run regularly - but not every hour - to neighboring cities such as Rochefort, Saintes or Niort.
By bus
Buses run from the forecourt of the train station in La Rochelle regional provider in the Charente-Maritime. Line 3 runs every day of the week to all places on the island, in the section to Saint-Martin-de-Ré Monday-Saturday approximately every hour. However, there are only about five buses a day to Les Portes-en-Ré, the same applies to the entire route on Sundays and public holidays (as of 2019). The journey time from La Rochelle to Saint-Martin-de-Ré is around an hour, and it is around an hour and a half to the final stop in Les Portes-en-Ré.
As an additional service, after the arrival of individual TGV trains, express buses of line 3E to Île de Ré will also be used from the train station in La Rochelle, which will go to specific locations according to the passengers' wishes. The offer is available all year round, the buses mainly run on Friday evening and Saturday or Sunday mornings.
During the summer holidays in France, there are considerably more buses to and from La Rochelle: the line is split into line 3A, which takes the northern route across the Île de Ré, and line 3B, which takes the southern route. Both lines then go to every location 1-2 times an hour during the day, and that on every day of the week. In addition, the express buses of line 3E from the train station in La Rochelle then go to the Île de Ré every weekday from morning to late evening. The travel times are up to half an hour longer from La Rochelle during the summer holidays.
You can also travel to La Rochelle by long-distance bus. Connections are offered to Nantes, Rennes, Paris, Bordeaux or Toulouse, among others. In Paris, the airports and the city center are served, the travel time to and from La Rochelle is around 7-9 hours. The connections are offered by the providers Flixbus and Ouibus. During the French summer holidays, Ouibus also offers direct trips from three locations on the Île de Ré, namely from Saint-Martin-de-Ré, La Flotte and from the Rivedoux bus station on the bridge. The travel time is about 8-9 hours.
By plane
From La Rochelle - Île de Ré airport (LRH) there are mainly national connections, but also some international ones to Great Britain or Switzerland, among others. Further information is available on the Website of La Rochelle Airport. The buses on line 3 to Île de Ré stop several times a day at the airport during the summer months, and the same applies to bus lines 3A and 3B during the summer holidays, which then stop at the airport every hour.
By bicycle
The runs through La Rochelle and along the Atlantic coast of France Vélodyssée, Part of the EuroVelo 1 cycle path. The road bridge from La Rochelle to the Île de Ré has a cycle path that is structurally separated from the tramway.
mobility
Dynamic cards
By bus
Bus line 3 or, during the summer holidays, the two bus lines 3A and 3B connect all places on the Île de Ré over the bridge La Rochelle. There are connections between La Rochelle and Saint Martin-de-Ré every hour. There are only about five buses a day to Les Portes-en-Ré, the same applies to the entire route on Sundays and public holidays (as of 2019). During the summer holidays, the two bus lines now run twice an hour to each location every day between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., and once an hour in the morning and late in the evening (as of July 2019). This line network is supplemented by free shuttle buses (Navettes), which mainly commute within the towns and between neighboring towns during the summer holidays.
The regional transport company offers the "Forfait Journée" day ticket for the island and the trip to La Rochelle for € 5, and the "Forfait Hebdomadaire" weekly ticket for only € 11 (as of 2019). Timetables and tariff information can be found on the Website of the transport company. Taking the bus saves you looking for a parking space and the fees for the bridge and parking lot.
By bicycle
By French standards, the Île de Ré has an excellently developed network of cycle paths. In total, it stretches for around 100 kilometers. In almost every place you can find a bike rental. Detailed information with a plan can be found on the Website the island.
There is also the city transport bus line 51, which runs from the center of La Rochelles (Place de Verdun) over the bridge to Sablanceaux, where you can take your bike: yelobus La Rochelle. Buses commute between the two parking spaces at the bridge at frequent intervals during the day, and bicycles can also be taken several times an hour. The ride costs only € 1.
By car
If you want to rent a car on site, there is a car rental company in Saint-Martin-de-Ré, and there are others in La Rochelle at the airport and in the vicinity of the train station. Taxi rides from several providers are also possible on the Île de Ré.
Tourist Attractions
- Ruins of the Cistercian Abbey of Abbaye Notre-Dame des Châteliers
- Citadel of Vauban, in Saint-Martin-de Ré.
- "Phare des Baleines" lighthouse, in Saint-Clément-des-Baleines.
- Church tower in Ars-en Ré
- Ecomusée du Marais Salant, in Loix.
activities
kitchen
nightlife
security
climate
The temperate climate is determined by the Gulf Stream. There are 2,600 - 2,800 hours of sunshine annually.
literature
Web links
- Website the Île de Ré tourist office
