I thought it might be a good idea to post a map of the Île d'Oléron. The island is about 18 miles from north to south, and about 7 miles wide at its widest point. I've added La Menounière to the map, which I found on the internet, so you can see where our gîte rural was located. There's a lighthouse at the northern tip of the island. At the southeastern corner there are a lot of oyster shacks and oyster farms. There's also a château down there. There's a passenger ferry that runs from that sort of knob of land on the east coast of the island over to the city of La Rochelle. We wanted to take it, and dogs are allowed, but it wasn't running because striking fisherman had blocked the entrance to the port at La Rochelle.
Here's map that shows a wider view. You can see La Rochelle and the Île de Ré to the north of Oléron, and Rochefort to the east. Bordeaux is about 2½ hours south. We didn't get to go to those cities on the 2008 trip. Oh, we could have, but going would have meant probably sitting in traffic for 90 minutes or so at the bridge, and the drive from La Menounière to La Rochelle takes about 90 minutes each way. So we would have spent four or five hours on the road. It wasn't worth it. Instead, over the course of the week, we went up to the top of the lighthouse. We poked around in Saint-Georges and Saint-Pierre. We saw the oyster farms and shacks and the château to the south. We also took a little train trip — with Callie — down to the sandy far southern tip of the island at Saint-Trojan-les-Bains. And Cheryl and I spent half a day taking photos in an interesting bird sanctuary and park at Dolus. That day, Walt stayed "home" with Callie and probably went for a walk on the beach.
P.S. Here in Saint-Aignan, our cold spell is over. I had a very pleasant walk in the vineyard yesterday afternoon without having to wear a hat, gloves, and a heavy coat. The temperature right now is about 50ºF instead of 25 and it'ss supposed to be in the mid-60s F by the end of the week and through the weekend. Maybe some of our yard work and home improvements will get done now.
I’m a map nerd, so thank you for these. Curious about the big ridges in the sand. Would they be caused by the tide and do you know how much the tide rises and falls there?
ReplyDeleteI've been reading about the tides in France, but I'm afraid it's all too technical for me. Coefficients, marnage, seasonal variations. The ridges in the sand would be caused by wave action, I think. I don't think that coast has big waves.
DeleteOh, those are enjoyable photos to see. And, I enjoy a good map, too!
ReplyDeleteYes, really good memories.
DeleteThe seashore may be one of the first places you visit when the pandemic is over. A little snow in B'ham today and 19 degrees as I type.
ReplyDeleteYou might well be right. Evelyn. I'd still like to go up north to the Baie de Somme area on the Channel. That's the trip we had to cancel last spring when the pandemic struck.
DeleteMy family spent a day in La Rochelle to visit a pottery business previously owned by a partner of my former husband who became like a second family for us. The business was tiny, and when we arrived there was an artisan hand-painting a plate. I bought a gift for the partner's wife and a bread bowl that had vertical slits cut in the sides so other than bread items there has been no other use of that beautifully painted light blue and lavender pottery.
ReplyDeleteWe then drove through Saintes and on to the Côte-d'Azur.
I did a report on the oyster farms of the Ile de Oléron and later another classmate did one on the Ile de Ré. I hope to see the îles in person someday. That is an undiscovered area it seems to most Americans but oh how beautiful it is and rather calm.
You and Walt do pick very interesting locations for your trips! Thanks for the map - I hadn't thought about that area for some time and it brings back many happy memories for me.
Friends who live in that area (on your map, between Marennes and St. Agnant) say it was once very prosperous when salt was a major trading item. Also that the Moors raided up that coast as far as southern England and Ireland, so there's lots of history around.
ReplyDeleteFor anyone planning future trips, I recommend a visit to Saintes. Roman amphitheatre, beautiful river, charming shops on pedestrian streets, a very nice small city.