We take to two wheels to discover the Ile de Ré, a French island where donkeys wear trousers, oysters have security guards and there's even a money-back guarantee on the weather this summer
July 15, 2016 09:03
As a mother of three sons, it has never occurred to me to incentivise my children with the promise of a spa treatment.
The idea of any of my boisterous trio relaxing in a cosy candle-lit room with whale music in the background has, unsurprisingly, never crossed my mind. Until now. But at the Sunelia Interlude campsite on the wonderful French island of Ile de Ré, that's just one of the temptations helping support its claim to be an all-round perfect family destination.
Sophie and Aurélien Ravet, who have run the site for five years, certainly pride themselves on their family friendly credentials.
And as parents to a four-year-old son and a two-year-old daughter, the pair know exactly what makes families tick: happy children equal happy parents. So this winter, as they do every year, the Ravets focused their efforts on making whatever improvements they could to ensure their five-star resort would become even more attractive to families this summer, including the visitors who are floc king there from the UK.
There are kids' clubs, a new basketball court, a beach volleyball site and fantastic new playground facilities styled in the fashion of Fort Boyard, the TV game show set in a real fortress - not to mention both indoor and outdoor pools.
Getting there
Lianne Kolirin was a guest of Sunêlia Vacances staying at Sunêlia Interlude at Le Bois Plage en Ré on the Ile de Ré and Sunêlia Le Fief at Saint-Brévinles-Pins on the French Atlantic coast.
A week at Sunêlia Interlude costs from €210 (£179) for a pitch, and €364 for a 2-bedroom chalet based on four sharing in low season.Easyjet and Ryanair both fly direct to La Rochelle, from Gatwick and Stansted respectively. Car hire is available from the airport, and Sunelia is a 20-minute drive away.
Numerous ferry and Eurotunnel options are also available. Sunêlia’s Space Guarantee promises fewer pitches per hectare than any equivalent site.
Meanwhile, they've introduced Toofruit spa treatments for children aged six and over. Starting from €25 (£21) a pop, your little one can enjoy a range of treatments, including facials, massages and manicures.
If you think introducing your kids to luxury pampering may be a case of too much, too soon, there are cheaper and simpler ways to enjoy your time on the Ile de Ré too. Less than 20 miles long, the island is easy to explore by bicycle, especially as it boasts more than 60 miles of dedicated cycle paths.
Bring your own wheels or hire them here at the Interlude campsite or one of the many other hire shops on the island. Sunelia has its own cycling guide, who will show you around the island at no extra cost.
And having spent all his life here, there is nothing Sylvain Barrer doesn't know about his home. He's one of just 18,000 residents on this gem of an island, which sits a short drive over a long toll bridge off the west of the mainland - direct flights from London to nearby La Rochelle make it an unexpectedly straightforward journey.
During July and August, the island's population swells to more than seven times its normal inhabitants, which means Barrer's cycling shortcuts are invaluable.
As are his connections, which include the island's adorable herd of shaggycoated donkeys - who look like they share a hairdresser with dreadlocked Barrer. Formerly employed in the island's salt marshlands, the animals were preyed upon by insects so to protect their legs from bites, the inhabitants dressed them in striped trousers - a tradition they maintain to this day.
En route Barrer introduced us to some of the creatures, as well as their owner Yvette who seemed keen on some human company, having presumably talked the hind legs off her animals. My French was sadly a little too rusty to keep up with the pace of her enthusiastic monologue about the donkeys' daily routine and the outfits that she personally stitches for them.
After bidding them all au revoir, we pedalled off to enjoy more of this beautiful sunny day, although as Sunelia offers visitors a money-back guarantee for bad weather between its April and late September opening, we could at least have used the €200 (£170) to cheer ourselves up if there hadn't been a single day of sunshine all week.
We freewheeled over the cobbled stones of Saint Martin de Ré, the island's charming capital complete with picturesque harbour. One of the island's 10 villages, which host a variety of laid-back places to eat and chi chi shopping opportunities, you shouldn't miss La Martinière, an ice cream parlour offering countless flavours, including potato - a local speciality.
Visitors can also spot oyster farms around the island, though these are usually overseen by security guards protecting their highly prized property.
There are consequences for anyone caught poaching, albeit not quite enough to land them a place in one of the island's most prominent buildings, Saint Martin de Ré's prison.
At the far end of the island, a striking landmark is very much worth visiting: the historic lighthouse Phare des Baleines, with sweeping views of the beautiful coastline. The allure of the glittering sea proved too much, so we headed back towards the campsite to water sports hut La Cabana Verte, offering everything from kayaking to stand-up paddling on a mega board. Be prepared for the cool chill of the Atlantic, though the hard work of paddling soon offsets the frosty blast.
All that exercise makes for hungry work but thankfully there's no need to get back on the bike again as the Interlude is just a few steps from the beach.
There's a small shop on site, handy for the self-catering accommodation which ranges from camping plots for tents and caravans up to more luxurious lodges and cottages at the higher end. But if the prospect of cooking holds little appeal, you could do far worse than the onsite restaurant, La Grillerade, with delicious freshlycooked dishes that you'd never expect to see on a campsite in Britain.
Tired and satisfied, there's only more thing I want: a dip in the whirlpool and a fabulous massage at Sunelia's spa. Just don't tell the kids.