Countryside paths by bike

Ré is the island of farmers before being that of sailors. To the east extends an area divided into endless stripes of seaweed smoke. On sandy soil, vines are cultivated. The aligned vines escaped phylloxera. The numerous plots of vines alternate with market gardening and mainly the cultivation of early potatoes which have been awarded the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée. Donkeys and horses were, in the past, the companions of farmers on plots too modest and too meticulously worked to accommodate tractors.

Saint Martin De Ré
An old citadel that is one of the major sites of Vauban, Saint-Martin-de-Ré has preserved within its star-shaped remparts a past steeped in history: resistance to the assaults of the English fleet in the 17th century, growing commercial activity with the transport of salt and wine in the 18th century, departure point for prisoners to the penal colonies of Guyana and New Caledonia in the 19th century. Behind the port, particularly lively during the summer season with a night market, peaceful streets lead to the Saint-Martin church, whose walls are still marked by the traces of various attacks. From the top of the bell tower, especially at sunset, you will discover a magnificent view of the city and the island.