The chic island of Ile de Ré attracts thousands of tourists every year, and it’s little wonder why. Local restrictions means that the architecture on island remains unspoilt. Just an hour’s ferry ride from La Rochelle, the largest village on the island, Saint Martin de Ré, serves as the perfect destination for a day trip (although, in all honesty, we could have stayed for much longer!), and you can read more about our trip to Ile de Ré here. Here’s our afternoon in Saint Martin de Ré in pictures.

All pictures in this article are by Vivian Ma unless marked with an asterisk *.

The Arrival

As we arrived at Saint Martin de Ré, the beauty of the island was on immediate display. Admittedly, the local restrictions on the colour shutters can be painted (specifically, one of sixteen shades of either blue or green) adds to the historic beauty of the village.

Where to Eat in Saint Martin de Ré

We arrived on the island shortly after the peak lunch hour, and so many restaurant kitchens were already closed, especially the ones off the beaten track. We were forced to keep to the harbour, where a few restaurants remained open to accommodate visitors such as ourselves. Thankfully, we came across Café de la Paix where we ordered mussels and frites – and enjoyed bowls and bowls of it!

On our way to explore more of the village, we came across La Martiniére and were immediately drawn in by the macarons on offer, including an ice cream filled one. My friend bought a selection of them and managed to bring them home unspoilt to enjoy with her family.

What to See

We followed the winding cobblestoned lanes away from the bustling harbour, where we came across what we’d initially thought were ruins. In fact, this turned out to be Eglise Saint Martin de Ré. The ‘ruins’ turned out to be the remains of an attack by an Anglo-Dutch fleet in the seventeenth century, but remains an otherwise functioning church.

Walking back down to the harbour, there was just enough time to admire the view once more… and go a little crazy in the local patisserie. If you’re arriving in the village via the ferry, Do Ré Mie is near impossible to miss and, admittedly, it caught my eye almost as soon as I stepped foot on the island. As well as a patisserie and a large slice of pizza, I bought a bag full of mini pastries to see me through the ferry ride back to La Rochelle – which says a lot as to how calm the sea was for a girl who easily succumbs to motion sickness.

There was a lot more to see and explore on Ile de Ré, and it is undoubtedly a place I’ll have to return to and hope to stay for longer than just an afternoon. There are twelve villages on the island but, due to the limited time we had, we could only explore the one central village. Beyond the aesthetic beauty of the island, Ile de Ré is unique in what it has to offer; with salt marshes, beautiful beaches and historical fortifications, there’s much to see and enjoy, and requires much more time than a day trip can offer.