Top 5 best bike rides on the Ile de Ré

On the Île de Ré, cycling isn't just a means of transport. It's a way of life, to the rhythm of the wind, the tides and shared silences. Wheels glide between tamarisk trees and salt marshes, pine trees filter the light, and the air smells of sea, land and vacations. Slow Village invites you to slow down, to savor the simple paths, the white villages, the vast wilderness. With each pedal stroke, you breathe a little easier.

Discover our top 5 best bike rides on the island of Ré, all departing near our open-air hotel in Saint-Martin-de-Ré!

Summary of the 5 most beautiful bike rides on the Île de Ré

We leave the ramparts of Saint-Martin-de-Ré behind, and slowly make our way into the calm of the salt marshes along the cycle paths of the Ile de Ré. The scenery gradually changes, with architecture giving way to space, flat horizons and the sky taking over. On this peaceful path, you move to the rhythm of the egrets and the wind, between the shallow basins and the salt-marsh huts.

At the end of the road, Loix appears, like a parenthesis between land and sea. This small village, set in the heart of the marshes, has a very special atmosphere. Simple, artisanal and welcoming.

Our tip: take binoculars with you: the marsh area is an exceptional bird-watching area. For children, it's also a great opportunity to learn torecognize the shapes of the landscape, salt plants and the traces of human work in nature.

This walk gently skirts the shoreline, between a calm ocean and white houses with blue shutters. From the port of La Flotte, listed as one of France's most beautiful villages, the route follows a discreet and luminous coastline, punctuated by small paths, low stone walls and flowering gardens.

We come across a few beached boats, quiet fishermen and hollyhocks overflowing onto the paths. Sainte-Marie-de-Ré gradually reveals itself, in a peaceful, almost timeless atmosphere. Life seems to unfold in half-tone, between the slow footsteps of the locals and the steady lapping of the sea.

Our advice: take the time to stroll through the narrow streets of Sainte-Marie's old town center, particularly around the church. Then return to the seafront at the end of the day, when the light softens and the scents of the sea mingle with your own.

From Bois-Plage to Ars-en-Ré through the vineyards: a gentle crossing of the hinterland

• Duration: approx. 2 h
• Distance: 18 to 22 km depending on itinerary
• Distance from our open-air hotel: 4.1 km
• Level: moderate
• Type: city bike or VTC
• Vineyards, villages, countryside

Far from the hustle and bustle of the coastline, this is a more intimate stroll. From Le Bois-Plage, the path opens out between rows of vines and flowering hedges, in the heart of a landscape punctuated by the seasons, the song of insects and the colorful shutters of the houses of the Retagne. In fact, you'll pass through characterful villages such as La Couarde-sur-Mer, then Ars-en-Ré, recognizable by its black-and-white bell tower that watches over the marsh.

To prolong this interlude, you can push on to the beaches of La Conche or Les Prises, where the sea awaits, calm or lively, always changing. An ideal loop to enjoy the simplicity of the island, between land and ocean.

Our tip: set off in the late morning with a picnic in your saddlebags, and stop off in the shade of a fig tree, on the edge of the marshes or at an artisan soap factory on the Ile de Ré.