Saint-Georges d'Oléron
St-Georges d'Oléron is characterized by a multitude of typical villages with low, whitewashed houses and picture-postcard lanes lined with hollyhocks. The village of Saint-Georges d'Oléron, with its covered market and Romanesque church, is remarkable. But its greatest asset is undoubtedly its unobstructed view of Fort Boyard from the Boyardville beach: board immediately for a cruise on the wind!
Discover the local heritage...
From east to west, Saint-Georges d'Oléron is home to several small villages well worth a visit. Let's start with Chaucre, north-west of Saint-Georges d'Oléron. Here you'll find a very typical old village, with many old whitewashed houses and cantons with flowering wells. None of these little houses has more than one storey, and often the entrance is served by a small outside staircase. On your way down the hill, you'll come across Domino. Situated at the foot of a high wooded dune, it is one of the highest points of Oléron, from which it takes its name "domine de haut", which has become "Domino". This small village has preserved its charming traditional habitat. The pine forest that stretches from Domino beach to Chaucre beach is a favorite spot for walkers. Even further down, you'll find the village of Les Sables Vigniers, named after the former owner of the fiefdom, Captain Vignier, and not after the vines. Here, too, you can admire typical local architecture.
Looking out to sea...
Even more than its old stones, Saint-Georges d'Oléron's charm and appeal lie in its beaches. They are sandy beaches that follow one another and seem to be an extension of one another. Yet each has its own character, and each has its own lovers, who have a thousand valid reasons for preferring it to the others.
On the west west...
- Chaucre beach:A charming sandy beach located on the north-western tip of the Ile d'Oleron, its location and unobstructed view of the Chassiron lighthouse make it a seductive and authentic spot that's just as suitable for lazing around as it is for surfing. At low tide, the beach has both a rocky and a sandy area, where you'll find a diving school as well as a surf school. In season, there's a supervised swimming area.
- The small and large Domino beach: The foreshore here is mainly rocky, but also sandy in places. It is therefore more suitable for fishing than swimming. You'll find limpets, oysters, mussels, periwinkles...
- Plage des Bonnes : This wild beach is one of the most beautiful on the island. Facing the Atlantic and exposed to westerly winds, it attracts many sports enthusiasts on windy days. In season, there is a supervised swimming area.
- Sables Vigniers beach:A long beach of fine sand, this beach is perfect for families. It is one of the quietest beaches on the west coast of the Ile d'Oléron. In season, there is a supervised swimming area.
On the coast...
- Plaisance beach: To the north of Saint-Georges d'Oléron, this charming sandy beach offers a beautiful view of Ile d'Aix and Fort Boyard. Thanks to its position, this beach is ideally situated for swimming and seaside activities in complete safety. What's more, it's within easy reach of the little port of Le Douhet and all its activities: bars/restaurants, discotheques, sailing trips, boat hire, jet skiing, kitesurfing...
- Plage de la Gautrelle:Located in a quiet environment and bordered by a footpath, Plage de la Gautrelle is the ideal place for swimming and walking, with something for everyone.
- Plage des saumonards:This is one of the island's wildest beaches on the Mer du Pertuis side. Located north of Boyardville, it belongs to the commune of St Georges d'Oléron. It is much appreciated for its calm and for the beautiful pine forest that borders it. It has a naturist area 500m to the north, towards Plage de la Gautrelle.
- Boyardville beach:Thanks to its privileged location, it is protected from strong currents and is an ideal place to relax and enjoy a variety of water sports, with a unique panorama of Fort Boyard and Ile d'Aix.
Strolling among the boats...
In addition to its beaches, Saint-Georges d'Oléron has two marinas on its eastern side. The first, the most northerly, is the Port du Douhet in the Anse de la Malconche, which can accommodate almost 400 boats. Around the harbor, restaurants, bars and discos make it a lively place throughout the summer season. You'll also find a kitesurfing school and a range of water sports, including jet skiing, towed buoys and sea kayaking.
The port of Boyardville is to yachting what La Cotinière is to fishing. In a remarkable setting, between the Saumonards national forest and the Moeze-Oléron Nature Reserve, bordered by the Perrotine channel, you'll find a lively summertime scene of restaurants, bars and terraces overlooking the harbor and its sailboats. Boyardville is the ideal starting point for a wide range of sailing excursions, including catamaran trips, Fort Boyard tours and stopovers on the Isle of Aix or in La Rochelle. You can also enjoy a wide range of water sports, including canoeing, jet-skiing and stand-up paddling.