Satisfactory swim at 10 am for an hour , found a slot with serious swimmers either side. Left when invaded with excitable group of youngsters from e UK with dive bombing and big rubber rings , this activity drove their elders out quite successfully one by one ! Cold jacuzzi Sauna Steam and Carribbean shower complete with tropical rain sounds
Left at 9 for a wander around to find another beach, but no MH parking available , so we parked back outside the Aire and spent a delightful morning swimming and sitting on the beach under our newly acquired sun parasol from , yes you've guessed it,E Le Clerc ! Moved to a Yelloh! Campsite 10 mins up the road. Half term .Quiet shady pitch , swimming pool and fun slides , sauna steam and tropical shower . Atlantic beach accessed by trudging up a huge sand dune. Too much to negotiate in mid afternoon 35 C heat, and tidal bay was very much out. Swimming pool was rammed We sat under our awning all afternoon and evening , had showers and there was enough of a very slight breeze to catch some sleep.
As this is the BH weekend , we couldn't find anywhere other campsite to stay on so decided to risk an Aire in walking distance of the Baie de Bonne Anse on the mainland in the region of Charente Maritime 33 degrees . We spent a grateful afternoon in E Le Clerc hypermarket in St Pierre d/ Oleron en route . Beach was a 10 mins walk from the very crowded aire. Tidal bay with deep water channel for swimming in against strong outgoings current. Beautiful sunset. Few photos as my phone unwell.
Moved to a campsite on the west coast of D'Oleron Les Sables d'Oleron , to find that it only access to the rollers of the Atlantic Ocean. The swimming pool (which drew us) was closed for renovation( this was not mentioned on the English version of the camp website. Andy skilfully negotiated a refund of two nights for us. He swam in the Atlantique twice and we had a quiet shady campsite pitch by a wooden fence with a slight breeze.
There are alot of cycle paths on the island, so in the morning we cycled to Chateau d'Oleron beach and swam at morning high tide. A lovely beach!
Photo?
After breakfast we had another go at cycling, this time to the North. The cycle path turned into poorly surfaced road so we didn't get as far as we hoped. The whole area is about oyster culture, lots of roadside purveyors. Many creeks, inlets and engineered seawater ponds to do with growing oysters.
We returned to the van, and later I cycled further to the north to a town called Boyardville. It's a small port and marina - trips to Fort Boyard and a ferry service to la Rochelle from here.
The beach at Boyard, with sailing school pupils being towed back to shore in the absence of wind.
It was an 18 km round trip.
Later we went to the bar for a pint and then looked at the sunset.
We had a walk round La Rochelle and a coffee before leaving, then drove to the Ile d'Oleron. It's France's second largest island after Corsica. It''s pretty flat, and is connected to the mainland by a causeway. We booked into a campsite on the NE of the island, and with a forecast of warm weather we were hoping to get some swimming in the sea. It turns out that wasn't a great choice as swimming is only possible here on high tides, because the sea goes out a loong way over mud flats. Also by the campsite is a marine protected zone, so no swimming anyway. There's a heated pool though so not all bad!
We had a walk along the coast before we left St Vincent. There's a good coast path to the North.
We stayed on a Camping Car Park aire near the beach. We've stayed here before. Last time there was a beach snack shack called Annette's, but it seems she has gone and its been renamed.
