One of my favourite beaches is at Boyardville (Ile d'Oleron)…read more
The island town has a packed marina and an unpacked 5 mile beach. There were only a few dozen there and most of these were individuals and families picking among the muddy sand for various shell fish, rapidly filling their buckets and baskets.
It is not the only activity as it is a great area for water sports and stunning sea views.
The view, on a day like today, is absolutely fantastic, almost 360 degrees of blue sky. Then there are the stretches of pine trees onshore and out to sea where you can see la Rochelle, Ile d'Aix, Ile de Re and, of course, Fort Boyard, a curious stone structure rising off shore, a fort built under Napoleon the 3rd but outdated militarily before its completion in 1859 and now a destination for boat trips.
If you park near the marina you will have quite a walk to get to the sand. There is a more basic car park a good deal closer, worth seeking out if the weather is hot!