Île D’Oléron is the largest island off the coast of France, after Corsica. It’s located off the coast of Charente-Maritime, not far from La Rochelle, and while many just take a day or weekend to explore, it makes a fantastic family holiday destination. We spent a week there this summer as there are so many things to do on Île d’Oléron, and we had the best time. 

The island has something for everyone, whether your family are nature lovers, water sports enthusiasts, history buffs, or foodies, Île D’Oléron is bound to delight. It also has some of the best beaches in France in my opinion. So if you’re looking for outdoor adventures with your family on Île d’Oléron, look no further.

If you only have a day or two I’d recommend putting the activities you want to do most into Google Maps to see which are closest together.

How to get there

The nearest airports are La Rochelle (LRH) but this may have limited international connections. You can also fly into Bordeaux airport (BOD) or Nantes Atlantique Airport (NTE). From La Rochalle you can get a bus to the island. If you’re flying into Nantes or Bordeaux you can get a train and bus to the island. 

From St Malo ferry port it’s about 5 hours drive to Île d’Oléron (Using toll roads. Allow for longer if you are not using toll roads), and you can get the bridge over to the island from the mainland. This is free of charge. Note that during rush hour the bridge can become very busy so it might be easier, if you can, to time your arrival outside of rush hour.

Visiting the Oléron lighthouse with kids

To the north of the island you can find the Chasseron lighthouse which was built in 1836. There is free parking here (for cars and bikes!) and a few shops/ restaurants on the street leading up to the lighthouse. We arrived around lunchtime and it’s fair to say it was busy, with the queue to go inside the lighthouse over an hour. We weren’t in a rush so we grabbed some churros and settled in to wait. There are gardens around the lighthouse that are arranged like a compass, with information about how it was built. The gardens also have fruit and vegetable plants that the kids enjoyed spotting (and maybe sneaking a few grapes here and there). 

Once you’re in the lighthouse be prepared to tackle the 224 steps to the top. The spiral staircase has windows at intervals where you can take a breather and enjoy the view. The view from the top is panoramic and well worth the effort to get there as you can see across to the mainland and neighboring Il de Ré. 

When you are back on firm ground, go to the museum next door to learn the history of the lighthouse and nearby shipwrecks. You can also visit the fish traps to the back of the lighthouse, and walk part of the coastal walk from here.

Chateau D’Oleron

This citadel was built in the 17th Century as part of a series of fortifications along the French coast. It was bombed in 1945 and subsequently abandoned until the 1980s when the town bought the ruins and restored the fortification. The chateau is worth visiting as it has great views of the oyster port, Fort Boyard and the bridge stretching between Île d’Oléron and the mainland. If you are visiting in the summer check to see if there are any exhibitions on as the citadel is often used as a space for temporary exhibitions.

Family boat trips from Île d’Oléron

Fort Boyard was constructed as a defense mechanism to protect the mouth of the Charente and the Rochfort arsenal from assault by the British navy. Situated between the islands of Oléron and Aix, the fort enabled them to block the British from passing through this stretch of water. The project was originally suggested in the 17th Century but as you can imagine there were many problems that needed to be overcome as it is actually built on a sandbank. The fort was not started until the 18th Century but by the time it was finished it was no longer fit for purpose due to advances in military weaponry. The fort was used as a prison before it was decommissioned and abandoned by the French military. Since being sold by the army it has been used in several film productions. The fort is not open to the public however you can take a boat trip out to the fort to learn more about it, plus a guided walking tour (in English and French).

Grab moule or oysters for lunch

If you’re visiting Chateau d’Oléron you are in the perfect place to grab some delicious, fresh seafood. My son and I both love moule frites and he had been asking for a few days when we could get some for lunch. Luckily for us this was the perfect place. There are lots of family-friendly restaurants on Île d’Oléron. For fresh seafood on the harbour side I can recommend L’Annex or if you only want moules and a relaxed, family friendly atmosphere try À Le Pêche Aux Moules.

Find out how salt is made

There are some great educational and cultural visits for families on Île d’Oléron. Like other islands along the French Atlantic coast, Île d’Oléron has a history of salt production so for a fun experience, head to Port des Salines Ecomuseum. Here you can take guided or unguided tours through the salt pans and mudflats. You can see the salt workers harvesting the salt and huge mounds of it glittering in the sun, waiting to be processed ready for sale.

If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous you can rent a boat to explore the surrounding marshland and spot different birds and wildlife.

On your way out don’t forget to visit the shop which sells different flavoured salt, local products and the most delicious salted caramel sauce. I always buy extra so that I can bring some home and have a taste of Île D’Oléron later in the year.

Head to the artists cabins. 

If you are visiting Chateau d’Oléron you can head straight from there to the artists cabins where a community of about 30 craftspeople invite you to browse and purchase their work. The huts themselves are beautiful with brightly coloured facades as well as creatively decorated interiors. You’ll find everything from paintings, sculptures and handcrafted jewellery to woodturning and ironwork. It’s a lovely spot for a wander and a browse, plus the artists there are generally very welcoming and happy to talk about their work. My kids loved watching one of the artists at work and chatting to him about the piece he was working on.

Surf lesson at Plage de Vert Bois

Oléron beaches are varied but if you’re looking for a great surf spot head to Plage de Vert Bois. There is plenty of parking both for bikes and cars, but if you are driving in the summer make sure you get there early as it does get very busy. And who can blame anyone for wanting to visit!

There are a few options if you want to surf while you are there. There are several surf schools such as Oléron Surf Club that take children and adults from beginner level. This is perfect if you’ve never surfed before or if you want to get some extra practice with a surf teacher there to help you. Or, if you’ve surfed before and just need to rent a board you can do that directly from the beach. We hired a surfboard from Surf Loc*. They rent out bodyboards, surfboards or paddleboards for a few hours at a time. 

If you don’t fancy surfing you can still enjoy this beach as a family. The north side of this beach is very rocky which isn’t good for swimming. As the tide goes out it creates lots of tiny rock pools which are fun to explore and spot different sea creatures. 

Get Le Petit Train to the beach

For an easy and fun day out head to Saint-Trojan-les-Bains where you will find a cute and colourful train station, ready to whisk you on a 12km round trip, through the forest to a couple of different beaches. This little train has been running for over 60 years. As part of the journey you will drive through the train yard where you can spot lots of old engines, and some that have been decommissioned. 

The train stops at Gatseau and Maumusson beaches where you can relax and grab an ice cream at the wagon car. A small restaurant made from an old train carriage. Maumusson beach is best visited when the tide is low as it has sandbars which form shallow seawater pools for paddling. It’s not advised to swim at this beach due to strong currents but we had a lovely time collecting shells and my son helped a local family collect shellfish for their evening meal. 

Gatseau beach is a bit further around the coast and is also accessible by road. It’s fine to swim here but the beach can be quite muddy so I would recommend stopping here while the tide is in. There is also a walking route along this stretch of coast, through the forest.

Hire a bike and cycle to Le Grande Village Plage

Île D’Oléron is a fantastic spot for family cycling. The whole island is covered in family cycling routes, often weaving through forests and well away from the roads so it is perfect for kids too. If you don’t have your own bikes there are lots of places to hire them. All of the beaches and attractions have bike parking nearby, in fact, it’s often easier to park your bike and your car!

One of the top beaches for children on Île d’Oléron is Le Grande Plage. It’s a lovely, family friendly beach. It has beautiful soft sand, and is backed by sand dunes covered in bunny tails. We have spent many happy days here as a family. Jumping in the waves, body boarding, hunting for shells and of course making sand castles.

Which of these activities would your family enjoy?