Île de Ré: Bikes, Oysters & the Art of Doing Nothing

I wasn’t expecting Île de Ré to be the place I couldn’t stop thinking about after the trip—but it was. I went in with a vague idea—oysters, bikes, something low-key French—and it completely exceeded that. We rented a small villa just outside of La Flotte, a former fisherman’s cottage redone in a perfectly restrained way the French do so well. From the moment we arrived, I noticed the light, the pace, the quiet confidence of the place—it’s chic, understated, and completely unbothered.

We were there with my mom and my two kids (4 and 6), and somehow it managed to feel both elevated and incredibly easy. Days fell into a rhythm quickly: bikes in the morning, no real plan beyond choosing a direction, stopping when something looked good. Days unfolded easily—riding between towns, stopping along the coast, and settling into lunches that lingered. At low tide, the water disappeared entirely, exposing the sea floor and rows of oysters beneath your feet—which became an afternoon favorite activity for the kids.

Most days were spent moving between La Flotte, Saint-Martin, and the smaller villages in between, stopping for oysters and white wine. Les Copains Bâbord and Ré Ostrea were two we kept coming back to—simple, atmospheric, and exactly what you want in that setting. La Flotte itself is one of France’s "Beaux Villages," and it earns it without trying: a small harbor, an excellent market, and that worn-in, quietly beautiful feel that’s impossible to replicate.

What makes Île de Ré so compelling is how versatile it is. It’s perfect for families—especially multi-generational trips like ours—but it would be just as good for a low-key girls’ trip or a couples getaway that leans more slow and stylish than scene-y.

We’re already planning to go back next summer, this time to Ars-en-Ré on the other end of the island—another Beaux Village—where I’ve had my eye on Le Sénéchal.

You hear barely any English here, which feels increasingly rare, and part of me hesitates to say too much because of it—but it’s that rare place that feels entirely itself.

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