The mild climate of Oléron Island, the southernmost island on the Atlantic coast, has earned it the moniker "mimosa island". Yet beyond its sunny natural environment, there is plenty more to enchant visitors on this piece of land off the Rochefort coast measuring 30 km long by 8 km wide!

The place is renowned for its oysters, farmed in special ponds called "claires" in the Marennes-Oléron basin. In an oyster hut in Saint-Trojan-les-Bains, the Oléron Oyster Centre (Maison de l'huître oléronaise) offers guided tours of the oyster beds and tastings.

Access to Oléron Island is via its famous bridge spanning over 3 km, opened in 1966 and now free to use. Between superb sandy beaches and beautiful pine forests, there are many places to visit. Must-sees include the picturesque and lively fishing port of La Cotinière; the island's former historic capital, Le Château-d'Oléron, with its citadel offering a stunning view of the ramparts; the colourful huts on the beach at Saint-Denis-d'Oléron; and the Chassiron lighthouse perched on its rocky cliff, offering a panoramic view from a height of 46 metres. You can also see the century-old oyster farming village of Fort-Royer, the oyster farming site of La Baudissière and the Port des Salines in Le Grand-Village-Plage.

Two beautiful beaches vie to be the star attraction: Saumonards beach, on the east coast, and the big beach of Saint-Trojan-les-Bains. The forest is also ever-present, covering some 3,000 hectares with many marked paths. In Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron, the Oléron Island Museum presents the island's treasures to visitors. The island has many spots where you can enjoy water sports, and opportunities to approach the legendary Fort Boyard, its star attraction, by sea.

The Marennes-Oléron basin, made up of six municipalities, is internationally famous for the quality of its oysters, which are bred in beds at sea and then matured in sea water-filled basins called "claires". The marsh, which covers a large part of the basin, forms a mosaic of unique and surprising landscapes, home to many migratory birds such as herons, egrets, swans and storks.

The channel of the Port of La Cayenne offers a renewed spectacle, with its unusual, brightly coloured huts that enchant visitors, painters and photographers. The port is home to the Cité de l'huître, a museum about oyster farming. Visitors can discover a wealth of information about how the famous shellfish is farmed and the skills involved. It consists of four show-huts on different themes. The Chemin des Claires is a path of 3.5 kilometres with information signs, running alongside the channel through marshes and oyster farms.

Architectural heritage also has a place in this exceptional environment. If you climb the 289 steps of the Church of St. Peter of Sales (Saint-Pierre de Sales) in Marennes, you can admire a superb view of the basin and the oyster-farming landscapes from the top of the bell tower, whose spire rises to 85 metres! Brouage, labelled one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France, is a former stronghold in the middle of the marshes. It's well worth discovering for its ring of ramparts as well as its watchtowers, bastions and posterns which bear witness to its medieval past. The Château de La Gataudière, an 18th-century stately home and listed Historic Monument, was once owned by an engineer to the King, François Fresneau, who was also the inventor of rubber. Today, its superb grounds contain an adventure park with a treetop rope course, paintballing, karting and orienteering.

The state forest of La Coubre, in Charente-Maritime, was planted in the 19th century to slow down the silting up of the Arvert peninsula, which was particularly exposed to the winds coming from the sea. Its 8,000 hectares of maritime pines and holm oaks unfold majestically and are highly biodiverse. The superb walk leads to the coastal dunes of the Arvert peninsula and with a bit of luck, you might spot a stag, a doe or a roe deer.

On the La Coubre headland, the two-coloured lighthouse built in 1904 in the municipality of La Tremblade marks the entrance to the Gironde estuary. It plays an important role as a sentinel on this tumultuous part of the coast. From the top of its 300 steps, at a height of 64 metres, you can admire a magnificent view of the forest and the wild coast. At the foot of the lighthouse is a museum dedicated to the history of lighthouses and their workings. A cycle path of 29 kilometres, from Ronce-les-Bains to Saint-Palais-sur-Mer, is a great way to enjoy this authentic setting, between forest and ocean!

La Palmyre Zoo is world-famous. It covers 18 hectares near Royan and transports children and grown-ups to the four corners of the Earth on an immersive experience among over 1,600 animals from all over the globe. Zebras, Asian elephants, tigers, giraffes, red pandas, lemurs, birds and reptiles of all kinds inhabit this unique location, deep in a sprawling pine forest near the ocean. 115 species from every continent rub shoulders in this huge green space.

Don't miss the Great Apes area home to orangutans, gorillas and chimpanzees. Look out for exotic species like hornbills, ibises and parrots as you stroll along paths shaded by the pine trees. The parrots star in amazing shows that children and grown-ups alike will love!

The sea lion shows are always a winner and the kids will love petting the farm animals and seeing the peacocks strutting their stuff. School groups can book educational workshops to learn about the different lifestyles of the zoo's residents, the dangers threatening them or life behind the scenes at the zoo.

La Palmyre Zoo is actively involved in a whole host of campaigns to save endangered animals, protect the environment and conduct scientific research. Given the zoo's role as a wildlife protector, births are always milestone events that staff and visitors alike are wild about.

On the banks of the Charente, Rochefort has kept many reminders of its glorious maritime past. This prestigious city, created by Colbert on the initiative of Louis XIV, owes its fame primarily to its military Arsenal, which produced 550 ships over two-and-a-half centuries.

It is here that the Hermione, the legendary frigate that carried the Marquis de La Fayette, was built. Its amazing replica, built thanks to a community project using the materials and techniques of the time, was completed in 2015 after 18 years of work. Today, it's a fascinating attraction for children and adults to visit.

Housed in a superb 17th-century building measuring 374 metres in length, the Royal Rope Works is an important part of Rochefort's maritime history. This factory, which manufactured ropes for the French Royal Navy, now houses the International Sea Centre.

The National Navy Museum is located in the Hôtel de Cheusses mansion, one of the oldest buildings in the city. It has a hundred or so scale models and collections about the Arsenal's history to discover. The former School of Naval Medicine, founded in 1722, was the first in the world to train surgeons to serve on warships.

The unusual house where Pierre Loti was born is now a museum exhibiting objects and exotic memorabilia that belonged to the famous writer and naval officer from Rochefort. The Museum of Old-time Businesses, with reconstructions of workshops and shops from 1900 to 1945, is also worth a visit, as is the Museum of Art and History, housed in the Hôtel Hèbre, a beautiful 18th-century mansion.

In Rochefort, you can also admire the built heritage, which has earned it the label of Town of Art and History, its marina and natural areas, including the Garden of Returns, the banks of the Charente and the Begonia Conservatory.

Royan, a well-known seaside resort in Charente-Maritime, located at the entrance to the Gironde estuary, became a sought-after spot in the 19th century, when sea bathing started to become fashionable. After the devastation of the Second World War, it was rebuilt in the 1950s in a contemporary style. The apartment blocks and the Church of Our Lady, built in the modernist style and now a listed Historic Monument, are reminders of that period of upheaval.

Yet Royan, a certified Town of Art and History on the Côte de Beauté, has kept some buildings from the Belle Époque. The streets are dotted with thirty or so charming villas, particularly in the hip district of Pontaillac, famous for its surfing spot and beach. Pontaillac is also where the Royan Museum is located, in the old covered market at the heart of a historic neighbourhood. An exhibition there documents the eventful history of the town, which managed to rise from its ashes, as well as the birth of this renowned resort. Seaside villas alternate with character properties in the Parc and Foncillon districts.

Royan offers locals and holidaymakers five sandy beaches, including the popular Grande Conche, enjoyed by bathers, windsurfers and kite enthusiasts. Others are more secluded, like the Conche du Chay and Conche du Pigeonnier, sheltered in rocky coves.

It's also an outstandingly sporty town. The Régates de Royan yacht club is where many sailing enthusiasts have had their first taste of that legendary sport. The town also caters very well to cyclists with the Vélodyssée, a cycle path running along the coast. Many other activities are available: sea diving, horse-riding, golf, squash, parachuting... you'll be spoilt for choice!

You can also admire the typical architecture of the central market, built from 1955 onwards with a concrete cupola on top giving the building the look of a parachute, or stroll around the harbour early in the morning to watch the fishermen coming in. Nature-lovers will appreciate the Gardens of the World (Jardins du Monde), at the heart of the Pousseau Marsh. Visitors are enthralled and enchanted by its subtle blend of scents and colours. Its tropical forest of 700 m², containing France's biggest orchid house with 30,000 species, is its star attraction.

The magnificent La Roche-Courbon Castle, in Saint-Porchaire, Charente-Maritime, located on the Saintonge Historical Treasures Route, was built in the 15th century on a rocky spur. It was first a fortress, then became an elegant Renaissance residence in the 17th century.

A listed Historic Monument since 1946, its interiors are refined and full of contrasts. If features a traditional Saintonge kitchen and a rustic bedroom alongside the superb cabinet of paintings, the 18th-century grand drawing room, the Louis XIII drawing room with its painted beams, a hallway with a remarkable staircase and a bathroom sumptuously decorated with paintings on wood.

The setting is enchanting, with splendid French formal gardens that have earned the Remarkable Garden certification label, featuring arrangements of flowers and statues, and a water feature in which the castle is reflected.

On the property, a short distance from the castle, caves inhabited during the Palaeolithic period add to the charm of the place.

Activities, old games, workshops, an escape game and a PréhistoZen trail, along with a Prehistory Museum in the keep, offer a fun and educational experience for all ages.

At the north end of Médoc, the Grave headland (Pointe du Grave), between the Gironde estuary and the Atlantic Ocean, offers extensive views of the mouth of Europe's biggest estuary, as well as Royan, a famous seaside resort on the Charente-Maritime coast. In the middle of the sea near the headland stands the famous Cordouan Lighthouse, the oldest working lighthouse in France, which can only be visited after crossing the sea by boat from Le Verdon-sur-Mer harbour…

For those who don't have great sea legs or would like to find out more about this historic monument, head to the Grave headland lighthouse, which as well as offering lovely views of the Gironde estuary, also has a museum about the history of the famous lighthouse in the sea and the operation of the lighthouses and beacons.

In the middle of the sea, at the mouth of the Gironde estuary, off the coast of Royan and the Grave headland, the famous Cordouan Lighthouse, built between 1584 and 1611, is the oldest working lighthouse in France. Known as the Versailles of the sea, this imposing sentinel of white Saintonge stone, a listed Historic Monument, stands 67.5 metres tall and has six storeys in the Renaissance style.

Only accessible after a boat ride of about 45 minutes - be prepared to wade through the sea upon landing! - Cordouan Lighthouse can be visited from April to November, departing from Royan or Le Verdon-sur-Mer. Note that visiting hours may change daily depending on the tides and weather conditions... A climb of this must-see landmark's 301 steps will lead you up to the lantern balcony, from which you can enjoy an exceptional view of the ocean, coastline and the largest estuary in Europe! When visiting this prestigious lighthouse with its unique architecture, you will have the opportunity to admire the King's apartment adorned with pilasters on the first floor, the majestic chapel with stained glass windows on the second floor, and the Girondins room paved with grey and black marble on the third floor.

Still inhabited by guards, the Cordouan Lighthouse has fully automated since 2006, and continues to protect and guide sailors, night after night...

If you have not been able to go to the king of lighthouses or if you simply want to learn more, take a trip to the Museum of the Cordouan Lighthouse and the Lighthouses and Beacons, located at the foot of the Grave headland, which has a collection of plans, models and documents telling the story of the famous monument in the sea, and describing the operation of the lighthouses and beacons.

Aix Island is a delightful territory of 129 hectares, 3 km long and 600 m wide. On this miniature island known as "the little Corsica of the Atlantic", you feel like you're in another world, full of peace and serenity, where time seems to have stood still...

Visitors can enjoy a 360° panorama including a breathtaking view of Fort Boyard. You can also see Oléron Island, Ré Island and Madame Island. The island's harbour was defended by Fort Liédot, reputedly indestructible and impregnable, and built by Napoleon on the island's highest point. It had room for 600 men and served as a detention centre.

A walk or bike ride around the island on its 7-kilometre customs officers' path, among oyster beds, sandy beaches, coves and woodland areas, is an enchanting experience! Another must-see is the collection of Napoleon I memorabilia on display in the Napoleonic Museum, a house where the emperor stayed from 12 to 15 July 1815, before his exile in Saint Helena. Guided walks are offered by the Tourist Office.

The former capital of Aunis on the Atlantic coast, a few kilometres south of La Rochelle, Châtelaillon-Plage is one of the most famous seaside resorts in Charente-Maritime, offering holidaymakers a wide range of activities and leisure facilities.

On a walk around its streets you can see its many Belle Époque villas, typical of the resort architecture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The fine sand, which runs for three kilometres, and the promenade along the sea front, make it an ideal place for a stroll or a swim in the sea. Its casino and thalassotherapy centre are also part of its heritage.

To the south of the town, you can visit the village of Les Boucholeurs, an authentic oyster port, and sit on one of the magnificent mosaic benches to admire the view of the coast. Steeped in sailors' culture, the oyster and mussel festival takes place in the month of August. Kite-lovers, meanwhile, can attend the international kite and wind festival during the Easter weekend, and be amazed by the sight of the sky filled with pieces of fabric in every colour of the rainbow!

Opposite the Old Harbour in La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime, one of the largest private aquariums in Europe invites lovers of the undersea world to get to know its 12,000 residents, who live in some 3 million litres of sea water in an area covering 8,000 m².

Audioguide in hand, for two hours you will experience a real journey under the sea, discovering the diversity of the world's oceans. You can admire many fascinating species, from clownfish to sharks, not forgetting turtles, the star attraction. You will be fascinated by the fabulous defensive powers of all this mysterious wildlife, such as camouflage, armour or poison. You can admire the wonderful ballet of the jellyfish, and wander in the exotic tropical forest where piranhas and carnivorous plants thrive.

La Rochelle Aquarium's mission is to help people discover and understand the undersea environment, but it is also a place of scientific research with its own sea turtle observation and care programme. It is committed to training and raising public awareness for the protection of the ocean environment.

La Rochelle, the prefecture of Charente-Maritime, has made the most of its many attractions to charm visitors. The Vieux-Port quarter, the city's most emblematic district, has inspired many painters and photographers. Its three towers, listed as Historic Monuments since 1879, are remains of the medieval fortifications. The Lantern Tower, also town as the "Four Sergeants Tower", dating from the 15th century, served as a lighthouse before becoming a prison, into whose stone walls Huguenots, corsairs and foreign sailors etched around 600 graffiti. At the very top, you can enjoy a lovely view of the city and the harbour!

The other two towers, built at the end of the 14th century, were used to defend the port for five centuries. The tallest, the St. Nicholas Tower, is 42 metres tall and offers an impressive view from its wall walk. The Chain Tower, which closed the channel to boats, is connected to the Lantern Tower by a curtain wall. The Great Clock Gate (Porte de la Grosse Horloge), topped by a belfry, was added in the 15th century to the city wall.

La Rochelle has many more architectural treasures, which you can discover on a stroll along the streets of its old town. Mansions, beautiful Renaissance homes and half-timbered houses enchant visitors with their refinement and elegance. In the pedestrianised area of the city centre, the arcaded streets feature many shops whose charm is undeniable.

La Rochelle City Hall is one of the city's architectural gems and is a listed Historic Monument. Its Renaissance main building, dating from the 15th and 16th centuries, has a Flamboyant Gothic surrounding wall. Its ornaments are numerous: Corinthian columns, gargoyles, faience, crenellated tower...

There are many museums dotted about the city, offering something for everyone! The Maritime Museum invites you to visit a ship once owned by the French national meteorological service (Météorologie nationale) and a fishing trawler. The lively Museum of Automata and Scale Models exhibits a unique collection of more than 300 moving automata, an astonishing reconstruction of a Montmartre neighbourhood in 1900, and a large number of scale models. In the prestigious setting of an 18th-century mansion, the New World Museum tells the story of relations between France and the Americas, while the superb Natural History Museum is dedicated to lovers of nature, ethnology, science and travel. You can also discover the Fine Arts Museum or the Orbigny-Bernon Museum, exhibiting collections of faience, engravings and paintings.

Not far from the Vieux-Port, La Rochelle Aquarium, one of the most popular aquariums in France, invites sea life enthusiasts to discover the fauna and flora of all the world's oceans. You can also stroll along Les Minimes marina, which attracts sailors from all over the world, or enjoy the fine sand on one of the three beaches: La Concurrence, Les Minimes or L'Houmeau.

Culture is also a strong point of La Rochelle, with a wide range of events: International Sailing Week in May-June, La Rochelle International Film Festival in June-July, the Grand Pavois international boat show in September-October, or La Rochelle Jazz Festival in October. As for the Francofolies music festival in July, it's been an unmissable gathering for fans of French popular song since 1985!

Known as "Re the White", Ré Island offers a mosaic of landscapes whose charm is magnetic. This beautiful island of the Charente archipelago has everything to please, with its natural salt marsh areas, vineyards, pine forests or golden sandy beaches, and its small streets lined with typical white houses, featuring shutters in shades of green or blue, decorated with hollyhocks. On the island, the bike is king, and you can admire its beautiful natural areas on 110 km of safe cycle paths.

Its ten villages, each one a gem, are located within a territory 30 km long and 5 km wide, off the coast of La Rochelle. After crossing the majestic bridge of nearly 3 km, you reach Rivedoux-Plage, before heading towards Sainte-Marie-de-Ré, one of the oldest villages on the island.

Then comes Le Bois-Plage-en-Ré with its long beach, vines and pine forests. Next, you reach the centre of the island, at La Couarde-sur-Mer, one of its leading seaside resorts. To the north, Le Martray, the narrowest passage, leads to the Fier d'Ars, a bay of 800 hectares that is home to many bird populations at the heart of the Lilleau des Niges Nature Reserve. La Maison du Fier, a museum managed by the French League for the Protection of Birds, presents the natural heritage of Ré Island.

In Ars-en-Ré, listed as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France, the famous black and white bell tower is the star of the place. The Phare des Baleines lighthouse, in the municipality of Saint-Clément-des-Baleines, is one of the most powerful on the Atlantic coast. From the top of its 257 steps, at a height of 57 metres, you can enjoy an exceptional view! You then cross Les Portes-en-Ré, where you will find some beautiful beaches and the Trousse-Chemise wood made famous by a Charles Aznavour song, before reaching Loix, at the heart of the salt marshes.

The historic capital of the island, Saint-Martin-de-Ré, has a citadel and 14 km of ramparts, built by Vauban in the 17th century and now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lining its scenic harbour are shops and boutiques, as well as the Ernest-Cognacq Museum telling the story of the island. La Flotte en Ré, an old fishing village full of authentic charm, is also very characterful. Its harbour, winding streets and medieval market are lovely places for a leisurely stroll.