With its 100 kilometers of coastline, your visit to theIle d’Oléron will take you to a multitude of beaches with different atmospheres, open to the open sea or facing the Marennes basin, Rochefort arsenal, Ile d’Aix, Pertuis d’Antioche and Ile de Ré. All of them boast excellent bathing water.
Several of the island’s seaside resorts have been awarded the prestigious “Pavillon Bleu” label for clean beaches, waste management and attention to the environment. Here’s an overview of the beaches you can visit during your stay at the Ile d’Oléron Made in Camp Le Fief Melin campsite.
East coast beaches
To the east of the island, the coast opposite the Moëze-Oléron nature reserve is home to numerous oyster farms and their oyster beds. The coastline stretching from Saint-Trojan-les-Bains to Pointe de Bellevue is therefore not the most suitable for swimming. The sea retreats a long way at low tide, but fishing on foot is not permitted, as the site is protected.
On the other hand, the area around the Saint-Trojan forest to the west boasts some very fine sandy beaches. Facing the Atlantic Ocean, they are particularly popular with surfers, kitesurfers, bodyboarders and other water sports enthusiasts. There are also several surf schools.
The large sandy beach at Saint-Trojan, in the Poitou-Charentes region, remains a renowned gathering place, even at low tide, where you can go sand yachting. The setting, bordered by woods and forests, is also appreciated by lovers of wild nature and wide open spaces. This beach on the Ile d’Oléron is ideal if you like waves.
For bathing with younger children, head for Gatseau beach, at the island’s southeastern tip: it’s also bordered by the Saint-Trojan forest, but faces the mainland via the Pertuis de Maumusson. It is therefore sheltered from currents and sea winds.
West coast beaches
On the west Atlantic coast of the Ile d’Oléron, to the north of the long beach of Saint-Trojan opposite Marennes-Oléron, there’s a succession of large beaches and famous surf spots: near Grand-Village, the bay of Perroche and the coastal hamlets of Saint-Pierre, the wild sandy coast offers wide-open spaces perfect for lazing around and water sports. To the north, just before the Pointe de Chassiron, Plage de la Hutte is a mecca for watersports enthusiasts, with windsurfing, surfing, kitesurfing and bodyboarding.
On the Saint-Denis d’Oléron side, on the other side of the Pointe, beaches with gentler waves are ideal for families: for sand play and family bathing, head for the Plage de la Brée-les-Pins, for example, or the Plage de la Boirie, a stone’s throw from the Saint-Denis marina: its colorful beach huts give it a unique charm.
Heading down the east coast of the island, you’ll also find the magnificent Gautrelle beach, on the territory of Saint-Georges d’Oléron near Saint-Pierre d’Oléron. To the west of the port of Le Douhet, it’s a tranquil beach offering breathtaking views of the Ile d’Aix and Fort Boyard. Continuing eastwards, you come to Plage des Saumonards, another unspoilt site: bordered by forest, this beach on the Ile d’Oléron is one of the wildest on the island. It extends as far as Plage de Boyardville, the last stretch of sand before the oyster beds, just before the port.
Visit our region
Cycle paths on the Ile d’Oléron
Visit Château-d’Oléron
Château-d’Oléron Citadel
Le Marais aux oiseaux
Boyardville
Port des Salines
Port de la Cotinière
Chassiron lighthouse
Fort Boyard
Campsite Saint-Denis-d’Oléron
Camping La Brée-les-Bains
Camping Saint-Georges-d’Oléron
Saint-Pierre-d’Oléron campsite
Boyardville Campsite
Camping Dolus-d’Oléron
Camping Saint-Trojan-les-Bains
Camping Le Grand-Village-Plage
