There’s something about islands anywhere. We love the finiteness and inclusion of a place that requires at minimum a bridge to come and go. Our adventures in Hawaii are made more interesting because we’re at a place in the middle of the sea, a safe distance from the daily life that we escape every time we go.

In France, islands have a very distinct flavor. Most were truly separate communities until the age of ferries and then bridges. As we learned at the Ile de Noirmoutier last summer, they developed their own character, their own style and even their own salt and potatoes. In a country of haute cuisine, knowing what island your potatoes or salt come from matters. We like that.

We were invited to spend a few days at the Ile de Ré on our way back from our trip to Perigord, and we weren’t about to pass up the opportunity.

Full of history

The Ile de Ré is just off the coast from the city of La Rochelle, one of the more important ports on the Atlantic Coast of France. It is the largest city between Bordeaux and Nantes and as such, was an important place of occupation for the Germans in World War II. In fact, it was one of several ‘fortress cities’ passed over by the Allies during the liberation of France. The Allies simply blockaded well-defended cities, known as Les Poches (The Pockets) until it was convenient to accept the surrender of those cities, long after Paris was free. Read more