Weekend in Sables d'Olonne: shellfish and crustaceans
Where the horizon is but a thin line between sky and ocean, Les Sables d'Olonne invites you on a journey where salt settles on the skin like a tenacious memory. Here, the town and the sea are one, in a daily embrace under an often generous sky. Sandy beaches, hidden alleys adorned with shells, a wild coastline and bustling ports: the city breathes to the rhythm of the tides. Is a weekend enough to capture the essence of this maritime city where Vendée Globe skippers trace their dreams? Follow the wind and discover it for yourself.
You'll love
Take a stroll around the Île Penotte district, and discover its facades adorned with seashells.
Wind-in-the-hair pedaling through marshes, forests and wild coastline
Enjoy fresh oysters overlooking the harbour, where the masts of sailing ships dance.
Let a wave carry you off into the sunset
Day 1 : From the city to the Puits d'Enfer, an ocean of discoveries
Morning: shell art and the charm of Remblai
Start your escapade with a stroll along the Remblai. Here, Sablais life is in full swing. The Belle Époque facades that have survived the passage of time tell the story of a seaside resort that has kept its soul. Look up at the Palazzo Clementina and its sentinel turret that watches over the ocean.
A few steps away, slip into the narrow streets ofIle Penotte, a miniature district where hollyhocks frame a unique spectacle. Here, Danièle Arnaud-Aubin, the "Dame aux coquillages", has transformed the facades into multicolored marine frescoes. Since 1997, this Sabloise artist has been composing with the sea, using scallops, whelks, mussels and exotic shells to create an open-air museum. Follow the motifs inspired by mythology, fairy tales and other maritime legends.
For lunch, return to the Remblai, where the restaurant terraces are waiting to welcome you. Enjoy seafood and freshly-caught fish as you gaze out over the vast blue sea. The Grande Plage rolls out its golden carpet before your very eyes.
Afternoon: cycling between marshes, forest and wild coastline
In the afternoon, hop on a bike for a tour that reveals the diversity of the Sablais countryside. Ride along the coast to the Puits d'Enfer. This thirty-metre-deep gash in the rock impresses with its sheer force. Take time to observe the waves rushing through the fault, creating foamy spray and mysterious moans.
Continue on to the salt marshes, where the landscape changes radically. Here, salt, water and sky create a palette that changes according to the time of day and the light. In the late afternoon, these basins often take on pink hues, as if to greet your visit. End your day on Grande Plage, Plage des Présidents or Plage de Tanchet to watch the sun plunge into the Atlantic.
Day 2 : Water sports and coastal secrets
Morning: in the footsteps of the Vendée Globe skippers
Start your second day with a stroll along the quays, where three maritime worlds meet. From the fishing port, bustling with trawlers and fish landings, to Port Olona, temple of yachting and the Vendée Globe, via La Cabaude, the commercial port where cargo ships bustle about: the maritime identity of Les Sables d'Olonne is revealed.
At Port Olona, stroll along the Jetée des Skippers, where over a hundred plaques honor the sailors who have taken up the challenge of a non-stop single-handed round-the-world race. Opposite, the pontoons from which these sailors depart every four years wait patiently for the next edition.
Extend the experience by trying your hand at water sports at theInstitut Sports Océan. Optimist, dinghy, windsurfing, surfing and more. Even as a beginner, you'll soon feel the unique freedom of the water.
Or opt for a visit to La Chaume, an old fishing village on the opposite bank of the channel. Its colorful alleyways and authentic atmosphere contrast with the hustle and bustle of the city center.
Afternoon: between adrenalin and idleness, the choice is yours
Do you feel the call of the water? Bodyboarding, paddleboarding, surfing: choose your mount and go for it on the Grand Plage or the Plage du Tanchet. For a moment of relaxation, treat yourself to a wellness break at the thalasso facing Lac du Tanchet. And for the more curious, a trip to the Forêt d'Olonne is a must. These pine forests offer a shady interlude where the song of the pines in the sea breeze composes a soothing melody.
As daylight declines, a final Sablais ritual begins: the evening stroll. In the evening, when the facades light up softly and the bay becomes an inky black jewel case dappled with lights, let yourself be carried away by this unique atmosphere, where the scent of the sea and the promise of a return voyage float by.
Want to extend your stay around Les Sables d'Olonne?
- Visit MASC, the museum of modern and contemporary art, for a cultural break between two sea baths.
- Explore the Ile d'Olonne salt marshes and discover the ancestral know-how of the salt workers, guardians of a white gold.
- Push on to Sauveterre beach, an immense stretch of unspoilt sand bordering the Olonne forest, where nature reigns supreme.
