Saint-Clément-des-Baleines is a village in southwestern France, located on the Île de Ré.

The village is situated in between Ars en Ré and Les Portes.

History

Why is Saint Clément nicknamed the whales?
The town is named “Whale” (baleines) because of large numbers of whales that washed up on the shores of the village:
Pliny the Elder speaks of 300 whales stranded on an edge of the Gulf of Aquitaine.
1522, Madame de la Tremoille request 7 or 800 pounds of whale Thibaud Maroy the receiver-general of the “Isle of Rhe.”
1582, December 31, Captain Bruneau de Rivedoux mentions a grounding of a mammal.
1584, Nicolas Herbin, notary of the lords of Ars and Loix speaks of a stranded whale.

1874: Foundation of the commune of “Saint-Clément-of-Whales”, by detachment of five hamlets of the town Ars-en-Ré  (le Gillieux, le Chabot, la Tricherie, le Griveau, le Godinand).

Nowadays: The village of St Clément des Baleines is now composed of six hamlets stands. The salt marshes near the nature reserve join the forest and the village together

Activities

Cycling, watersports: swimming, surfing, kitesurfing…
Fishing the north coast of the island has large sandy beaches, La Conche beach is considered to be one of the most beautiful beaches of the island. You can also visit The Wild Life Reserve and its Maison du Fier as well. Conjointly take the possibilities to find the salt marshes and play golf.

What to see?

Le Phare des Baleines (the Whale Lighthouse) is the most visited monument on the ile de Ré.
The Museum of the Sea, unchanged for 50 years … Where you can see the bones of stranded whales and great old models.
The Semaphore
Hangar of the old lifeboat.
The fish locks.
The bunkers of the Atlantic Wall (WWII)

Les Portes-en-Ré is a commune within the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France on the Île de Ré.

Loix: the Village, its location
The road to the village of Loix in the Ile de Ré goes through the salt marshes.

Family resort located in the middle of the island of Ré, La Couarde-sur-Mer is a small village. South side, has a long beach (5km) of fine sand surrounded by dunes and pine trees. North side the small port of Goizil hosts water sports. The only bandstand of Isle de Re in the center of the village can attend outdoors summer concerts. The cultural centre of la Couarde-sur-Mer is “La Maline” cinema and cultural venue: exhibitions, concerts, shows are regularly scheduled.

More photos of La Couarde

Ars en Ré village of the island of Ré

History

Formerly known Ars, the town took its current name March the 8th 1962. It was once an important port for the salt (until the early twentieth century) when salt was still taxed (Gabelle).

Description

Charming village on the island of Re surrounded by salt marshes,
Ars en Ré also has a port (the largest of the Ile de Re) at the mouth
the Fier d’Ars. Narrow streets with
flowers, whitewashed houses and ancient Romanesque church half buried but especially
characterized by its white steeple on the black tip useful for sailors or fishermen, Ars
en Ré‘s been elected one of the most “beautiful villages of France”.

The Fier d’Ars

The Fier d’Ars Bay is 800 hectares which is located in the west of the island of Ré, and opens to the northeast in the pertuis Breton. It is surrounded by the municipalities of Saint-Clément-des-Baleines in the west of the Portes-en-Ré north of Ars-en-Ré, and Loix south and east.
Its formation is related to the establishment of the Île de Ré, by the gathering of the three islands.
His crossing is required by a channel to access the port of Ars, it used to be considered as Les Portes’ port. La Patache in the north is an anchorage for boaters and oyster-farmers.

See more photos of ars

La Flotte en Re

Ranked among the most beautiful villages in France, La Flotte-en-Ré is, by its size, the largest town in the Ile de Re. It is a small picturesque harbor surrounded by homes and businesses. The town is a maze of narrow streets and flowered. La Flotte-en-Ré has the best indoor market in the Ile de Ré, like medieval 17th century open every morning. From the beachfront coastal path takes you to Fort La Pree through the Cistercian Abbey of Chateliers or St-Martin-de-Ré, at low tide you’ll be capable to discover the oyster culture.

Sainte Marie de Re

Sainte-Marie-De-Ré occupies the south-east of Ile de Re. This rural village on the coast is classified as protected wilderness resort, since on 25/02/2009 and Green Holiday Station since 2002. Between land and sea, it is the first agricultural town of Ile de Re. The vine is a big place. Its beaches and wild coastline attracts surfers. Along this coast, fish locks are visible and tours to understand the functioning of these fisheries, heritage preserved in Sainte Marie de Re.

Considered from the outset as the capital of Ile de Ré, SAINT-MARTIN-DE-RE is a small village fortified by Vauban is a charming little marina.

The central island and the docks of this port contain many mansions that attest to the heyday of trade once. Narrow streets, footpaths, paved, flower in summer with hollyhocks, lined with beautiful old houses are the charm of this city. A surrounding wall of several kilometers, which fortifications were added since July 7, 2008, to the World Heritage List of UNESCO, is home to an imposing citadel (State Prison) which served as a staging area for convicts, 1872-1938 , bound for the penal colonies of New Caledonia and French Guiana.