guide
Where to swim in Charente-Maritime? With over 400 kilometres of coastline, two large islands linked to the mainland by a bridge, and seaside resorts such as Royan or Châtelaillon-Plage, the department offers a swimming spot for every mood: sheltered family beaches, sandy conches, long wild beaches battered by the Atlantic.
Here are our best swimming spots, island by island and area by area, the precautions to take against Atlantic currents, and the campsites by the water to make the most of it.
| Area | Where to swim |
|---|---|
| Île de Ré | Beaches of La Flotte and Rivedoux, Gollandières at Bois-Plage, Conche des Baleines |
| Île d’Oléron | Saumonards, Vert-Bois, plage des Huttes, Grande Plage at Saint-Trojan |
| Côte de Beauté | Grande Conche and Pontaillac at Royan, Saint-Palais-sur-Mer, Meschers |
| Around La Rochelle | Châtelaillon-Plage, Fouras, Aytré |
| Family beaches | Mainland side and east side of the islands, sheltered from the swell |
| Caution | Baïnes and currents on the Côte Sauvage and the west coast of Oléron |
Île de Ré has two faces. On the north-east side, facing the mainland, the beaches of Rivedoux and La Flotte are sheltered, with calmer water, ideal for children, but very dependent on the tide. On the south-west side, facing the ocean, the large beaches of Bois-Plage, such as the Gollandières, and of La Couarde offer fine sand as far as the eye can see, and stronger waves. At the western tip, the Conche des Baleines, backed by dunes and forest, is one of the island’s most beautiful beaches.
Second only to Corsica as the largest island in metropolitan France, Oléron has dozens of kilometres of beaches. To the east, the Saumonards beach, lined with pines, and the Boyardville beach are sheltered, facing Fort Boyard. In the north, around Saint-Denis-d’Oléron, the Les Huttes and La Boirie beaches suit families well. To the west, the Côte Sauvage, from Vert-Bois beach to the Grande Plage of Saint-Trojan, is superb but exposed to currents: swim only in the supervised zone.
At the mouth of the Gironde estuary, Royan lines up its conches, crescent-shaped beaches: the Grande Conche, two kilometres long, and the Pontaillac conche, very chic, where the water is often calmer. Further north, Saint-Palais-sur-Mer and its coves, then La Palmyre and the sheltered bay of Bonne Anse, complete the choice. On the estuary side, Meschers-sur-Gironde and its troglodyte cliffs offer small, quiet beaches.
A few kilometres from La Rochelle, Châtelaillon-Plage is the area’s major family resort, with three kilometres of fine sand sloping gently, much loved by children. Fouras, on its peninsula facing the Île d’Aix, has several beaches on either side of the point. Be careful: in this sheltered area, the sea recedes a long way at low tide. Check the tide times before you set off.
On Île de Ré, the camping de l’Île Blanche at La Flotte is close to the sheltered beaches of the north coast and the island’s cycle paths. At La Couarde-sur-Mer, the camping La Tour des Prises lets you cycle to the large ocean beaches of the south of the island. On Oléron, the camping Les Seulières, at Saint-Denis-d’Oléron, is close to the beaches of the north of the island. Find all our waterside campsites in Charente-Maritime, and our selection on Île de Ré.
Charente-Maritime offers plenty of variety: sheltered beaches for young children on the mainland side and the east side of the islands, large ocean beaches for wave lovers. Choose your base according to your family, and always keep an eye on the tides and the flags. In June and September the water stays pleasant and the beaches are much quieter.
Campsites marked “Partner” are Aimer Camper members and are shown first. All results match your search.
