by Camilla Ridley
The effotlessy chic Atlantic Retreat where the Parisian style set head for a slice of authentic French island life 
Ridley London designer and founder Camilla pictured here on a ride through the scenic salt marshes of Île de Ré, wearing her customised Ridley London silk manon dress in the beautiful fuchsia and navy Wisley floral Liberty print.
There are plenty of beautiful places in France, but few manage to feel quite as special as Île de Ré. Condé Nast Traveller Magazine recently labelled it as ‘France’s favourite holiday Island, with a sophistication that feels relaxed rather than showy.’ Situated just a short hop over the bridge from La Rochelle on France's Atlantic coast, this charming island has long attracted a stylish mix of Parisian families, artists and discerning holidaymakers looking for a slower and more authentic kind of escape. Despite its popularity, the Island has retained a wonderfully genuine sense of place. Beautiful whitewashed villages with pale green shutters, ancient churches, colourful markets and tiny streets filled with bougainvillea give the island an unmistakably French atmosphere. While its beaches, pine forests, salt marshes, and vineyards provide a glorious natural backdrop, Île de Ré has all of the charm of many of the more well-known French Riviera holiday destinations without any of the obvious impacts of mass tourism or the influx of conspicuous wealth.
Originally settled by the Romans and later an important centre for salt production, fishing and trade, Île de Ré has gradually evolved into one of France's most sought-after summer destinations. Yet you wouldn’t know it. The island's development has been carefully contained, and it has remained wonderfully low-rise and relaxed. Cars have their place, but life here is really lived at the pace of a bicycle. Days are spent cycling through beautiful countryside, wandering around markets and pretty ports, swimming in the Atlantic, and enjoying wonderfully fresh local seafood. If you like oysters, a glass of crisp local wine, and an effortlessly beautiful French way of life, this could be the place for you. It's very easy to see why people return here year after year. As our Parisian neighbour observed: “I come here with my family for three weeks every year, and we absolutely love it. It’s how France used to be. It’s completely relaxed, totally safe, and filled with so many of the families and people I see every day in my (affluent) neighbourhood of West Paris!” Somewhat like a french Cornwall, but with none of the recent influx of celebrity mega-villas or a more gaudy style of tourism. Ile de Ré is a great destination for families of all ages, and like Cornwall, the island has a fun teen scene, particularly centred around the beach at Le Bois and La Pergola in La Couarde.
Clockwise from top left: The vinyards and salt farming in the marshes, Camilla heads off to La Couarde Market in her Ridley London Sadie dress in turquoise zebra print silk, a tray of freshly farmed Île de Ré oysters enjoyed with a chilled glass of crisp island grown chardonay.
Getting there
We opted to take the Euro Tunnel and drive, which is about 10 hours non-stop from London. We broke the trip on the way down, and overnighted in the charming Moulin de la Chevrière hotel, located just outside Chinon, the picturesque wine town famous for its delicious chilled reds. We then had an easy two-hour drive down to La Rochelle, and crossed the bridge to Île de Ré. La Rochelle is a little over an hour and a half’s flight from London Gatwick or Stansted airports, with Easyjet operating a regular service between 3-6 times each week in peak summer season. Our great friends who are twenty-year Île de Ré regulars swear by the train. Apart from the change in Paris, it’s not only more relaxed but has the best environmental credentials and lowest carbon footprint. They train from Gare Montparnasse to Nantes and complete the journey onto Ile de Ré with a car rental with French Supermarket Carrefour (that’s right!) and extraordinarily competitive rates.
Where to stay
I would highly recommend staying around La Couarde-sur-Mer, one of the island's loveliest and most central villages, with its beautiful sandy beach, charming low-key atmosphere, and easy access to some of Île de Ré's best cycle routes. It's the perfect place to stay if you want to explore the island without feeling as though you're in one of its busier resorts. We rented a comfortable 8 bed Villa with friends from local agent Iledereloc. The house was literally a stone's throw from one of the most beautiful beaches on the island, which absolutely made it for me. My advice would be book early, particularly in peak season, to avoid disappointment. For something particularly special, head to the nearby village of Ars-en-Ré and the gorgeous Le Sénéchal. This small, stylish hotel perfectly captures the relaxed elegance of the island, with its beautiful rooms, intimate courtyards and traditional whitewashed architecture paired with contemporary French design. Ars itself is also a delight: a genuinely pretty village centred around its distinctive black-and-white church spire, with little shops, cafés and galleries that are lovely to explore at a leisurely pace.
Clockwise from top left: Camilla explores Ars en Ré in her Ridley London Sadie dress in the red Monomuse floral Liberty print silk, the beautiful pool at Le Sénéchal Hotel, a bedroom and bathroom design at Le Sénéchal captures the unique style of Île de Ré.
Exploring the island
Without doubt, the best way to experience Île de Ré is by bicycle. Hire an old-fashioned bike with a basket and gently make your way along the island's wonderful network of cycle paths, which wind through salt marshes, vineyards, pine forests, and beautiful little villages. Stop to wander around the picturesque harbour at Saint-Martin-de-Ré, browse one of the excellent local markets for fresh produce, cheese and bread, or simply sit with a coffee, or a citron pressé and watch the world go by. One of our favourite experiences is stopping at one of the wonderfully simple cabanas dotted around the island for a plate of exceptional fresh seafood — particularly local oysters — accompanied by a glass of chilled local wine. This is slow travel at its very best: no need for a packed itinerary, just a beautiful bicycle ride, another pretty village to discover, and a long lunch somewhere with a view. There are a multitude of excellent value bike hire shops in all the main towns on the island.
Our favourite beaches
La Couarde beach is one of the island's real gems: a long stretch of soft sand and dunes where you can find plenty of space, particularly if you wander away from the main access points. It has a wonderfully natural, unspoilt feel and is perfect for a long walk, a swim or simply a lazy afternoon watching the Atlantic waves roll in. When the wind picks up, it’s great for a sail, or a spot of wind or kite surfing, with several places to hire. If you’re thinking of bringing your dog, it’s worth bearing in mind that dogs are banned on many of the Island’s best beaches during peak season, with the risk of substantial fines. It appears however, that this is not as rigorously policed outside of peak hours, and we met lots of friendly early morning dog walkers and swimmers as the sun rose over a gloriously empty La Couarde beach. We also love the beach at Le Bois-Plage-en-Ré, where the vast sandy shoreline has a little more of a sociable summer atmosphere, with beach clubs and cafés nearby, but still plenty of space and that wonderful sense of nature. Both beaches are perfect examples of what makes Île de Ré so appealing — effortlessly beautiful without feeling overly polished or artificial.
Clockwise from top left: Camilla explores the picturesque harbour at Saint Martin in her Emmanuelle dress in watermelon broderie anglais cotton, the long sandy beach at La Couarde-sur-Mer, an example of cabana, and one of Île de Ré's lighthouse.
Where to Eat
Île de Ré is celebrated throughout France for its exceptional oysters, mussels and beautifully fresh fish. The island has a long tradition of fishing and oyster farming, which is still an intrinsic part of life today. The famous salt marshes also produce its prized fleur de sel, served alongside its famously delicate new potatoes. There’s nowhere better to taste the unique flavour of the island than at one of its many cabanas run by a thriving community of artisan producers. And if you’re a fan of oysters, the quality and value is simply unbeatable. Add to this a growing band of chic harbourside restaurants favouring flavour, honesty and friendly service, alongside brilliant bakeries, butchers and excellent markets, and you have a recipe for a fantastically foodie trip. Given the strength of the local produce, we spent a great deal of time lunching at cabanas and then cooking and eating in. We also managed some evenings out at a handful of excellent eateries, and we can highly recommend trying any of the following:
La Baleine Bleue, Saint Martin
La Rhetaise, La Cuarde-sur-Mer
La Cabane de l'Huître du Saunier, La Couarde-sur-Mer
La Martinière (Ice cream), across the island
Finally, no French holiday would be complete without sampling the local artisan ice cream. A product that the Île de Ré gets absolutely spot on. There are all the usual fabulous flavours I look forward to when holidaying in France: citron vert, casis, violet, strawberry, and pear sorbets, but on the Île de Ré the local speciality is salted caramel. And it really is pretty special, with salt farmed fresh from the island’s famous salt marshes. La Martinière still make all of their ice cream on the Island using as many locally produced ingredients as possible, which can be sampled at one of their shops or stands in all of the destination towns.
Clockwise from top left: Camilla relaxes in Saint Martin in her Sadie dress in green clifford Liberty print silk, a portion of octapus at La Baleine Bleue, a street in Saint Martin, the famous Île de Ré salted caramel ice cream.
What to pack
Chic Île de Ré style is a meeting point between Parisian nonchalance and the relaxed, slightly bohemian Atlantic lifestyle of the island. The effect is always effortless femininity, opposed to the more polished, overtly designer look found on the French Riviera. The point is not to look dressed up. French chic here is all about restraint and ease. Jeanne Damas, of Paris Vogue describes her chic Île de Ré holiday essentials as a basket, floral dresses, vintage inspired slips, minimal jewellery, leather sandals or mules. In short, Ile de Ré style is understated, flattering and feminine, but above all versatile and practical. Its a look which works with the kind of life that’s actually going to be led on the Island each day: cycling to the market, walking through the village, having lunch at a port, going to the beach, then changing only minimally for drinks and dinner. For 2026 french fashion press suggests a clear shift towards boho-chic, 1970s influences, crochet, fluidity and romantic femininity. Vogue France's summer wardrobe identifies crochet, flowing cuts, maxi dresses, raffia baskets and gladiator-style sandals as central pieces of the summer season.
Our Ridley silk and cotton floral summer dresses are the perfect pieces to pack for a holiday on Ile de Ré. Not only do they fit in seamlessly with the understated style favoured by chic islanders, but they are also incredibly easy, versatile and can of course be customised for your most flattering fit. Your Ridley silk dress will literally take you from the morning market, onto the cabana lunch, afternoon on the beach, straight to evening aperitifs, and every cycle ride in between. Ultimately, this will save you precious time, so you can spend more time enjoying your holiday with loved ones, rather than endlessly cycling back to your villa or hotel to change. I can say this for certain, because my Ridley dresses did just this for me on this trip. Some of our more relaxed styles like our Manon dresses, or Emmanuelle style in the broderie anglais cotton are perfect for throwing over a swimming costume, and our lightweight silk dresses pack down small, and are incredibly low maintenance. No ironing is required, simply hang them in your bathroom and watch any creases drop out as you shower. Thanks to the magical insulating properties of silk, I also found my Ridley silk dresses were wonderfully cool and easy to wear on warm days, while being warm and cosy for dinners out on slightly cooler evenings.
Ridley London's new collection of beautiful silk dresses, skirts, tops, and tailoring is available to purchase online and at the Ridley Atelier. Celebrate your individuality this season with a unique piece that's customised to flatter in your choice of any of our stunning new printed florals or solid silks or luxurious velvets. Or call us to arrange a virtual fitting:
Ridley Atelier, Wadesmarsh Farmhouse, Fernden Lane, Haslemere T: 0203 3367900