Grand-Village-Plage: Beach, Salt Marshes and Forest

Grand-Village-Plage lies between the ocean, salt marshes, and a large pine forest. Several aspects of the town are worth exploring to help you get your bearings before your stay: the fine sandy beach, trails through the forest and dunes, and places connected with salt production and rural life. These differences can help you plan your stay around the things that interest you.

Beach, Water Sports, and Trails

La Giraudière Beach is three kilometres long and has fine sand. You can reach it on foot, by bicycle, or by the little train that runs in summer. Surfing, kitesurfing, and land sailing take place there all year round.

You can reach Plage des Allassins via the Écossais car park. From there, a 1.5-kilometre trail leads on foot or by bicycle through the forest and dunes to the beach. It is suitable for surfing and other board and gliding sports.

The three kilometres at La Giraudière refer to the length of the beach, while the 1.5 kilometres at Allassins describe the access route. The figures therefore refer to different things: the extent of the beach in one case, and the route through the forest and dunes in the other. This lets you consider the beach length separately from the walking or cycling route to the other beach.

You can also explore the town on foot or by bicycle using cycle paths, walking trails, and fitness trails. Routes lead through the state forest to the ocean on foot or by bicycle. This means you can experience the landscape both via specific beach access routes and along trails through the forest.

Salt Production and Local History

Le Port des Salines is a site in the commune of Grand-Village-Plage, recognised as an “Echappées Nature” site. Its ecomuseum presents the history of salt production on Oléron and the knowledge of the salt workers. Guided tours of the salt marshes and boat trips are also available.

During the “Rendez-vous avec le saunier” activity, the salt worker explains how fleur de sel and coarse salt are harvested. The focus is on explaining the harvesting process.

The Maison éco-paysanne combines a traditional farmhouse with an interpretation centre about eco-friendly living, from the past into the future. Guided tours cover the site and the old centre of Le Grand-Village-Plage. Events, workshops, and performances are intended for children and adults.

The two establishments have different focuses: Le Port des Salines is devoted to salt production, while the Maison éco-paysanne brings together traditional rural life and eco-friendly living. This lets you choose between a focus on salt production and one on housing and rural life.

Saint-Joseph Chapel dates from the 18th century. Inside, frescoes depict scenes of everyday life and views of the commune. If you would like to visit the chapel, contact the tourist office.

The town centre also has a distinctive architectural feature: its winding lanes lead to quéreux overgrown with hollyhocks.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Maurice-De-Tavernole, Pessines, Cramchaban, Saint-Clément-Des-Baleines, Mosnac, Breuil-La-Réorte, Landrais, Dompierre-Sur-Mer.

For the broader travel overview: Charente-Maritime.