Ile-de-Ré, Fontenay-le-Comte, Coulon

We took the TGV to Niort, then drove to the Ile de Ré, where we stayed in St-Martin-de-Ré, the largest city. There are over 70 km of sandy beaches, and over 100 km of bike paths on the Ile. Despite the heat, we drove to the north end of the island then rode to see some of the beaches. For dinner that night we had a grand plâteau de fruits de mer! Click on the photo to see more shots of the Ile de Ré.

Our second destination was Fontainay-le-comte. This was the ancient capital of the region. There are many buildings dating from Francois I. The restaurant was opposite the Place Bellard, the ancient center of town, where some strange decorating was in progress. Click to see more about the town, and also about Vouvant, one of the residences of the fée Mélusine.

Finally we headed for Coulon, one of our favorite towns. Our hotel was on the river (the frogs at night were incredibly loud). Much of the water, especially in the canals, is covered with small green leaves. Click to see more.