CHAMPAGNE flutes clink all around us as we sit on the sunny terrace of elegant mansion house La Baronnie, a property so chic King Louis XVI gave it to Marie Antoinette back in 1785.
My husband Eamon and I have begun our long weekend on the French island of Île de Ré with an indulgent brunch buffet, £44 each, including a glass of fizz.
And as we stuff ourselves silly with treats such as oysters, smoked trout and local meats and cheeses, we can’t help but think it’s the perfect start (Hotel-labaronnie.com).
Capital Gains
Off the west coast of France, Île de Ré is roughly 19 miles long and three miles wide, and home to idyllic, quaint villages of whitewashed houses decked out with pastel-shuttered windows.
But first, we explore the capital, Saint-Martin-de-Ré, strolling past the handsome Citadelle Vauban and historic harbour, before hitting the backstreets that brim with independent shops.
The isle is famed for salt and soap, so I stock up on seasoning at Esprit du Sel, £4.80, before dropping into colour and scent fest Loix & Savons to splurge on a perfumed trio of fig, caramel and violet soap, £16.50.
I browse colourful threads at Équateur and classic swimwear at Pile ou Face, but my fave find is 29 on Rue Jean Jaurès, where everything is €29!
Later, quirky Le Tout du Cru turns out to be seafood heaven – as I feast on delicate half crab, £16.50, and Eamon devours blue lobster with home-made mayo, £41.50 (Tout-du-cru.fr).
After refreshing scoops of blackcurrant and violet ice cream from La Martinière parlour, £3.20 each (La-martiniere.fr), we make the 20-minute drive to charming Hôtel Le Sénéchal in Ars-en-Ré, which sits just metres from the main square and the black-and-white peak of Saint-Étienne church.
A quiet oasis of floral courtyards and a small, heated outdoor pool, the bedrooms offer crisp white sheets with a palette of dusky blues and creams.
Even better, double rooms cost from just £81 per night (En.hotel-le-senechal.com).
Wheely good
The next morning, we wake early and grab bikes from Les Cycles N to embark on a 15km circular route.
Daily hire costs £11 per adult (Lescyclesn.com).
FYI
Fly to La Rochelle airport from £31 return (Iledere.com).
Crossing the bridge to Île de Ré costs from £3.50 per car.
Our highlights include snapping the towering 57-metre-tall Lighthouse Of The Whales and wandering across the sweeping golden sands of La Conche beach, before sharing a dozen oysters for £21.50 at stylish La Bazenne in the little village of Les Portes-en-Ré (Labazenne.fr).
We head back via the Lilleau des Niges Nature Reserve, with its thriving birdlife and shimmering salt marshes and, after a quick dip back at the hotel pool, we stroll to the port to dine on traditional moules marinières with fries, £16.75, at laid-back Le Café du Commerce (Cafcom-ars.com).
Another brilliant decision is to visit Relais Thalasso’s coastal spa, just 10 minutes’ drive from the bridge that will take us back to France’s mainland – and home again.
Here, the motto is: “The sea takes care of you,” and for £43 each, we’re able to spend the whole day relaxing at the Marine Spa, which includes an indoor seawater pool with bubble benches and massage jets, a hammam, sauna, sensory shower trail and herbal tea room, as well as a gorgeous outdoor pool (Iledere.relaisthalasso.com).
If this isn’t bliss, I really don’t know what is.