Salt marshes on the Ile de Ré

Ars-En-Ré on the Ile de Ré

During your stay at our campsite on the Ile de Ré, we recommend a visit to the salt marshes. The island’s salt is famous for its high quality. Visit the Ile de Ré Ecomuseum in Charente-Maritime.

Learn all about salt harvesting, a Rhaetan tradition par excellence.

Visits are possible from March to early November, so don’t hesitate to check the timetable according to the season you’re visiting, or ask us for advice. The landscape is emblematic of the island, and you’ll catch a glimpse of some typical species of fauna (including the magnificent Mirrored Bluethroat) and local flora.

You may also be able to see the sauniers harvesting the white gold. It’s an age-old tradition. It’s worth noting that sea salt is harvested in the many hectares of salt pans by evaporation of seawater, not by decantation. The island also takes advantage of its beautiful geographical location and the tides of the Atlantic Ocean to grow oysters and various types of samphire. In fact, it’s one of the most popular destinations on the Atlantic coast for tasting them! Don’t forget to visit the souvenir store, where you can pick up some fine salt or coarse salt to take a little of our magnificent Ile de Ré home with you.

Understanding salt marshes on the Ile de Ré

As you cycle along the cycle paths, you’ll notice that the salt marshes are a large part of the exceptional landscape of the Ile de Ré. They were first built by man in the Middle Ages, but only in the 15th century.

That the production of salt, known as the white gold of the Ile de Ré, is soaring.

Today, there are only a hundred or so salt-makers left on the Ile de Ré who love their trade.
To understand how salt marshes work and the techniques used to produce salt, we suggest you visit two sites: L’Écomusée du Marais Salant in Loix en Ré and the Coopérative des Sauniers de l’Île de Ré in Ars-en-Ré.

The Salt Marsh Ecomuseum

Located in the heart of the salt marshes in the prise de la lasse just before the village of Loix, the Écomusée du Marais salant is open all year round.
Learn about the history of the salt marshes and how they work, as well as the trade of the saunier and how a harvest is carried out.
The Écomusée reveals all its secrets through an exhibition, a model, tools and, of course, in the open air, in the salt marsh.

The sauniers de l’île de Ré cooperative

Another site to discover after a visit to the Salt Marsh Ecomuseum is the Cooperative des Sauniers, founded in 1942, which offers a guided tour.

(Offered in July and August) its role, then the journey of salt and fleur de sel from its harvest in the salt marsh to your table.
The cooperative also offers a wide range of products in its boutique: salts, fleur de sel, coarse salt, caramel with fleur de sel, coarse salt blends and herbs.