Ile de Noirmoutier
 

Anyone stayed here? Would we be bored if we hung out here for several days? We're not looking for a very active holiday, just a relaxed one as we will have a young baby with us. Any hotel recs? Many restaurants on the island?

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I havent stayed here but they have the most divine potatoes. Called the potato of one day because the production is so small they harvest it in a day. We have them in the groceries here in Paris for about 5 or 6 days. They are potato manna. I know that doenst help you. sry. I have seen a report on this island on TV and it looked interesting but havent been.

Thanks Morgan. I'm always keen to hear about good food!
Anyone else?

Yes, famous for their potatos, we dined at the Fleur de Sel, a short walk away from the harbor but it's the best restaurant on the Island.
I think Marie stays on the ile, I'll ask her to answer.

Bonjour,

My in-laws have a house in the Bois de la Chaize, the nicest place in the island. I've spent holidays on this sweet island since... 1970 ;-) A lot of people like Noirmoutier because its climate is very pleasant (my cousin who lives close to Rouen, Normandy, like me, had a house built there). Our 23-year-old son started walking in our in-laws garden ;-) The island is in the south of Brittany, in a "département" which is called "la Vendée" (zip code : 85330)

The Gulf Stream following the coast, the climate is very mild, which enables Mediterranean trees and plants to grow on the island : the "mimosa", "chêne vert"/holm oak, "l'arbousier"/arbutus, des figuiers/fig trees, etc. are very common in the "Bois de la Chaize" which is located in the north of the island.

The hotel we love is "Fleur de Sel" : lovely bedrooms, some of them having a little private terrace (Marine rooms...) Its restaurant which Mimi mentioned is great because of the excellent refined "cuisine" and typical "Noirmoutrine" architecture... It's close to the harbour of Noirmoutier but remains very calm... (swimming-pool, jacuzzi, etc.) The people who own/run it are very nice.

http://www.fleurdesel.fr/
http://www.fleurdesel.fr/gb/presentation.htm# (in English)

If you prefer staying in the "centre de Noirmoutier", another 3-star hotel is "Le Général d'Elbée" which is located along Noirmoutier harbour and has a swimming-pool (IMHO, it's less "sympathique" than "Fleur de Sel", the furniture is dark and not very cheerful and the situation is less "calm" than at "Fleur de Sel") They no longer have a restaurant, they only serve breakfast :

http://www.generaldelbee.com/frameuk.htm

If you want something VERY calm, "Les Prateaux" which is "un Relais du Silence"/Silence Hotel, is situated in the Bois de la Chaize and it may be a good choice : big rooms, old furniture, GREAT cuisine (wonderful fish and lobster, etc.), but no swimming-pool, yet, it's very close to the beach called "La Plage des Dames" and the other sandy beaches. You'll walk to the safe and beautiful "Plage des Dames" which is only 150 metres away :-) Choose the rooms which are apart from the building itself (they are on the first floor (which corresponds to what we call "le rez-de-chaussée"/ground floor in British English, and we also call "de plain-pied"/on a level with the yard/garden), they must be better-lit ("mieux éclairées") When I visited the hotel, I found the rooms inside the main building a bit dark and they smelt a little bit of humidity (being in the Bois de la Chaize, the level of humidity is higher of course)...

http://www.lesprateaux.com/default_z...l/page-24.html

The other 3-star hotel located in the "Bois de la Chaize" is the "Hôtel du Pélavé", a 19th century kind of "château" which is very calm. No swimming-pool but very close to the "Plage des Sableaux", the beach which is close to the "Plage des Dames"...

http://www.fhr.fr/en/fhrhotel-963_3-...ave-hotel.html

Otherwise, a hotel which belongs to the same owner as the "Hôtel d'Elbée" is "Punta Lara Hotel", in "La Guérinière", ie not in the centre of Noirmoutier, but not far from it since the island is quite small... It's very calm, the bedroom terraces look onto the beach and the swimming-pool is beautiful... But I haven't stayed there for years. Dh and I only walked along "its" beach and had a look inside as well at the swimming-pool

http://www.hotelpuntalara.com/

It seems to be nice but I... still prefer "Fleur de Sel", lol, because it's so lovely and so close to the "centre" of Noirmoutier, and not that far from the beach (you'll cycle to it if you like it)

The ONLY problem in Noirmoutier is... summer because it's really crowded... You can't park close to the beaches, inside the "bourg"/market town, especially on "le jour du marché"/market day, etc. That's why we love... once more, "Fleur de Sel" since you can walk to Noirmoutier to have a drink in the evening, cycle to the beach, enjoy its swimming-pool and play tennis on the spot, etc. You see :-) ?/Vous voyez ?

Now, about restaurants, if you like "manger des crêpes"/eat pancakes, you'll find good "crêperies" in Noirmoutier. The very good restaurants are :

- "Fleur de Sel", OF COURSE !!!!,

- "Les Prateaux" (see above)

- "L'Etier" which is "génial"/great

"ROUTE de l'EPINE" (L ETIER DE L ARCEAU) 85330 NOIRMOUTIER EN L ILE
Tel: 02 51 39 10 28

And in the harbour, called "L'Herbaudière" where one can walk along the sea, boats, etc., the restaurant called "La Marine" is great too. Our inlaws took us several times there and we loved the food, the way it's presented on the plates, etc. Its chef took part in the famous French TV programme "Bon Appétit" on France 3 which is presented by our famous chef, Joël Robuchon :

http://bonappetitbiensur.france3.fr/...d_article=1421

Restaurant "LA MARINE"
SUR LE PORT DE L'HERBAUDIERE
85330 NOIRMOUTIER
TEL : 02 51 39 23 09

I'll ask my "cousine" and my inlaws about their recent "coups de coeur"/favourite restaurants...

Here is the web site of Noirmoutier tourism office :

http://www.ile-noirmoutier.com/default-english.cfm

If you speak French, you'll find plenty of info on the web site of the "Petit Futé" dedicated to "La Vendée" :

http://www.lepetitfute.com/tourisme_...Ab%E9c%E9daire

Voilà ! Bonne lecture ! Marie

TO Mimi :-)

The gorgeous "pomme de terre" cultivated in Noirmoutier is "la Bonnotte" (the word was initially ‘bounotte’, or ‘bonnette’ and it finally became ‘Bonnotte.’)

http://www.ile-noirmoutier.com/nature-english.cfm

When we buy it as a "primeur", in springtime, its price is "faramineux"/colossal, lol, but it's worth it ("elle le vaut bien", lol !)

Amicalement. Marie

"Since then, planted on Shrove Tuesday on a bed of guano, it is harvested 90 days later on ‘THE DAY OF THE BONNOTTE’."

Merci beaucoup, Marie ((F))

Wow - what a comprehensive answer! Thanks so much. I will definitely check out the hotels you mention, especially the Fleur de Sel.

Now THATS an answer! Wow! Now I want to go! :)

Marie007 ---

Would I be crazy to go there in January? We love storms, pounding surf, etc. Are there any hotels open in January? Thanks.

I'll say "de rien !"/You're welcome !" to the people who have thanked me :-)

Now, to Vedette :

Yes, you'd be a little "crazy"/"un peu fou/folle" ;-) because most places are closed in January and the weather might be quite disappointing... The most striking thing will be the feeling of loneliness you might feel...

The island kind of "wakes up again" when the winter holiday takes place, ie mid-February... Then, people sell their "mimosa" on the pavement/sidewalk, in front of their houses, and the weather may be much better... Cordialement. Marie

Here is a link to a very interesting web site where people taking pics from planes posted lots of pics of France "vue du ciel", and, among which, pics of Noirmoutier ! Enjoy :-) !

http://www.aerotourisme.info/L-ile-de-Noirmoutier.html

Cordialement. Marie

Thanks again Marie. I'm still hoping to go. Will it be packed with people in early July? How about September?

Bonsoir,

Early July is a better period than mid-July and August. September is the best "option"... June is also a pleasant period, yet, the temperature of the Atlantic Ocean might be a bit fresh... Voilà ! Bonne fin de journée ! Marie