Les Hautes Mers
Tide-turning hideaway
We will rock Yeu
L'Île d'Yeu is a small yet magical island off France’s Atlantic coast. It has the ruggedness of the Scottish highlands with its rocky edges and untamed moors, the charm of the Greek isles in its picturesque port towns, and a little of the Riviera in its hidden coves lapped by aquamarine waters. And now, the Domaines de Fontenille group brings boutique retreat Les Hautes Mers to its shore. It has the distinction of being the only oceanfront hotel here and of having a fresher, more modern look than the competition. And with slick service, adventuring courtesy of Mother Nature, and fresh-out-the-net seafood, you’ll want to ride this particular wave to the high seas.
Planes
Nantes is the closest airport; from there you’ll need to drive (or catch a bus to Port Fromentine, a drive of just under two hours), then hop on the 30-minute ferry to the island. The hotel can arrange transfers from the airport on request. The second closest is La Rochelle, a three-and-a-half-hour drive away, which serves a handful of city destinations in the UK, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Ireland, Belgium and Portugal. If you fly into Paris, the journey from Orly is around seven hours, slightly longer from Charles de Gaulle.
Trains
If you’re arriving via the Eurostar, it’s possible to get the TGV to Nantes in two-and-a-half hours, but you’ll still need to travel on to the port and cross on the ferry, so it’s a roundabout way of arriving.
Automobiles
There aren’t many roads on the island, and some won’t hold anything bigger than a quad bike. To stay environmentally sound, two wheels are better than four (and there’s not much ground to cover), but if you do take the pricier crossing over with your car, there’s gated free parking at the hotel, open all day with a video surveillance camera. It’s possible to hire a car at Port Joinville, but it’ll likely be an electric vehicle which better resembles an off-roader or slightly bulkier quad. In high season, the picturesque streets are busy with bikers, so it makes a car all the more impractical.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
At a diminutive 40 square kilometres, L'Île d'Yeu could have a Napoleon complex, but rather it offers resplendent natural scenes, prehistoric relics, pockets of golden beach and many different ways to get your adrenaline pumping. A lot of character for such a small land mass. Start your day with a swim off Ker Châlon Beach, just a five-minute walk from the hotel, then decide if you’ll spend the day at sea or on land. If you choose the former, you could find yourself diving amid wrecked ships, fishing with the locals, sailing along the shore, kite surfing or kayaking through soaring rocky outcrops. Or you could hop local beaches for wild-swimming spots that are wildly beautiful. Hop over to the opposite coast to Belle Maison, an inlet presided over by the formidable Vieux-château, which has survived pirate invasions and the like over the years, and even made a cameo appearance in Tintin comic The Black Island. A little along the coast is peaceful Les Sabias, a slick of fine sand topped with fisherman’s huts. And then a smidge further south is Anse des Fontaines, between mossy, wildflower-strewn natural buttresses – a green-and-gold cove. Throughout the island you’ll see millennia-old Neolithic dolmen and menhirs, but another monolith that stands out is the pierre tremblante, a boulder that teeters tentatively on its edge, which you can find below Port de la Meule, worth visiting to watch boats bob by and to see the minimalist Notre Dame de Bonne Nouvelle chapel. Also of historic interest, and a good picnicking spot (the hotel will pack you one on request), is the Napoleonic La Citadelle Fort Pierre-Levée, which was also used to hold political prisoners as late as World War Two. But, the island’s most engaging sights weren’t built by man, and can be found along the hiking, biking and scooting routes that criss-cross the island. Most choose a two-wheeled method of transport here and it really is the easiest way to see the tucked-away corners. But you could speed things up with a spot of sand-yachting, an exhilarating – if curious-looking – beach-based sport, or by jumping on horseback. Then rove the craft ateliers and wine shops of Saint Sauveur, join a yoga or qigong session held on the sand, or take a sunset cruise before heading back to the hotel. And, there is a third option for exploring the island: by air. You can swoop over the scenery in a helicopter tour, or even book a flying lesson if you’re feeling bold.
