Weekender - Ile De Re

With its winsome villages, rolling vineyards and sandy shores, France’s bike-friendly Île de Ré is a beach destination with character.

- Gavin Haines

Visiting the Île de Ré and not hiring a bike is a bit like turning up to a fancy dress party in your normal clothes; everyone cycles here. The island’s bike lanes are the arteries through which everyday life flows, routing riders to pretty villages, fragrant markets, sandy beaches and numerous places of interest where languid hours can be merrily whiled away.