What to see & do in the seaside town of Fouras and the surrounding Fouras Peninsula
Fouras is a has a lovely ambience that combines a seaside mood with the charm of a small French town. The full name of the town is Fouras les Bains which harks back to the time when people came here to take the ‘sea baths’ and a lot of the architecture is redolent of this time with beautiful Belle Epoque mansions set in leafy streets.
However, Fouras was also once a strategic part of France’s naval defence against English intruders and Fort Vauban, perched at one end of the beach, is an impressive reminder of this turbulent part of French history. Leading back from the Fort by the car park is the main pedestrianised street that’s filled with boutiques selling everything from fashion and chic seaside home accessories to delicious bread, pastries, wine and more. In the summer months the shops are open on Sundays so it’s full of life.
Walk north from Grande Plage for the grander and leafier part of town, where many of the Belle Epoque mansions are found, along with a shady park with picnics tables for alfresco eating.
The peninsula at Pointe de la Fumée, a few minutes drive from the main town, is packed full of sea-food restaurants, most of them with views. In the summer months reservations are essential – and parking can be tricky.
If you fancy trying your luck, Casino de Fouras has 49 gaming machines and two tables. www.casinocity.com/fr/fouras/fouras/
Especially for children is the treasure hunt that involves all six forts in the Charente-Maritime. Ask the tourist office for the booklet called ‘Le mystère de la legende des forts’.
FOURAS TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
Beaches
Fouras has five beaches.
The main one is Grande Plage (also known as Plage Ouest) which is situated between Fort Vauban and the casino. A gentle sloping and sandy beach, it is close to the centre of town but clean with gentle waves that make it perfect for young children. During July and August it is patrolled by lifeguards. It is also backed by a selection of cafés and restaurants.
Plage Sud: on the other side of Fort Vauban with a view to L'île Madame. Another good beach for children, it also has a beginners swimming pool, games and beach and kayak clubs. It also has shady spots to picnic.
Plage Nord: on the other side of the town, this is the beach where windsurfers come as it catches the breeze. A sailing school (www.ecoledevoilefouras.com) is also close by. It is, however, clean and sandy and in July and August specialised equipment allows those who are disabled to enjoy to the water. There’s a beach club for playing volleyball and other sandy sports here too.
Plage de l’Esperance: not really a beach for sun-bathing, it’s where surfers and fishermen come. It has a camping and caravan site by the beach.
Plage de la Vierge: great views to Fort Boyard and the islands, it’s a place for fishing or going for a walk after eating well in one the restaurants at the neaby peninsula, rather than soaking up the sun.
Fort Vauban
The fort, once a chateau, was originally built in the 11th century where it stood guard over the Charente estuary and was the place for collecting tolls. It was partially destroyed in the 14th century but in the 17th century its strategic position by the Charente river, blocking enemy boats from entering the waterway, meant it became a vital part of France’s defence against the English. Between 1689 and 1693 its walls were reinforced and nine cannons on three levels installed. In 1937 it was made a historic monument and today is home to Le Musée Régional de Fouras whose exhibits contained in 10 rooms tell of the town’s history. Head to the top of the keep for a great view. http://assoc.pagespro-orange.fr/musee.fouras/
Le Fort Enet
Only accessible by foot during low tide, this fort can only be seen as part of a two-hour guided tour (you’ll need to have rubber boots or other waterproof shoes). Once there you’ll be able to see the various rooms including the Soldiers’ Room as well as the firing platforms and ammunition store. Tel 05 46 84 96 28 or visit the Fouras tourist office.
Fort Boyard
Unfortunately, this oval shaped fort off the coast and that can be seen in the distance from the shore is not open to the public as it has been given over to the TV show of the same name. However you can take a boat cruise out to it, and close up it is quite a sight. Plus you can enjoy magnificent sea views along the way. From Fouras, boats leave from the peninsula. See www.croisieresfourasines.fr and www.croisieres-alize.com
THINGS TO DO AND SEE NEAR FOURAS
Rochefort: for a guide to this elegant town see our guide to Rochefort
Lîle d’Aix
Today it’s a tranquil haven but the island L’île-d'Aix has had a turbulent past. It, too, was considered strategically valuable so was fought over by the French and English during the Hundred Years War. It is also where Napoleon Bonaparte spent his last days in France.
Shaped like a croissant and just two kilometres long – you can walk around it in about three hours - its landscape varies from sandy coves and rocky coastline to forests and even vineyards. It’s a pretty place, with the traditional white painted village houses found on the Atlantic coast, their gardens full of hollyhocks bright in the sun. There are no cars so to get around you walk, cycle or take a horse-drawn carriage tour (tel 05 46 82 76 72) that lasts just under an hour and takes you round the island.
Plage de l’anse de la Croix is the main beach, with fine sand and views to Fort Boyard. During July and August it is patrolled by life guards.
The Musée Napoléon or La Maison de l'Empereur - the emperor's home - is one of island’s big attractions. Napoleon I had it constructed so he had a residence worthy of his status, and it was from here that he surrendered to the English so it became his last place of residence on French soil. In 1926 it was bought by Baron Napoleon Gourgaud and restored, and today under the watchful eye of his descendents it is museum on Napoleonic history. His bedroom remains as it was during his lifetime.
Gourgaud was an amateur hunter and The Africa Museum or Musée Africain next door is houses his collection of objects, from stuffed animals to artefacts, that he collected on his travels. See the national Napoleon museum website for both museums.
If you love mother-of-pearl then visit the Maison de la nacre, a museum devoted to this by-product of the oyster farming industry. Tel 05 46 84 66 17.
Fort Liédot, on the north of the island, was the idea of Napoleon 1 who wanted to make the entire island completely impregnable from outside forces. It can only be visited on a guided tour which includes a treasure hunt for children. Tel 05 46 83 01 82 or ask at the tourist office.
L’île Madame
Even smaller than L’île-d'Aix, the island of L’île Madame is only accessible during low water from Port des barques, via the Passe aux Boeufs causeway, a few kilometres beyond the Pointe de la Fumée. Also fortified, its history includes the grisly incident in 1794 when 275 priests were starved to death and buried where they dropped. A white cross in pebbles marks their mass grave. The Ecomusée (tel 05 46 84 19 19) is devoted to information on oyster farming, and nearby is La Ferme Aquacole (tel 05 46 84 12 67), a farm for fish and shellfish
The salt marshes, now drained, are fantastic for bird watching.
La Réserve Naturelle d’Yves
Considered one of the best places to go bird-watching on the Atlantic coast, this nature reserve has a variety of habitat including mudflats, lagoons, dunes, wet meadows and tamarisk hedges. You can go on your own or take one of many different types of guided visits, including those done at twilight, on a bicycle, in a kayak or even on horseback. Tel 05 46 82 12 44; www.lpo.fr
DETAILS:
Tourist offices:
Fouras: Avenue du Bois Vert; tel 05 46 84 60 69
Île-d'Aix: 6 Rue Gourgaud; tel 05 46 83 01 82
Accommodation: see hotel and B&B listings in Charente-Maritime
Where to eat: see our restaurant and café listings in Charente-Maritime
How to get to Fouras: La Rochelle airport is under an hour’s drive away. The TGV to La Rochelle from Paris takes about two hours.
Words & photograph: Rachel LOOS