Loix, Ile de Re, Charente Maritime

Description:

Geography and Transport

Loix-en-Re is a village located on the northern coast of the Ile de Re, off the Atlantic coast of La Rochelle.  The commune covers an area of 6.70km².  The island is accessible via a 3km toll bridge (cost from 9 euro to 16.50 return), and the D735 is the main road that runs through it.  Ile de Re can still be reached by boat, with the company Inter-Iles from the old port in La Rochelle, and also from a new facility (2008) at La Tranche Sur Mer (Vendee).  Timetables can vary in both days and times of travel depending on the season.  Loix is accessible by the D102.  From La Rochelle there are motorways towards Niort (N11) and Rochefort (N137).  There is no rail link from the island, but La Rochelle does provide access to both regional rail (TER) and the TGV, which links with Paris (Montparnasse) in a shade over 3 hours.  The nearest airport is La Rochelle, and this offers flights to a variety of UK destinations with the major budget carriers.
See also:  La Couarde sur Mer, Ars en Re

Climate

The climate here is mild courtesy of the position of the village on the Atlantic coast.  This has the effect of keeping summer temperatures warm (but not excessively hot) whilst keeping winters mild.  Average summer temperatures are between 22C and 24C (14C to 17C night), and in winter this drops to 9C to 10C (4C to 5C night).  Spring and Autumn can be warm with May averaging 19C (12C), and September 22C (14C).  Wettest months are Oct and Nov with 65mm and 62mm respectively, and the driest months are June and Aug with 24mm and 29mm respectively.  This part of Charente Maritime receives over 2000 hours of sunshine per year.

Tourism

This small village is located close to the beach, and a popular activity is peche-a-pieds (searching for shellfish at low tide).  Nearby is the Marais Salant (salt marshes) where there is a museum dedicated to the subject of the history and methods of salt production (Ecomusee du Marais Salant), and there is a boutique to buy the local produce.  Amongst the events here is La Journee des Peintres, a painting competition held in August, where professionals and amateurs alike compete for a number of prizes. 

Economy

The village is part of the La Rochelle economic zone which has an unemployment rate of 9.8%, compared against the regional rate of 8.6% and the national rate of 9.1% (INSEE 2006). 

Facilites

Loix has most facilities including a supermarket, restaurants and a creperie.  There is windsurfing and canoeing available here, and you can take a horse-drawn carriage tour of the village. 

Education

There is a nursery school here, but the nearest primary school is at Couarde sur Mer (5km), and the nearest secondary school is at the capital St Martin de Re (10km).

Key Stats

33.5% of homes here are main homes, with 59.6% of properties are classed as second homes.  There are more people aged 60 or over than the national average (37.5% vs 21.3%), and the number of retired people is also higher (32.9% vs 18.2%).  17.6% of the local population are under 19 years of age.  There are fewer males than females resident here (49.3% vs 50.7%).  Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit the Ile de Re during peak times, but the population of the whole island is normally around 16,500.

Attractions and places to visit on Ile de Re

Key Facilities and Services: