Bois-Plage-en-Ré is the seaside resort of the Ile de Ré with long beaches lined with dunes. It is also a wine producing region with plenty of wooded areas.
Calculated time: 3h55[?] 
Distance : 13.56km
Vertical gain : 16m
Vertical drop : 16m
Highest point : 21m
Lowest point : 1m 
Difficulty : Easy
Back to starting point : Yes
Walking
Area : Ile de Ré 
Location : Le Bois-Plage-en-Ré
(17580)
Starting point : N 46.177483° / W 1.375858° Start at one of the car parks located on the road to the Gros Joncs beach.
(S/F) Go to the roundabout and turn right onto the D201 towards Sainte-Marie-de-Ré. Once out of the roundabout, after a bus shelter, immediately turn right onto Chemin du Pas des Gouillauds. About 150 metres further on, take the sandy road to the left. Continue straight on this road until it opens onto a paved road. Turn right.
(1) At the junction continue opposite. At the following fork turn left. Continue right at the next fork and then turn immediately left to arrive at a crossroads.
(2) Turn 90° right, then left 50 m further on and finally right to reach the beach.
(3) Turn left and go straight to Les Grenettes beach.
(4) At the slipway leading to the boats, go up the dune and take the main access path to the Les Grenettes beach as far as the car park.
At the car park, take the left path that goes through the woods. Continue straight ignoring paths leading off to the right and left to reach the D 201. Cross it to get onto the bike path and follow the departmental road to the left for 50 metres.
(5) Turn right towards the Val de Loire camping site and the water tower. Walk along the paved road to the camping site and then continue along the paved road through the woods to the water tower. Stay on the main path and ignore paths leading off to the left and right. Walk along the Evieres and Essarts equestrian centres.
(6) Just before a camping site (La Grainetière) and the D735, turn left. Take the path marked in White to the greenhouses.
(7) Head around the greenhouses by on the right. Once you are past the greenhouses, take the path to the south (with your back to the greenhouses) (8).
This path runs alongside some old greenhouses of which only some ruin remain. Follow these until you reach a clearing planted with shrubs.
(9) Take the unpaved road Le Gros Moulu and then on to Chemin des Gates Bourses as far as the D201. Cross it and head along the street opposite (Rue de Gros Jonc). 10 metres after the intersection, turn left on Rue du Courseau. Cross the junction with Rue des Cailles and continue across to the intersection with the Rue des Mille Fleurs. Turn right on it and then continue along Rue Louis Barthou.
At the small roundabout, continue left onto Rue de la Bénatière. At the second roundabout, continue opposite on Rue de la Bonable, then Rue Menuteau and then towards the town centre along Rue de l’Église.
(10) At the church, turn left along the covered market and reach the Rue Charles de Gaul (D201) at a water refill point (public toilets).
(11) Continue opposite and take Avenue de la Plage. At the second intersection, turn right onto Avenue Gollandières and go straight to the beach.
Once on the beach, turn left and reach the road to Gros Joncs beach (D201) and the starting point by turning one last time to the left (S/F).
Waypoints :
D/A : km 0 - alt. 5m
1 : km 1.27 - alt. 5m - At the crossroads continue opposite
2 : km 1.58 - alt. 7m - Crossing, turn right then left
3 : km 1.88 - alt. 2m - Les Grenettes beach
4 : km 2.42 - alt. 4m - Slipway leading to the boats, turn left towards ca
5 : km 3.21 - alt. 6m - Junction D201 - Chemin du Château d’Eau
6 : km 5.93 - alt. 16m - Turn left before a camping site (La Grainetière)
7 : km 6.62 - alt. 17m - Greenhouses at a place called "Les Salières"
8 : km 7.01 - alt. 14m - Turn right, head south
9 : km 7.34 - alt. 14m - Turn right on the unpaved road Le Gros Moulu
10 : km 10.46 - alt. 7m - Roundabout at Rue de l’Église
11 : km 10.66 - alt. 7m - Public toilets - water point
D/A : km 13.56 - alt. 5m
- Water refill point in the public toilets in the village of Bois-Plage-en-Ré (11)
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Visorando and this author cannot be held responsible in the case of accidents or problems occuring on this walk.
During the summer, avoid the paths on the beaches. Instead take the coastal path along the beach.
Enjoy the seasonally busy Bois-Plage-en-Ré market.
There is the option to extend the hike with a trip to soak up the local culture, a route is indicated on a map displayed near the church before arriving at the market. (A short additional loop of 1 km)
16.42km
+11m
-10m
4h45
Average
Starting point in La Rochelle - 17 - Charente-Maritime The first part of the route takes you along the coastal trail with a section around the outskirts of the small ports of Lauzières and Plomb.
Small viewing points are scattered along the route giving you the chance to observe the Pertuis Breton and the Ile de Ré and its bridge.
The return leg takes you around the outskirts of the Nieul-Sur-Mer communes and then L'Houmeau.
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