The Fier d'Ars-en-Ré

After passing through the small village of Ars-en-Ré with its typical narrow streets, you will follow the Fier d'Ars to the ocean. You will then finish your walk by following the beach back to the starting point.

Details

n°179673
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.84 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 10 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 13 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 23 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 3 ft

Photos

Description of the walk

(S) Start from the car park on the D735, at the junction with Rue de la Grange.

Continue along Rue de la Grange until you reach Rue Gambetta (2nd on the right). Take the first left at the hotel "Le Sénéchal" towards the church (still on Rue Gambetta).

At Place Carnot, leave the Saint-Étienne church on your right and turn left onto Rue du Havre. Walk to the port of Ars.

(1) Turn right onto Quai de la Prée, then take the first left onto Quai de la Chabossière until you reach the port.
Continue right on the path along the Fier d'Ars.

(2) At the first fork, continue left, still following the Fier d'Ars and the sea wall. Leave the salt marshes on your right. Stay on the edge of the ocean.
When you leave the sea wall, stay on the dirt track until you reach a fork in the path. Turn right, passing behind the stone blocks. Stay on the wide dirt track until you reach a cycle path (Route de la Prée).

(3) Turn left onto this road and continue to the Restaurant "le Martray", then cross the D735 and continue to the slipway.

(4) Continue along the sea wall on the right towards Ars-en-Ré.

(5) At the end of the sea wall, take the sandy path slightly to the right opposite. Continue along the beach. At the first crossroads, stay on the sandy path. At a small car park, opposite the tennis courts, go down to the beach.

(6) At the end of the tennis courts, turn right immediately onto Route de la Boire and continue to the mill.

(7) At the mill, turn left to the campsite, then take the first right to return to the starting point after carefully crossing the D 735.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 13 ft - Car park: Carrefour D735 - Rue de la Grange
  2. 1 : mi 0.46 - alt. 10 ft - At the port, Quai de la Prée
  3. 2 : mi 1.14 - alt. 10 ft - On the left, at the first fork
  4. 3 : mi 2.89 - alt. 7 ft - Cycle path - Route de la Prée
  5. 4 : mi 3.45 - alt. 16 ft - Continue along the sea wall on the right
  6. 5 : mi 4.46 - alt. 20 ft - At the end of the dyke, take the sandy path on the right
  7. 6 : mi 5.3 - alt. 23 ft - Tennis courts - Route de la Boire
  8. 7 : mi 5.47 - alt. 13 ft - The mills of La Boire
  9. S/E : mi 5.84 - alt. 10 ft - Car park: Carrefour D 735 - Rue de la Grange

Notes

During the summer season, avoid walking on the beaches. Instead, take the coastal path along the edge of the beach.
This hike is best done at high tide.

Worth a visit

A visit to the charming village of Ars-en-Ré is a must.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 37 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
choupy40
choupy40

I don’t really understand your issue with the tennis courts. I’ve just had a look at the layout and they’ve been bypassed as indicated. Could you please specify what, if anything, needs to be changed?

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IsaRando
IsaRando

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 31, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk; just a quick note: the tennis courts are much further away than they seemed to be in the description, which was a bit of a nuisance.
Thanks for the route

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Jo MARTIN
Jo MARTIN

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We realised very quickly that the priority is cycling, with occasional users … who are a bit hesitant! This makes sharing the communal areas rather unpleasant.
It seems entirely possible to us to make more use of proper footpaths, which would help to limit shared use of cycle paths.
Observations following the planning of a hiking trip:
Superb hikes that would benefit from a different approach.

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J2N
J2N

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 03, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Taken on 2 June in overcast weather. An easy and pleasant walk through the marshes. Well worth a visit.

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GERARD RSP34
GERARD RSP34

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 21, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very pleasant and beautiful route; it wasn't difficult at all and I really enjoyed it.
Gérard

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Claraazimut
Claraazimut

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 13, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We took this walk with our two dogs after enjoying a delicious galette at the café on the harbour, which is well worth a visit (and which agreed to serve us at 2.30pm 🙂). It's not difficult at this time of year, between the marshes (cycle path) and the seaside. We tend to walk on the beach rather than the path at low tide.

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User 13604658

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

No one on this route at All Saints' Day, beautiful autumn colours

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totolitoto
totolitoto

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely loop between the sea and the marshes. Most of it is off cycle paths, so it's very peaceful...

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Marle-Ballange
Marle-Ballange

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Take this route in dry weather, as it can be very muddy and slippery after prolonged rain.
Magnificent view of the sea and marshes.
Can be done over 9 or 6 km

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francis.taillandier
francis.taillandier

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Taken in September, in good weather. Saw a few bikes and barely a dozen hikers. Superb view of the proud Ars and the ocean on the way back.

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Nanou77
Nanou77

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Beautiful salt marsh landscapes. Lots of bikes on the cycle path. Don't forget your sunscreen if it's sunny, as there's no shade.

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Rude 08
Rude 08

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Well, just at the end, the edge of the dyke is almost overgrown with vegetation, over a distance of 500 metres. Otherwise, it's great.

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Pifi17
Pifi17

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A delightful walk through the marshes and along the coast

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Mariveo
Mariveo

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 18, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful route around the salt marshes. Lots of birds to see.
Very busy, as it's a cycle route!

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Franck58
Franck58

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

An easy and very pleasant walk, suitable for everyone. I did it early in the morning, and the sunrise over the Fier d'Ars is a sight to behold. You can also take a detour to the salt marshes from "La Prise du Grand Garçon", which is clearly signposted along the route. I recommend this as a first introduction to the landscapes of Réthais.

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