Royan, The Pearl of The Ocean
You know you’re in good company when your holiday destination was favoured by luminaries like Zola, the Rothschilds, Picasso and Sarah Bernhardt. Royan might be lesser known than some of the French coasts most famous destinations, but it’s a city so special that the artist Corot nicknamed it ‘The Pearl of the Ocean’.
This famous seaside resort became the centre of attention during the nineteenth century with the popularity of therapeutic seaside bathing on the rise. Located in Charente-Maritime, between the Gironde estuary and the Atlantic Ocean, the city enjoys a privileged location where the five fine-sand beaches remain the heart of its appeal.
Royan has made the tragedies of history its strengths, evolving and adapting along with its residents. 85% destroyed by the Allied bombing in 1945, the city was rebuilt in a modernist style where the typical reinforced concrete of the fifties mingles with the magnificent Belle Epoque villas of Pontaillac.
Earning the deserving label ‘city of art and history’ in 2010, Royan has much more to offer for those willing to move beyond their beach towel. Stroll the seafront promenade, lose yourself in its streets, admire its architectural beauties and enjoy the abundance of culture and sports. Visit easily Royan from some of the best hotels for your stay – all selected by our local experts.
Royan: THE HOTELS
Royan , France
The Originals Boutique,
Hotel Miramar, Royan
Vaux-sur-Mer , France
Résidence de Rohan,
The Originals Relais
Royan , France
The Originals Access,
Hotel Corinna, Royan
Royan: Be inspired
What to do, to see, to hear...
Transports in Royan
By air, you can land at Bordeaux-Mérignac airport (1h45 from Royan) or La Rochelle-Ile de Ré (1h drive). By train, Royan is the end of the line that connects Saintes, Angoulême and Niort (there are TGV connections for Bordeaux and Paris). By car, head to the A10 (Paris-Bordeaux), then take the N150. If you’re coming from the south of the city, follow the D730; and from the north, the D733. Our hoteliers recommend allowing a little extra time on the city’s ring road, especially in summer, when the town’s popularity is a little more than the road can handle. And for the most athletic, the bravest or perhaps just the most cycling-addicted, then there is no better way to arrive at Royan than via the Vélodyssée®, the French section of the Eurovéloroute No. 1 that links Norway to Portugal.
When to go to Royan
From May to October there is no better time to visit Royan. Thanks to a pleasant sea breeze the climate is warm, without being too hot. And with 2250 hours of sunshine every year, the Charente seaside resort can compete with the sunniest of its Mediterranean cousins. Although, bathers beware, the water temperature can’t quite compete with the Med’ except in August when it warms into the twenties.
For visitors who’d rather escape the summer crowds and see Royan in a different light, then low season, or even winter is the perfect time to enjoy the city to yourselves.
What to do in Royan
If enjoying the beaches of Royan is a must, then discovering the city and its treasures should be just as high on your to-do list. Take the advice of our hoteliers about the many things to do in Royan and look up at as the spectacular and vast concrete angles of the Notre-Dame cathedral, admire the elegant Belle-Epoque villas, take a stroll along the riverside or head to Grande Conche beach where the blockhouses of the Atlantic Wall provide shadow for the casting fisherman. All of those attractions are easy to reach thanks to our selection of well-located hotels in Royan.
The best restaurants in Royan
While the culinary heart of Royan is perhaps best experienced at the seafood market, our hoteliers insist you do no not miss the “parachute”, Royan’s central market which owes its name to its dramatic 1950’s architecture. Melons and asparagus, salted lamb and Chalais veal, Pineau and Cognacs, saffron and salt, caviar and goat cheeses as well as famous oysters, plump shrimps, and the smokey deliciousness of Bouchot mussels cooked under pine needles. Royan’s cuisine is a celebration of the best of surf and turf.