Located 1 hour by road from Surgères, the seaside resort of Royan seduces with its architecture from the 1950s, its Belle Epoque residences, and the immense fine sandy beaches of the Côte Sauvage.

Royan, city of Art and History

It was in the post-war context that Royan was rebuilt. Its architectural style of the "fifties" gives it an inimitable and unusual character. Here we are captivated by its emblematic covered market and its vault which evokes parachute sails, its Notre-Dame church, classified as a Historic Monument or its seafront which forms a crescent separating the city and the Grande Conche beach, main city beach.

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The Wild Coast

This natural and wild area is located between Royan and La Tremblade, further north. Playground for board sports enthusiasts such as surfing, bodyboarding or kitesurfing, the waves, very marked in places, promise an invigorating swim. The immensity of the fine sandy beaches, nearly 20 kilometers in total, also invites you to relax and disconnect.

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What is the baïnes phenomenon, present on the Côte Sauvage?

A baïne is a kind of natural pool, more or less deep, which forms between the coast and a sandbank. When the tide is high and it covers the baïne, the water present in the baïne escapes and generates a strong current offshore. This phenomenon can be dangerous. It is therefore necessary to be careful, to let yourself be carried calmly by the current and above all to report to the rescuers present.

Sky, sun and pine forest

We cannot mention the Côte Sauvage without mentioning the exceptional forest of La Coubre which extends over more than 7 hectares. What better way to discover this preserved environment than to do it on foot, by mountain bike or even on horseback! The many marked hikes on offer are ideal for recharging your batteries in the shade of the pines and letting yourself be intoxicated by the smell of the pine forest. A few minutes from the dunes, in the middle of the pines, the Zoo de la Palmyre, one of the most renowned zoological parks in Europe, is a must for family outings.

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The Coubre lighthouse, the Sentinel of Light

Located north of the national forest, the Coubre lighthouse impresses with its 300 steps and its height of 64 meters. The highest lighthouse on the Charentaise coast has watched over the Gironde Estuary for more than a century and offers a breathtaking panorama. The giant of light holds its nickname thanks to its luminous range which reaches 28 miles, or nearly 52 kilometers.

The opinion of the local counter

We love to explore on foot, by bike or on horseback one of the many paths of the Coubre forest, the veritable green lung of the Atlantic coast. We let ourselves be transported by the smell of pine sap and the sound of the waves on the horizon.