From La Palmyre to
Ronce-les-Bains, 20 km,
a half-day including some pauses by the sea
and walks in the forest
We suggest you take the D25, the main road between
La Palmyre and Ronce-les-Bains, approximately 20
kilometres.
At the big roundabout of La Palmyre, go in the
direction of La Coubre, Ronce-les-Bains.
The road follows the bay of Bonne Anse up to the
crossroads, where you will find indicated on the
left, the small road which leads to the car park
of La Coubre lighthouse.
La Coubre lighthouse deserves a special visit.
For this route of exploration and discovery, we
suggest continuing on the D25, for approximately 4
km up to the forest house of La Bouverie, from
where a small road on the left leads to the Côte
Sauvage.
The Tour of Gardour
The D25 continues, wending up and downhill and
following the line of the dunes, up to the Tour of
Gardour.
You should stop in the car park near to the panel
marked " Tour du Gardour, panoramic view " and
take the footpath for about 100 metres which leads
to the metal tower that acts as a geodesic site.
At this point 60 metres
above sea level, it is good to take time to
appreciate the panoramic view of the forest, the
ocean and the inside of the peninsula of Arvert.
The "Pointe Espagnole"
The road then descends
quickly and at approximately 2 km after the Tour
du Gardour, take the small signposted forest road
" Pointe Espagnole " on the left.
This road ends in a car
park where you can leave the car and follow the
path which leads, through the dunes, to the sea.
The name Pointe
Espagnole comes from the wreck in 1823, of a
Spanish vessel.
The impressive waves
come crashing down on to the particularly fine
sand.
The view extends as far
as the Saint-Trojan's dunes, on the island of
Oléron.
Ronce-les-Bains
The D25 then goes towards Ronce-les-Bains passing
the beaches of the resort, just in front of the
island of Oléron, the beach of l'Embellie, the
beach of Galon d'Or and the beach of La Cèpe.
