Water sports, cycling

During holidays on Oleron Island, vacationers can enjoy various water sports and also make beautiful bike rides.

Nautical sports

Most water sports can be practiced on the island of Oleron at all ages. Optimists, sailing dinghies, catamarans, a wide variety of boats are available for youngsters, teenagers and adults.

Windsurfing, sand-yachting, canoeing and scuba diving can also be enjoyed during the holidays.

Sailing schools are numerous, some of them are listed below. They provide group courses or private lessons. Rentals are also available for those who prefer to navigate freely.

Sailing clubs

Besides the availability of boats listed below, all sailing clubs offer the practice of windsurfing.

The "Wind Oleron Club", at l'"anse de la Perroche" (Dolus), has catamarans, sailing dinghies and canoes.
The "Club Sportif Départemental" at Boyardville (Saint-Georges) has optimists, sailing dinghies, catamarans and canoes.
The "Club Nautique du Coureau d'Oléron", at the beach called "Petite Plage" in Saint-Trojan, has optimists, catamarans and canoes.
The "Yacht Club de l'Océan", at Boirie beach (Saint-Denis), has canoes, sailing dinghies and catamarans.
At Huttes beach (Saint-Denis), Diabolo Fun is a surfing and windsurfing school which also gives catamaran and funboard lessons. During the summer season, a second school is established on the beach of La Brée.

Sand-yachting clubs

"Oléron Char à Voile" offers sand-yachting lessons for beginners and more proficients on the Maumusson beach and at Grand-Village.

Scuba diving

The club "Le Joyeux Corsaire", at Chaucre, provides training and offers dives in original sites (wrecks, caves…) for experienced divers.

Surfing

To the west of Oleron Island, several spots on the Wild Coast delight surfers. Schools provide the material during the lessons and some of them can also rent it.

In Dolus, the Take Off surf club has been open since 2009 at Allassins Beach. During the summer, it is installed at the end of the Trillou bicycle track.
Kabanasurf has been teaching surfing in Grand-Village for twenty years. The gentle waves of its spot facilitate learning. Yoga classes can also be taken here.
In Saint-Trojan, the Moana surf club provides lessons on the "Grande Plage".

Bicycle tracks

With a highest point at 34 meters high (110 feet) and bicycle paths through forests and marshes, Oleron is ideal for family rides.

A network of bicycle paths runs through the island, including 23 kilometres (14.5 miles) on dedicated tracks and 19 kilometres (12 miles) on roads were circulation is restricted to cars owned by residents.

The bravest who are not looking for the shortest route can go from Chassiron lighthouse (north of the island) to the beach called Giraudière (south) circulating only on bike paths.

Many bike rental shops are located on the island, as for instance "Cycles Demion" or "LocaLoisirs".

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