It is doubtless the least well-known of the coastal islands of Charente-Maritime, and also the smallest with only 75ha.
Access to the Ile Madame is at low tide from the Port-des-Barques by the ‘passe aux bœufs’ (cow pass), a natural passage of sand and pebbles. Upon arrival, the silence is striking, as is the lack of monuments except for the large cross at the entrance in memory of 700 priests who starved to death in 1794, and hardly any building.
The home of carrelets
The only road that goes right round the Ile Madame first runs along a sheltered coast with a few creeks and pretty panoramic views over the Charentes estuary and the Fouras peninsula. The other side, composed entirely of pebbles, has a large number of carrelets. These are wooden pontoons on stilts used for fishing at high tide using a net. A little further South, a tiny sandy beach gives a unique viewpoint of this alignment of carrelets and the sea. At dusk, the sunsets here are striking.
The ‘Aquacole de l’Ile Madame’ Farm
You can also visit the Ferme Aquacole de l’île Madame where you can discover aquaculture, the harvesting of salt in the salt flats, etc. and, why not, stop at the Ferme Auberge Marine to taste a delicious seafood platter.
The home of carrelets
