You start your vacation in camping in Oléron and the weather isn't great? Nothing dramatic, quite the opposite! Here are some ideas for you.activities to do on the island of Oléron when it rains!
Visit a museum
THE Oléron Island Museum Saint-Pierre d'Oléron offers plenty to cultivate between two showers. You'll discover the history of Oléron and its traditions through collections of ancient tools and costumes, a tactile model of a salt marsh, and objects from the Gallo-Roman and Neolithic periods unearthed during excavations on the island of Oléron. You won't notice the time pass before your umbrella dries out!
Go shopping
A few drops of rain are keeping you from going to the beach? Go fishing... for souvenir gifts! A little trip to the port of Château d'Oléron is a must. Around twenty artists and craftspeople have set up their workshops in the old oyster huts, renovated and repainted in blue, green, yellow... On a rainy day, it looks very rainbow-like! Inside, you'll find equally colorful handcrafted creations: paintings, sculptures, mosaics, jewelry, cutlery, violin making, marquetry, ironwork, illumination... The shops are close to each other, which is very practical when it rains!
Discover the Oyster City
Located in Marennes, the Oyster City is a museum space entirely dedicated to the world of oyster farming. Four themed cabins take visitors on a journey of discovery of the French people's favorite shellfish. You can discover collections of old tools, observe an oyster through a microscope, attend a cooking demonstration, or watch a show on the big screen. Is the sun finally coming out? It's time to round off your visit with a bike ride along the Chemin des Claires. (Bike rental included in the price)
Go to the cinema
When it rains, it's a movie! A bit of a cliché, but so true! And that's a good thing, because in Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron the Eldorado cinema offers 4 to 5 screenings every day during the summer. You'll have the choice between the latest theatrical releases, art-house films, or live broadcasts of operas and ballets. Enough to quickly forget the passing gloom!
Go shopping
It's certainly not a small shower that will stop you from doing your shopping... especially when it's covered! The Château-d'Oléron market is located in the heart of the historic town center. The current covered market halls were built in 1891 on the foundations of older halls commissioned by the Baron of Saint-Dizant in the 18th century. Fresh oysters and fish, fruits and vegetables, meat and charcuterie, pineau wine and other Oléron products share the stalls in a feast of smells and colors! (Every day in July and August, from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)
Stay safe on the campsite
If you prefer to stay at the campsite, you will also be spoilt for choice to help your children forget the rain.
On a rainy day, it's the perfect opportunity to play a game of Scrabble or Mille Bornes with the family! Board games are available upon request at reception.
Alternatively, you have access to a library corner with novels, comics, and books on nature and heritage. Another option to while away the hours before the sun returns is the campsite bar, which offers arcade games, billiards, and table football.
In any case, the rain never stays long on the island of Oléron. With 2,200 to 2,400 hours of sunshine recorded each year, you now know why the island of Oléron is called "The Luminous" 😉