The Forêt des Saumonards covers almost 700 hectares between Foulerot, Saint-Georges-d’Oléron and Boyardville. An approximately one-hour boat trip also departs from Boyardville. Forest trails, a guided trip and historical themes offer different ways to get to know the area. To start planning, it helps to ask yourself a simple question: would you like to explore on foot, by bike or on horseback, or are you interested in an outing on the water?
Forest trails, beach and a themed walk
The Forêt des Saumonards has marked trails for walking, cycling and horse riding. Choosing which of these activities you prefer can be a useful starting point for planning. Trail conditions may vary depending on the season. At the edge of the forest lies Plage des Saumonards: the fine sandy beach offers panoramic views of Fort Boyard and Île d’Aix. The forest trails and beach thus offer different landscape perspectives—moving among the trees on one hand, and looking out over the sea on the other.
If you are interested in a walk with a historical theme, consider the Circuit du patrimoine de Boyardville. It is a free themed walking trail. Unlike the trails in the Forêt, which are marked for walking, cycling and horse riding, this Circuit is described as a themed trail. Check local trail conditions before your visit.
Maison Heureuse and oyster farming
Maison Heureuse was built starting in 1803 to provide storage and accommodation for the engineers, military personnel, tradespeople and workers involved in building Fort Boyard. In the 1920s, the house was converted into a holiday camp. These two periods represent successive uses: Maison Heureuse first served the people working on Fort Boyard and was later adapted for holiday stays. This places the history of the house in two distinct phases.
Fort-Royer is a traditional oyster-farming village. Guided tours introduce oyster farming, the rearing of oysters in oyster beds, their refining in the claires (oyster ponds) and the work carried out in the huts. The tour therefore covers everything from rearing to refining and work on site. Tours are by reservation and may be seasonal. As part of the events, visitors are offered oyster tasting only; this offering may also depend on the season. If you are interested in oyster farming, bear both the reservation requirement and the event setting for the tasting in mind when planning.
Comparing the boat trip and the beach train service
Les Croisières Oléronaises offers an approximately one-hour trip from Boyardville aboard the GEMINI rigid inflatable boat. You can discover Fort Boyard and the coast of Île d’Aix. The approximate duration helps with planning your time; availability and route may change. Check the trip details and route for your chosen date before you travel.
Another option is the Petit Train des Plages. In 2026, it serves Boyardville’s main beach and Saumonards beach on a narrated 8-kilometre route lasting about 50 minutes. The train and boat trip offer two different timeframes for planning: around 50 minutes by train and about one hour on the water. Check whether the Petit Train des Plages is operating again in future seasons. This lets you choose between a narrated route featuring the beaches and a boat trip with views of Fort Boyard and the coast of Île d’Aix.
Discover more destinations: Les Sables Vignier
Return to the main travel guide: Saint-Georges-D'oléron.
