our recommendations

• There are a variety of markets
  at seaside town of Sables d’Olonne, about 30 miles from Le Bois Dormant and Le Bois Masson. The Central Market takes place on two floors with about 60 local tradesman.
  The food market is open from Tuesday to Sunday, from 8h to 13h.

• The fantastic Central Market
  of Royan, just 10miles from
  La Pignade, Les Charmettes and Bonne Anse Plage, is open every morning for traders with a huge diversity of seasonal products.
  The fish market is hugely impressive, selling all sorts of catches, although crawfish is one of the stars, along with the Marenne Oyster. Also keep an eye out for products from the land, including the mouth-watering Charente melon, Blayais asparaguses, which are white or violet and at their best between March and mid May, or even kiwi fruit – France is the second largest European producer!

• La Rochelle market, about
  50 miles from La Pignade,
  Les Charmettes and Bonne Anse Plage, is another great
  all rounder, with avenues of fruit, veg, meats and fish.
  When you’ve tired of searching the stalls there are fantastic bars and restaurants on the edge – try the grey shrimps which are called "boucs" – especially tasty when they are cooked in a buttered frying pan and flambéed with cognac.