The best city hikes and walks around Saintes

🏖️ General Overview Chay Beach is a family-friendly, fine sandy beach located in Royan (Charente-Maritime), on the Côte d’Argent promenade between Pigeonnier Beach and Pointe du Chay. It stretches for approximately 200 meters and boasts a pleasant natural setting, with a cove bordered by rocks typical of the Charente coastline. 🏝️ Features • 🌊 Beach type: fine sand, sheltered cove. • 🏄‍♂️ Atmosphere: relatively calm and family-friendly, ideal for children and vacationers seeking relaxation away from the large urban beaches. • 🐾 Pets: prohibited from April 1st to September 30th. • 🫧 Water quality: excellent (Blue Flag label awarded for 2025). 🧭 Lifeguard and Safety • Swimming is supervised during the season (June to early September), with areas marked by red and yellow flags. • The area is classified as a Category 3 "Supervised Beach" and lifeguards are present during the indicated hours. 🪑 Amenities On-site, you can find: • 🏖️ Sun loungers, parasols, and mattresses for rent. • 🚿 Foot rinse and public restrooms. • 📶 Wi-Fi access, first aid station, and an area accessible to people with reduced mobility (assistance may be required depending on the slope). • 🍴 Beachfront restaurant ("Le Chay" bar-restaurant with sea views). 🚶‍♂️ Atmosphere and Activities • 🎈 Ideal for families and leisurely strolls. • 🌞 People come here for swimming, playing on the sand, flying kites, or simply relaxing by the ocean. • 🅿️ Parking is available nearby, and the beach is easily accessible on foot or by bike from Royan town center in just a few minutes. 🧭 Practical Tips • 📆 Best time to visit: summer for supervised swimming and full services, but also during the off-season for a more peaceful atmosphere. • ☀️ Arriving early in the morning makes parking easier during peak season. • 🐶 Dogs are not allowed during the summer season; check the signs on site during the off-season.

A very impressive sailing ship. A visit is definitely worth it.

A very beautiful archway!

Beautiful building, with lovely walks

Beautiful door

The Botton Gallery appears to us at the Rond-Point de la Poste, on the left facing the Post Office. It is a shopping mall with sinuous lines. It was delivered in 1956. It took over the function of the pre-war Botton Gallery, named after the engineer Botton who in 1847 had worked on the development of the seaside resort of the time.

Frédéric Garnier is a famous man from Royan, who gave his name to the boulevard that runs along the Grande Conche beach. Frédéric Garnier became mayor at the beginning of the Third Republic and remained so from 1871 to 1905. The development of Royan at that time was his work. It was Frédéric Garnier who decided to build a promenade along the beach. The Municipal Casino, built on the Grande Conche and inaugurated in 1895, was then the largest in France. The name of Frédéric Garnier was given to the boulevard that runs along the beach from Royan to Saint-Georges-de-Didonne. This part of Royan, east of the city center, was spared from the bombings of 1945. A pedestrian promenade and a cycle path were built between the roadway and the beach. This pleasant walk gives us a glimpse of what Royan was like during the Belle Epoque with the villas and castles built between 1890 and 1930 and which escaped the bombings. Along the walk, we are surprised by the presence of a cubist-inspired villa, built after the war, next to a Belle Epoque villa, a symbolic image of the mixture of seaside architectural styles in Royan. The villas and castles of varied styles and often original inspiration generally have in common the presence of a bell tower which overhangs the roofs. The name of Emile Zola given to the avenue which leads from the boulevard Frédéric Garnier towards the inner part of the Parc district reminds us of the stays of Emile Zola from September 1886. He lived in villas, now disappeared, located on the current boulevard Frédéric Garnier.

On August 22, 1962, Robert Boisseau was awarded the contract to build an organ in the new church. On a very high gallery, Robert Boisseau built an organ with four separate bodies without ornaments with varnished mahogany bases. The back positive has a façade of 27 tin pipes arranged in a V. The large body has a façade of 23 tin pipes arranged in a miter and above the chamades. The pedal is arranged in two separate bodies. 6 engraved windchests. Window console. On May 24, 1964, Guy Morançon inaugurated an unfinished organ (24 stops on 2 keyboards). On June 20, 1969, Jacques Dussouil gave a recital on an organ equipped with the third recital keyboard (8 stops). Other games were added between 1972 and 1984. In January 2014, this large organ was completely dismantled to be restored in a specialized workshop located in Béthines in the Vienne department. It took several weeks to dismantle the 3600 pipes, the 47 games, the 3 keyboards and the pedal board. After having completely restored it in their workshop, the Poitevin organ builders reassembled the instrument piece by piece in the church. The organ, like the church, is also listed as a Historic Monument.