Greetings From: Île de Ré

If the Hamptons and Nantucket had a love child...

It would be the island of Île de Ré.

This island (accessible by a bridge) is located off the coast of La Rochelle, on the west coast of France. It has all the natural beauty of the Hamptons mixed with beautifully preserved period architecture, like Nantucket. Think of 18th-century village houses with trailing grapevines; you’ll be there.

We started coming here when our girls were young, and it’s the perfect family destination. It is small enough to get around on bikes, which is great for the kids, and it also has a certain level of sophistication to keep the grown-ups entertained.