Ride the friendly waves No less than 450 kilometers of coastline wend their way down the Charente seashore. Between high and low seas, the long sandy beaches bordered by pine trees alternate with chalky cliffs and wild sites. The Atlantic seaboard of the Poitou-Charentes region is protected by four islands, of which the two largest, Oléron (175 km2) and Ré (85 Km2) are connected to the continent by bridges. The mild climate and the beautifully preserved environment render these arpents of earth near the land mass akin to paradise.