Ile de Re or Belle Ile?

Both these islands are beautiful, and I’ve spent time on both. Given a maximum of three days, Île de Ré would offer the easiest connections and most time on island. Ré requires a TGV to La Rochelle, then a bus..

Belle-Île requires a TGV to Auray, then a bus to Quiberon and a 45 min ferry to the Island. When I did the trip to Belle-Île last September, it took the full day to get there and settle into lodging by 6pm. On the departure day you need to take a ferry by noon to connect to the bus and arrive at Auray Gare in time for your train. So an evening, a full day, and an early morning will be your touring time on the island.

Belle-Île deserves more time, perhaps think about saving it for a longer Brittany trip. Île de Ré can be covered in the 3 days you have. I hope this helps!

I visited both islands this summer on day-trips, so I can't say I've had comprehensive experiences. I thought Belle Ile was much more interesting because of its varied terrain. In addition, there's a local company.that runs full-day and half-day Belle Ile tours--though possibly only during peak season.

Ile de Re was one in a long line of small islands that left me feeling they were mainly suitable for Europeans in search of a beach experience and really not worth the trouble of getting there for most Americans with limited vacation time.

I prefer Oleron, just south of Re, which is more like a proper place, rather than Re’s glitzy holiday homes for the uber rich. There is some great cycling around the villages and the oyster beds and restaurants - I spent 2 weeks on Oleron in June.

I haven’t been to Belle Ile as yet. Oleron has one of the best climates on this coast and is easily reached by a bridge, so you aren’t dependent on the weather being favourable for the ferries to operate as you would be on Belle Ile.

These are such helpful suggestions. I always appreciate the travel experiences and wisdom of this Travel Forum.