Royan

Amigo Pizza Kebab

Pizzas, sandwiches and kebabs. House special pizzas include Périgourdine (with foie gras), Tropicale (chicken and pineapple) and Kebab (kebab meat, pineapple and mozzarella). On Facebook.

Au meilleur siècle

Asian buffet where you can eat as much you like of Chinese, Japanese and Thai dishes.

€16-22

Au palais gourmand

Seafood restaurant with local seafood specialties and moules frites.

BB Snack

Pizzas and other snacks. Decorated with football paraphernalia and is a meeting place for Girondins de Bordeaux fans.

Bella Vita

Sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers and kebabs. Discounts for students.

Buffalo Grill

Part of a national chain, this restaurant specializes in barbecued meat, ribs and hamburgers. On Facebook.

€10-25

Carroussel de Royan

A merry-go-round built in the same style as the rides that visitors could enjoyed in Royan's former version (before WWII). It's decorated with pictures of famous sites on southwestern France.

Casino Barrière

A distant successor to the La Restauration casino established in 1880, it's the only casino in Royan nowadays. It features gambling machines, poker and table games. There are three restaurants (with sea views), four bars and a disco. Casual clothing during the day, more formal in the evening. On Facebook.

Central market

Marché central

The central market, in the shape of an inverted seashell, was designed by Louis Simon and André Morisseau and opened in 1957. It served as a model for the CNIT building in the La Défense district of Paris.

high season (mid-June to mid-Sep) daily 7:00-13:00, low season (rest of the year) Tue-Sat 7:00-13:00

Centre aquatique Iléo

At the entrance of Oléron island, this is a waterpark with attractions like water games, an artificial lagoon, a surfing area, huge slides and a wave pool.

Centre commercial Quai 17 - Hypermarché E.Leclerc

The largest retail centre of Royan, with a 6000 m2 hypermarket. Shops and parking in two storeys. Café, technology centre, filling station.

Centre commercial Val Lumière - Hyper-Intermarché

Another large retail centre with a hypermarket of 3000 m2 and a lot of smaller stores.

Chay Beach

Plage du Chay

A small and intimate beach with extremely fine sand set between two cliffs. The path leading to the beach from the centre has nice views over the Garonne estuary.

free access

Confiserie Lopez

In business since 1977, serving different sweets from nougat to licorice and lollipops. On Facebook.

Coubre lighthouse

Phare de la Coubre

The Coubre lighthouse was built in 1905 at the mouth of the Gironde estuary. At a height of 64 m, it's the highest lighthouse on the Charente coast. More than 300 steps lead up to the top, from where there are fantastic views over the Coubre pine forest, Royan with surroundings, Oléron island and the coasts of Médoc. On Facebook.

Croisières La Sirène

Tours to the Cordouan lighthouse, the lighthouses in the north of the Gironde estuary (Saint-Georges-de-Didonne passing Cordouan, Le Verdon and La Coubre) and discovery tours of the estuary. On Facebook.

Espace Cordouan

The heart of the Toutvent sports campus, the Espace Cordouan features a sports field, a boxing ring, and a weightlifting room.

Espace Squash Royan-Atlantique

Squash center founded in 1983 with seven courts, three of which has movable walls. On Facebook.

Foncillon Beach

Plage de Foncillon

Right in the heart of the city below the congress palace. In 1819, when Royan first became a resort, this beach was assigned as a beach for ladies only. Nowadays it's open to everybody, and popular with families as there are hardly any currents. Here too there are beach chairs and tents for rent.

free access

Fronton de Royan

The Basque Country isn't far away and Royan has a fronton (court) for the Basque sport pelota, inaugurated in 1933.

Garden Tennis

One of the most important tennis complexes in the region, set next to the sea on the Chay cliff. It has 14 tennis courts (three of which are covered), lodging and a conference room.

Golf de Royan

Set in a pine forest, it's one of the largest golf courses in southwestern France. It features a 6-hole practice course, a 9-hole pitch and putt course and 18-hole green.

Grande roue de Royan

A 40 m high Ferris wheel in the port, first set up in 2010 (and set up there every year), with 144 seats. Offers great views of the city, its landmarks and the estuary. On Facebook.

Grande-Conche beach

Plage de la Grande-Conche

A 2.6 km long magnificent beach of fine sand, this is the largest and most central of Royan's beaches. It ranges from the marina to the tip of Vallières, and is shaped like a shell, hence its French name translates to the Great Shell Beach. In season beach chairs and tents in yellow, blue and white (the colours of the city) are set up along the beach, and lifeguards patrol the beach from mid-June to early September from 11:00 to 19:00. Also events take place on the beach, most notably the "Un violon sur le sable" festival and the fireworks show on August 15.

free access, there's a fee to use the beach chairs

Grottes de Matata

The town of Meschers is famous for the Matata and Régulus caves. Dug out in cliffs next to the river, they were inhabited until the early 20th century. The Matata caves feature a museum showcasing underground life throughout the centuries, and a hotel and a crêperie. On Facebook.

Hammam - Les bains de Royan

Decorated in Middle Eastern style, the hammam offers warm baths and warm rooms and different treatments such as scrubs, wraps and massages. On Facebook.

Iguana Café

At the Pontaillac seafront, this is a bar frequented by youth, tourists and surfers. Large outdoor seating, lot of drinks, and ice cream too.

L'Orangerie

Small bar in the Parc district, near the public gardens and tennis club. Varied clientele.

L'avocette

Experimental takes on traditional cuisine with dishes such as spinach tiramisu with smoked salmon and filet mignon confit with garlic milk.

€30-50

La Nona

Italian restaurant; mainly salads, pasta and pizzas on the menu.

€15-30