Ars-en-Ré () is a commune on the

Île de Ré Île de Ré (; variously spelled Rhé or Rhéa; Poitevin dialect, Poitevin: ''ile de Rét''; , ) is an island off the Atlantic coast of France near La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime, on the northern side of the Pertuis d'Antioche strait. Its high ...

in the western French department of

Charente-Maritime Charente-Maritime (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Chérente-Marine''; ) is a Departments of France, department in the French Regions of France, region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, on the country's west coast. Named after the river Charente (river), Charen ...

, in

Nouvelle-Aquitaine Nouvelle-Aquitaine () is the largest Regions of France, administrative region in France by area, spanning the west and southwest of Metropolitan France. The region was created in 2014 by the merging of Aquitaine, Limousin, and Poitou-Charentes ...

. Formerly called just ''Ars'', the commune changed to its current name on 8 March 1962.

Geography

Ars-en-Ré is one of 10 communes located on the Île de Ré off the coast of

La Rochelle La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle'') is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department. Wi ...

and is in the north-western part of the island some 8 km west of

Saint-Martin-de-Ré Saint-Martin-de-Ré (, "St Martin of Île de Ré, Ré"; Saintongeais dialect, Saintongeais: ''Sént-Martin-de-Ré'', before 1962: ''Saint-Martin'') is a Communes of France, commune in the western French Departments of France, department of Char ...

. Access to the commune is by the D735 road which crosses to the island from the end of National Highway N237 at La Rochelle. The D735 passes along the north coast of the island through Saint-Martin-de-Ré and continues north-west to the commune passing through the town and continuing north-west to the Baleines Lighthouse. Apart from the town there is the village of La Grange nearby on the coast and Le Martray to the east along the coast. The town occupies the centre of the commune and there are forests on the western side with the rest of the commune farmland including extensive salt farms.Google Maps
/ref> Fier ars iledere01

Its harbour is the largest on the Île de Ré and is located at the bottom of the ''Fier d'Ars'' (a body of water penetrating the land from the north-east and bordered by marshes), which is reached by a channel through the salt farms. A

lock Lock(s) or Locked may refer to: Common meanings *Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance *Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal Arts and entertainme ...

closes the tidal basin which has 250 berths. A new basin with 130 berths is to be created in future at the channel entrance. There are 150 moorings on buoys in the outer harbour and the channel has a capacity of 550 berths, mainly dedicated to pleasure craft. A beach on the south coast of the island, bordered by a dyke to protect the land, extends to the Baleines Lighthouse at the western tip of the island.

Neighbouring communes and villages

History

The

Prince of Soubise Within the French nobility, the title of "Prince of Soubise" was created in 1667 when the '' sirerie'' of Soubise, Charente-Maritime was raised to a principality for the cadet branch of the House of Rohan. The first prince was François de Rohan (16 ...

was defeated here in 1624. The port was important during the "salt era" until the beginning of the 20th century. The ''

gabelle The ''gabelle'' () was a very unpopular French salt tax that was established during the mid-14th century and lasted, with brief lapses and revisions, until 1946. The term ''gabelle'' is derived from the Italian ''gabella'' (a duty), itself orig ...

'' or salt tax was significant in the area.

Heraldry

Administration

List of Successive Mayors

Demography

The inhabitants of the commune are known as ''Arsais'' or ''Arsaises'' in French, but they are nicknamed the ''Casserons'': the casseron is a baby

cuttlefish Cuttlefish, or cuttles, are Marine (ocean), marine Mollusca, molluscs of the order (biology), suborder Sepiina. They belong to the class (biology), class Cephalopoda which also includes squid, octopuses, and nautiluses. Cuttlefish have a unique ...

, a saltwater fish commonly found on the island.

Distribution of Age Groups

The population of the town is relatively old. The ratio of persons above the age of 60 years (40.2%) is higher than the national average (21.6%) and the departmental average (28.1%). As with national and departmental allocations, the male population of the town is less than the female population (45.9% against 48.4% nationally and 48.2% at the departmental level). Percentage Distribution of Age Groups in Ars-en-Ré and Charente-Maritime Department in 2017 Source: INSEEÉvolution et structure de la population en 2017: Commune d'Ars-en-Ré (17019)
/ref>

Sites and Monuments

The village is a member of ''

Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (, ) is an independent association created in 1982 for the promotion of the tourist appeal of small rural villages with a rich cultural heritage. As of 2024, it numbers 176 member villages (independent Communes of France, ''communes'' or part ...

'' (the most beautiful villages in France). Since 2011 the commune has belonged to the network "Villages of stone and water", a label initiated by the General Council to promote exceptional sites with the distinction of being located near a body of water (sea, river, pond ...).

Civil Heritage

Ars-en-Ré has a number of buildings that have been registered as historical monuments by the Ministry of Culture. These are: *Windmills (17th-18th century) *Houses (16th-20th century) *Guardhouse at Place Carnot (18th century) *War Memorial at Place Carnot (1925) *Jules Perrier Museum at Place de la Chapelle (19th century) *Salt Refinery at Rue de Mouillebarbe (19th century) *Two Salt Works on Rue Mouillebarbe (19th century) *Tower at Batterie-Karola (1942-1944) *Kora-Karola Artillery Battery which was part of the German

Atlantic Wall The Atlantic Wall () was an extensive system of coastal defence and fortification, coastal defences and fortifications built by Nazi Germany between 1942 and 1944 along the coast of continental Europe and Scandinavia as a defense (military), d ...

(military area). *Fort of Le Martray (1674)''Coastal Fortifications - Charente Maritime'', R. Desquesne, R. Faille, N. Faucherre, and P. Prost, Éditions patrimoine et médias, There are over 200 items in Ars-en-Ré that are registered as historical objects, several of which are in private collections. ;Other sites of interest *The Port with its new tidal basin at the entrance of the access channel. *Le Martray, the narrowest point of the island. *The Fiers d'Ars * Salt farms *The old station of the ''Petit train de l'Île de Ré'' (1898) at the port. *The

surfing Surfing is a surface water sport in which an individual, a surfer (or two in tandem surfing), uses a board to ride on the forward section, or face, of a moving wave of water, which usually carries the surfer towards the shore. Waves suita ...

spot at Grignon Point.

Religious Heritage

Many religious buildings and monuments are registered as historical monuments at the Ministry of Culture: *The Priory of Saint-Étienne in the Place Carnot (11th-17th centuries)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée The Priory contains a very large number of items that are registered as historical objects. *The Convent of the Sisters of

Wisdom Wisdom, also known as sapience, is the ability to apply knowledge, experience, and good judgment to navigate life’s complexities. It is often associated with insight, discernment, and ethics in decision-making. Throughout history, wisdom ha ...

at Rue du Havre (1862) *A Monumental Cross at the Port (1899) *A Monumental Cross on the Route de Saint-Clément (1836) *The Pinaud Cross on the Route de Saint-Clément (destroyed)(17th century) *A Monumental Cross on N735 (1890) *The Church of Saint-Étienne (12th century). Its bell tower, painted in black and white, serves as a

Daymark A daymark is a navigational aid for sailors and maritime pilot, pilots, distinctively marked to maximize its visibility in daylight. The word is also used in a more specific, technical sense to refer to a signboard or daytime identifier that ...

for sailors. *The Convent of the Sisters of Charity (18th century) *The Protestant Church (destroyed) (1603)Ministry of Culture, Mérimée

Ars-en-Ré Picture Gallery

;Ars-en-Ré File:Maison Ars-en-Ré.jpg, 16th century House in the town File:002 - Demeure de Sénéchal - Ars en Ré.jpg, The

Seneschal The word ''seneschal'' () can have several different meanings, all of which reflect certain types of supervising or administering in a historic context. Most commonly, a seneschal was a senior position filled by a court appointment within a royal, ...

House File:Illuminations de Noël à Ars-en-Ré (2).JPG, Christmas lights File:Illuminations de Noël à Ars-en-Ré (3).JPG, Christmas lights File:009 - Ancienne raffinerie à sel - Ars en Ré.jpg, The old salt refinery File:Martray redoute.jpg, Le Martray Fort File:Chenal d' Ars (1).JPG, The channel giving access to the Fier d'Ars File:Gare Ars en Ré.jpg, The old railway station File:Maraissalantsarsenre.jpg, Salt ponds ;The Church File:Ars-en-Re Eglise Saint Etienne-Portal.jpg, Church entrance File:Le clocher de l' église Saint-Etienne (Ars-en-Ré).JPG, The Church steeple File:Ars-en-Re Eglise Saint Etienne-Nave.jpg, The

Nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

File:W0332-Re ArsEnRe StEtienne AutelPrivilegie 12344.JPG, The Altar File:W0335-Re ArsEnRe StEtienne Pieta 12347 ShiftN.jpg, Pieta in the church File:W0333-Re ArsEnRe StEtienne Chaire 12346.JPG, The pulpit File:Ars-en-Re Eglise Saint Etienne-Church-window01.jpg, Stained Glass window ;Birds File:Mouette rieuse dans les marais salants d' Ars-en-Ré (23).JPG, Seagull File:Une échasse blanche (3).JPG, White stilt File:Pigeon ramier (3).JPG, Wood pigeon File:Un groupe de goélands bruns (2).JPG, Brown seagulls File:Cygnes tuberculés (2).JPG, Swan File:Un héron cendré (2).JPG, Heron File:Une colonie de bécasseaux variables (1).JPG, Sandpipers File:Un vanneau huppé.JPG, Crested Peewit ;Fishing and Boats File:Port ars re.jpg, The harbour File:Une vedette de plaisance pour la pêche de loisir.JPG, A pleasure fishing boat File:Le fileyeur Jason IV (3).JPG, Fishing boat File:Casiers de pêche aux crustacés (2).JPG, Lobster pots File:Fanions de bouées de balissage de matériel de pêche en mer (3).JPG, Penants for fishing buoys File:Le chaland de loisir "Donguila".JPG, A leisure barge

Notable people linked to the commune

*Mathurin Renaud (14 October 1641 – 1676), born in Ars-en-Ré (parish of Saint-Étienne), an important historical figure: a pioneer of

New France New France (, ) was the territory colonized by Kingdom of France, France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Kingdom of Great Br ...

and one of the first inhabitants of Charlesbourg. *William Barbotin (1861-1931), painter and engraver. *Marie-Thérèse Dethan-Roullet (1870-1945), painter, was born here. *

Lionel Jospin Lionel Robert Jospin (; born 12 July 1937) is a French politician who served as Prime Minister of France from 1997 to 2002. Jospin was First Secretary of the French Socialist Party, First Secretary of the Socialist Party from 1995 to 1997 and th ...

, former Prime Minister of France, had a house here where he stayed regularly. *

Claude Barma Claude Barma (3 November 1918, in Nice – 30 August 1992, in Paris), was a French director and screenwriter, and an early creator of French television programmes. Biography After studying electrical engineering, he entered television in 1946 with ...

, former Italian

Film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...

, father of Catherine Barma, was buried here. *In the

Narthex The narthex is an architectural element typical of Early Christian art and architecture, early Christian and Byzantine architecture, Byzantine basilicas and Church architecture, churches consisting of the entrance or Vestibule (architecture), ve ...

of the church there is a representation of

John Vianney John Vianney (born Jean-Marie Vianney and later Jean-Marie-Baptiste Vianney; 8 May 1786 – 4 August 1859) was a Catholic Church in France, French Catholic priest often referred to as the ''Curé d'Ars'' ("the parish priest of Ars"). He is known ...

(1786-1859), the famous "Curé of Ars" although he was a priest in the commune of

Ars-sur-Formans Ars-sur-Formans (Franco-Provençal: ''Ârs'') is a commune in the Ain department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of eastern France. Geography The village is in the south-western part of the Ain department 33 km north of Lyon and ...

Ain Ain (, ; ) is a French department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Eastern France. Named after the Ain river, it is bordered by the Saône and Rhône rivers. Ain is located on the country's eastern edge, on the Swiss border, where it ...

. *

Philippe Sollers Philippe Sollers (; born Philippe Joyaux; 28 November 1936 – 5 May 2023) was a French writer and critic. In 1960 he founded the '' avant garde'' literary journal '' Tel Quel'' (along with writer and art critic Marcelin Pleynet), which was pu ...

(1936-2023), writer, had a house here. He is buried in the Ars-en-Ré cemetery.

References

External links

Ars-en-Ré official website

*[http://www.geoportail.gouv.fr/accueil?c=-1.5158,46.2081&z=7.92265E-5&l=GEOGRAPHICALGRIDSYSTEMS.MAPS.3D$GEOPORTAIL:OGC:WMTS@aggregate(1)&l=ADMINISTRATIVEUNITS.BOUNDARIES$GEOPORTAIL:OGC:WMTS(1)&permalink=yes Ars-en-Ré on Géoportail], Institut géographique national, National Geographic Institute (IGN) website
''Ars'' on the 1750 Cassini Map
{{DEFAULTSORT:Arsenre Communes of Charente-Maritime Plus Beaux Villages de France Île de Ré Populated coastal places in France