Approached via a maze of little lanes that lead away from Noirmoutier's harbour, this Relais du Silence hotel really lives up to the name. The north-east of the island should remain relatively unspoilt since its single storey holiday homes are well hidden in pine woods.
To enhance the tranquillity of the location, the majority of the bedrooms at the Prateaux have been built at the back of the hotel, grouped around a small garden yet their individual terraces still afford a fair degree of privacy. The recently renovated accommodations (either Grande or Très Grande) are particularly spacious and therefore ideal for families.
Trump card for all ages, however, is the footpath from the garden gate that leads down, after a couple of hundred yards, to a sandy cove. Other fine beaches are within walking distance but the town itself is a good mile away. Hence the need for a restaurant on the spot and here again the Prateaux turns up trumps. The cuisine, with an understandable emphasis on fish, is impeccable, as impressive as the warm welcome from the delightfully friendly owners. You might label the Prateaux as an updated 'pension de famille'.
The island of Noirmoutier, is linked to the mainland by a bridge and, at low tide, by a roughish causeway. It’s a peaceful place that thankfully has been spared the high-rise developments of coastal resorts on the mainland.