“I got into real estate in the early 1990s, quite by accident, but I certainly have no regrets. Today, I have four Saint-Yves agencies on Ile de Ré: at Les Portes, Ars-en-Ré, Saint-Martin and Bois- Plage, plus another at La Rochelle.”

“The charm of Ré Island is something you discover gradually. Initially, people are not always that keen, but there is something about those little villages with their narrow streets lined with hollyhocks. There is also a very discreet way of life which attracts people who are looking for calm and tranquillity but don’t want to be bored. We have a lot of people who leave the south-east – Saint- Tropez, for example – to come and live here. In the north of the island, it’s more of a family atmosphere. The children play in the streets and the houses are open. We are very lucky.”

“The villages of Saint-Martin and La Flotte used to have a large population of tradesmen and retailers. At Le Bois, there is a strong vine growing tradition, which means there are lots of large wine growers with wine stores and outhouses.”

“A charming village house with a small courtyard and authentic features sells for 500,000 to 800,000 euros. For a large property outside the village, with a garden of about 2,500 sq.m., you can expect to pay between 1.3 and 1.7 million euros. For a seaside villa, the price can go up to 4 million euros.” “ ”