We stayed in a superior first floor room in the forest. It was in a beautiful tranquil setting and only five minutes walk from the resort centre. The room was comfortable with adequate storage space, but not luxurious. The shower was very good though.
Compared with other Club Med resorts we have been to in Europe this one has an extensive list of included activities. We particularly enjoyed power walks, aqua gym, archery, step aerobics and sailing. There were plenty of other activities on offer and at the start of October group sizes for all activities were small so in some cases we even had one to one tuition. One can do aquagym twice a day at this resort and the pool is very big with swimming lanes over 30m long. The pool was also heated so warm enough to swim in in October.
The resort has beautiful well kept grounds with some exotic plants and scented hedges. It is right next to a quiet unspoiled beach and there is an interesting walk along the beach one way to some world war two bunkers. There is a pedestrian and cycle track the other way to the water sports and village centre, although you can also get to the water sports on a Club Med petit train. Whilst mountain biking is an included activity there is an extra charge for borrowing bikes for normal cycling which is a pity as the area seems ideal for quiet road cycling too.
The Club Med buffet was extensive and generally very high quality with a lot of seafood main course options and some delicious puddings. We ate very well. The only downside was that some of the vegetables were left steeped in water rather than strained. As others have mentioned there is a slight issue with small birds flying about near the aperitif nibbles and sometimes flying in the restaurant itself. However it was possible to find tables inside away from the birds.
Despite being low season there was still a good Club Med vibe and GMs of all ages appeared to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. There were regular shows in the theatre in the evening.
For us being able to practise our French is a bonus of Club Med holidays and this resort was not untypical of European Club Meds in that the majority of guests were native french speakers. Nevertheless the Manager Vahap lead the evening entertainment in French and English making everyone feel welcome. He also made a point of introducing himself to us on the first evening and was always approachable and friendly throughout our stay.
Given that there were a number of non French speaking guests (eg Danes, Dutch, English, Americans and New Zealanders) some of the other GOs could have made a little more effort to involve non french speakers more, for example on the Karaoke night and during the after lunch coffee games.
Particular thanks to GOs Magali, Martin and Olga who went out of their way to make us welcome and joined us for supper on separate nights and to Vito who welcomed us on the first day.
One final reason we chose this Club Med was that it is really straightforward to drive to from the UK. We took the ferry to St Malo and it was around 4 1/2 hours drive from there to La Palmyre mainly on dual carriageways.
The location is amazing: a true natural reserve placed beside a long oceanic beach - the promenade ocean-side will grant you hours of dynamic enjoyment and direct access to wonderful sunsets. Sports-lovers will appreciate the tennis, biking and walks. The great Spa team, special mention to my therapist Estelle, will soothe all your sportsman aches!
I enjoyed the outdoors a lot since the room (in the 600s) had a musty, mouldy smell which dampened the experience and overall did not feel up to par with the rest. For a truly renovated resort, considering the prices, it would be ideal to take care of the infrastructure before the design strategies. I also felt like there are so many beautiful spaces within the resort that could be used for animation and client engagement rather than the theatre/bar - more evenings like the Rose Culotte dj set or something for the mise-en-valeur of the natural surroundings.
I was blown away by the gourmet restaurant La Belle Epoque, probably the most added value of any other gourmet dining at Club Med resorts I have been to: lunches overlooking the sea, incredible choices and super friendly and attentive service, especially Elyes, Laurent and Alexis who always had a kind word. The wine experience through La Cave also elevated my stay. The team comprised of Benjamin, Rodolf and Marin offered a personalised and attentive service and recommended amazing regional an extra-regional wines. The 'epicurean corner' reserved at the main restaurant is also a great addition and Francesco and his F&B Team really exalted the dining experience at La Palmyre.
Overall, rooms aside, it was a regenerating and epicurean experience :)
