Oleron
Oléron Island : nicknamed "La Lumineuse" by the writer Pierre Loti because of its exceptional sunshine, Oléron is the largest metropolitan island after Corsica. The former salt marshes have been converted into refining basins for oysters: the claires. This is where the know-how of Oléron oyster farmers is revealed and the Marennes-Oléron oysters acquire their finesse. Between the claires, salt meadows are maintained by sheep. The vineyard, badly affected by phylloxera in the 19th century, maintains a nice production of wines and Pineau des Charentes. Finally, the long beaches protected in the Natura 2000 zone, the dunes planted with holm oaks and pines, the low relief of the island attract more and more lovers of nature, cycling and the sun. Disconnection, surfing, relaxation, wine tourism, sailing, cycling, heritage, thalassotherapy, ornithology, casino… everyone can create a tailor-made stay.
The town of Château d'Oléron: occupied since Antiquity, it was the Dukes of Aquitaine who built a fortress there in the 12th century. The wars of religion did not spare the island: the castle was dismantled by Louis XIII. Richelieu built a stronghold there to protect the French coasts, but also to control the shipments of "white gold" leaving the stronghold of Brouage, salt! The defenses of Oléron were reinforced when Louis XIV, the Sun King, founded the arsenal port of Rochefort and its remarkable Ropeworks. At the end of the 19th century, many Communard prisoners experienced dark times there; then the Citadel was severely bombed by the Allies during the 2nd World War. The buildings that resisted have been very well restored and now house cultural events throughout the year. The heritage site of the Citadel, facing the Coureau d'Oléron, offers a breathtaking walk: a path that can be used with a stroller or scooter for the youngest, well marked and lit at night, allows you to discover the massive fortifications and the successive horizons of this splendid site.