ÃŽle-d'Aix

Ile- d'Aix is a commune with 236 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2011 ) in the department of Charente- Maritime. It is located on the homonymous island in the Atlantic Ile d' Aix.

Geography

The approximately three kilometers long and 600 meters wide island located off the coast between the larger islands of Ile de Ré and Ile d' Oleron.

Economy

The inhabitants live off the fish and shrimp catch and of the mussel and oyster farming. In the summer, tourism is a mainstay, because the island is visited annually by some 120,000 daily visitors.

History

After the defeat at the Battle of Waterloo Napoleon made ​​a stopover here before his exile to Saint Helena in July 1815. In le Bourg, he was housed in the Maison de l' Empereur. Today you can find in him the museums on the island. Ile- d'Aix is a founding member of the Federation of European cities Napoleon.

Traffic

The island is closed to private motorized transport.

The island is accessible only by boat. All year round there is a boat service from la Pointe à côté de la Fumée at Fouras. In the summer there are some more lines, including from La Rochelle and Boyardville. The berth is situated in the south of the island at the Fort de la edge.

Tourism and Attractions

The church Église Saint -Martin. Today, the parish church of le Bourg. Here is the former monastery church of the Benedictine Abbey of Saint- Martin, which was under Cluny.

There are a number of forts and bunkers on the island, the largest and most important are the Fort de la Rade and Fort Liédot.

The Musée Ile d' Aix is Napoléonien from the Musée and the Musée africain.