Noirmoutier-en-l'ÃŽle

Noirmoutier -en- l'Île, generally only called Noirmoutier, is a commune with 4550 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011), on the Ile de Noirmoutier in the Vendée Pays de la Loire region.

Geography

A special feature of Noirmoutier is the Gois, the paved 4.5-km long and only at low tide connecting road between the island and the mainland. To date, drowning here always people who are surprised by the flood. Along the route across the tidal metal rescue baskets are mounted on tall pillars at regular intervals. Since 1971, a bridge connecting the southern tip of the island to the mainland.

History

The abbey was founded in 674 Noirmoutier by Philibert of Noirmoutier († 684), who had previously founded the Abbey Jumièges. At that time the island was called Île d' Herio yet.

In the 11th century a castle was built and in the years 1342, 1360 and 1396 she held the British attacks as well as 1524 and 1588 attacks the Spaniards stood. The system then, however, the Dutch troops in 1674 fell into the hands.

In the Vendée uprising of March 1793 to March 1796, the Ile de Noirmoutier was hard fought and the inhabitants of the city were not affected by the fighting.

Economy

On the Noirmoutier potato Bonnotte is grown, which is considered the world's specialty. In addition, the inhabitants cultivate oysters. The city has a port through which the produced on the island of salt was shipped from salt marshes.

Attractions

The Abbey Church of Saint -Philibert dates from the 12th century. In the church there is a classified as a monument historique crypt from the Merovingian period (7th - 8th century). Before the monks brought the relics of Philibert in Tournus 875, he was buried in the crypt.

Around the square donjon of the castle from the 11th century, a fortification wall was built in the 16th and 17th centuries. At the beginning of the 18th century, the towers of the former castle were rebuilt. In the 19th century the castle was used as a barracks.

Beach of Noirmoutier

Partnerships

Noirmoutier has partnership relations with the communities Padrón in the Spanish region of Galicia ( 1992 ), Crestview (Florida ) in the U.S., Ezcaray in the Spanish region of La Rioja ( since 2008) and - in 2013 - with Malpica de Bergantiños also in Galicia.