Oléron
The Ile d' Oléron is the second largest French island in Europe and is located in the Atlantic Ocean. It belongs to the department of Charente- Maritime and the Poitou-Charentes region. It is also called the " Mimosa Island".
Geography
The Ile d' Oléron is located on the west coast of France on the Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Biscay north of the Gironde estuary near the port town of Rochefort. Oleron and the neighboring island of Ile de Ré close together with the mainland the Pertuis d' Antioch a, a stretch of sea that is a paradise for sailing. Its southern area is far partly verschlickt and offers an ideal terrain for mussels and oysters. Due to the favorable conditions for the cultivation of oysters and the continuous inflow of fresh water, the island has become one of the most important regions of the oyster farming in Europe.
The island is 34 km long and at its widest point 12 km wide. She is - one should allow the overseas departments out of consideration - with a floor area of 175 km ² to Corsica, the second largest French island on the Atlantic coast, the largest in front of the Ile de Noirmoutier and Ile de Ré.
Notable elevations do not exist.
Traffic
Like the Ile de Ré is the Ile d' Oléron connected by bridge to the mainland. The viaduct bridge called bridge is 2862 m long and connects Bourcefranc -le- Chapus with the southern tip of the island and to its opening in 1966 was the longest bridge in France. In 1991, the toll for the Viaduct was abolished. Before the construction of the bridge there was a ferry at the same location. Reminiscent of ferry you can still see the blocked to the public two long pier for ferries to tidenunabhängigen fairway channel today.
On the island, there is only highways. The main compounds, but also more and more secondary roads are usually well developed. On the mainly flat island, there are now a well-developed network of bicycle paths.
The different ports are used only for private and tourist trips. Line boats operate in the season to the neighboring island Ile- d'Aix, La Rochelle, Fort Boyard and Ile de Ré. In La Cotinière is one of the major fishing ports located on the French Atlantic coast.
Management
The island belongs to the region of Poitou- Charentes, Charente -Maritime for arrondissement and Rochefort. Located on the Ile d' Oléron live permanently 21,889 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011), as a capital city is Saint- Pierre d'Oléron.
The island consists of two cantons ( Saint- Pierre d'Oléron and Le Château d'Oléron ) and is divided into eight municipalities:
- La Brée -les- Bains
- Le Château d'Oléron
- Dolus d'Oléron
- Le Grand-Village -Plage
- Saint- Denis d'Oléron
- Saint -Georges d'Oléron
- Saint- Pierre d'Oléron
- Saint- Trojan- les- Bains
Tourist
Due to its mild climate, the Ile d' Oléron is the latest from April to mid-September, very popular with tourists. Attractions include the built in the years 1834 to 1836 lighthouse Phare de chassiron, the well-known through television broadcasts that Boyardville upstream Fort Boyard and built under Vauban Citadelle du Château d' Oléron. In the local Bastion de la Breche is a military historical museum about the French colonization of North America and the cultures of the First Nations.
The open-air museum of the Port Salines in Petit- Village, a hamlet of Le Grand Village Plage, the sea salt production is presented.
The Marais aux Oiseaux wetland is home to about 60 species of animals that do not get very rarely seen in nature.
Pure sand beaches can be found in the north - and south-west of the island; in the middle and change at the surf line stony tracks with a sprinkling sand from. These beaches are guarded by lifeguards during the season. On the east side, facing the mainland, extends from Boyardville to the port of La Brée also an approximately 15 km long sandy beach.
The forest and dune area at Grand Village and Saint- Trojan is a nature reserve.
In some villages there are regular weekly markets and flea markets. In particular, Saint- Pierre and La Cotinière offer on their weekly markets island specialties.
The salt fields of the Port des Salines.
The beach of Le Grand Village Plage at low tide.
The beach of Le Grand Village Plage at high tide.
Viaduct bridge
Oyster farming on the Ile d' Oléron
Oléron oysters
History
Under the name Ularius the island was known in Roman times and, according to Pliny served as a summer destination. In later centuries it was, like many of the other Atlantic islands, a point of contention between France and England. On Oléron the mighty Duchess of the Middle Ages and Queen spent two countries Eleanor of Aquitaine 16 years of her life in captivity of her husband Henry II, because they had supported the rebellion of her oldest sons against her husband. During this time, named after the island and there kept Seerechtskodex Roles d' Oleron was written. In the 16th century, the island's population predominantly Huguenot faith. 1623 took Louis XIII. possession of the island. Carl Constantin von Hessen- Rhein rock -Rotenburg was exiled on the island after the attack with the so-called infernal machine on Napoleon Bonaparte 1800-1803. During the period of National Socialism in Germany, the island was part of the Atlantic Wall, still found on the beaches and in the dunes old bunkers and fortifications. On the island, who was born in the port city of Rochefort against writer Pierre Loti spent large parts of his life. He emphasized the special character of bright light on Oléron and described it in parts of his works.