Le Château-d’Oléron is a commune located on the island of Oleron in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.
The town is surrounded by fortifications in the form of a Bastion fort.
Established in the southern part of the island of Oléron, the town is an important oyster port in the Marennes-Oléron basin.
Formerly the residence of the governors of Oléron, it is today one of the main economic centres of the island. Very touristy, its historic centre is made up of traditional houses lining streets intersecting at right angles, forming a large pedestrian area. Former oyster huts, renovated, now house artists’ and craftsmen’s workshops.
Oyster farming nevertheless remains the flagship sector of the town, which belongs to the oyster farming basin of Marennes-Oléron. Numerous oyster beds have been set up on the site of former salt marshes, forming a veritable mosaic of land and water. In these basins, the oysters grow fat and acquire a unique colour and taste under the action of a microscopic algae, the blue navicle. More than 100 companies are engaged in this business.
Tourism and main sights
The citadel of Château-d’Oléron is a military structure built from 1630 to 1704 to protect the southern part of the island of Oléron. It is one of the main historical monuments of the town of Château-d’Oléron, in the department of Charente-Maritime, in southwestern France.
Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption church. The first stone of this church was laid in 1700: in just three years, the nave and the transept were completed. However, it was not until 1764 that work resumed and the choir was finally finished. In 1883, a neo-Romanesque bell tower, surmounting a porch of the same style, completed the building, whose spire, 40 meters high, dominated the entire town.
The historic centre retains many old houses, some built from the seventeenth century (period of reconstruction of the city). The streets intersecting at right angles revolve around a place of arms (Place de la République), embellished in 1851 with a public fountain freely inspired by Baroque and Renaissance styles. Work of the sculptor Jean Paillé, known as “Perrin”, is decorated with marine themes (dolphins, Neptune’s trident) and has been classified as a historical monument since 1937.
Dolmen d’Ors on the northern part of the road near the seaside. It has been classified as a historical monument since 1940.
There are many funny street metal installations near the port and in the citadel.
Beaches
Le Château-d’Oléron has a quiet beach (Beach of Phibie) and a lake known for hosting families in search of greater security for children.
Shopping
The market takes place every day outside Monday, both in the halls and in its immediate surroundings. In season, a night market is held every Wednesday, from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., near the Place de la République, and every Friday, at the same time, on the porch.
The craftsman shops located in old renovated oyster huts offer jewellery, paintings, watercolours, sculptures and souvenirs.
Restaurants
The best restaurants are located in the port area and offer cheap oysters and other seafood.
Transport and how to get?
The nearest airport is Rochefort-Saint-Agnant airport (business jets). The main international airport is in Bordeaux.
Shortest distance by car:
From Rochefort: 37 min (34.0 km) via D123
From La Baule-Escoublac (tolls): 3 h 23 min (277 km) via A83
From Saint-Nazaire (tolls): 3 h 20 min (262 km) via A83
From Pornic (tolls): 3 h 5 min (242 km) via A83
From Les Sables-d’Olonne: 2 h 35 min (165 km) via D949
From Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie: 2 h 46 min (190 km) via D948
From Noirmoutier-en-l’Île (tolls): 3 h 17 min (231 km) via D948
From Jard-sur-Mer: 2 h 17 min (144 km) via D949
From Nantes (tolls): 2 h 39 min (198 km) via A83
From Cognac: 1 h 27 min (84.1 km) via N141 and D728
From Angoulême: 2 h 3 min (131 km) via N141
From Arcachon (tolls): 2 h 47 min (233 km) via A10
From Royan: 51 min (43.1 km) via D728
From Biarritz (tolls): 4 h (366 km) via A63 and A10
From Bayonne (tolls): 3 h 49 min (352 km) via A63 and A10
From Dax (tolls): 3 h 35 min (314 km) via A63 and A10
From Saumur (tolls): 3 h 2 min (230 km) via D938
From Bordeaux (tolls): 2 h 15 min (167 km) via A10
From La Rochelle: 1 h 11 min (69.0 km) via D137
From Toulouse (tolls): 4 h 13 min (405 km) via A62 and A10
From Carcassonne (tolls): 4 h 58 min (495 km) via A62
From Monaco (tolls): 9 h 29 min (984 km) via A62
From Nice (tolls): 9 h 19 min (962 km) via A62
From Cannes (tolls): 9 h 7 min (936 km) via A62
From Saint-Tropez (tolls): 9 h 6 min (908 km) via A62
From Marseille (tolls): 7 h 48 min (805 km) via A62
From Avignon (tolls): 7 h 5 min (732 km) via A62
From Montpellier (tolls): 6 h 21 min (644 km) via A62
From Béziers (tolls): 5 h 44 min (583 km) via A61 and A62
From Perpignan (tolls): 5 h 57 min (609 km) via A62
From Narbonne (tolls): 5 h 29 min (553 km) via A61 and A62
From Andorra (tolls): 6 h 27 min (585 km) via A62
Main information
Area: 15.6 sq. km
Population: 4 200
Languages: French
Currency: euro
Visa: Schengen
Time: Central European UTC +1
GPS coordinates: 45°53′09″N 1°11′41″W
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