- Oléron
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Coordinates: 45°54′N 1°18′W / 45.9°N 1.3°W
Île d'OléronÎle d'Oléron (English: Island of Oleron) is an island off the Atlantic coast of France (due west of Rochefort), on the southern side of the Pertuis d'Antioche strait.
It is the second largest French island after Corsica (not counting French overseas collectivities).
Contents
History
Aerial photograph of Oleron
In the seventh and eighth century the island, along with Ré, formed the Vacetae Insulae or Vacetian Islands, according to the Cosmographia.[1] Vaceti being another name for the Vascones, the reference is evidence to Basque (Gascon) settlement or control of the islands by that date.
It was at Oléron in about 1152 to 1160 that Eleanor of Aquitaine introduced the first 'maritime' or 'admiralty' laws in that part of the world: the Rolls of Oleron. In 1306, Edward I of England granted the island to his son, Edward II, as part of the duchy of Aquitaine.
On March 20, 1586, the Island was taken by Agrippa d'Aubigne.
Geography
The island has an area of about 174 km2. It is a fertile and well cultivated island on the Atlantic coast of France, that is on the Bay of Biscay.
The climate is generally mild (maritime temperate) with sufficient but not excessive rainfall, but with probably from 3 to 15 days of intense heat in the summer months of July and August, mostly grouped.[2]
Administration
Administratively, the island belongs to the Charente-Maritime département, in the Poitou-Charentes région. The island is divided into 8 communes:
Saint George's church, Oléron- La Brée-les-Bains
- Le Château-d'Oléron
- Dolus-d'Oléron
- Le Grand-Village-Plage
- Saint-Denis-d'Oléron
- Saint-Georges-d'Oléron (includes Boyardville)
- Saint-Pierre d'Oléron
- Saint-Trojan-les-Bains
The island has about 19,000 inhabitants.
Transportation
Île d'Oléron bridge, seen from Le Château d'OléronSince 1966, the island has been connected to the mainland by a road bridge. With a length of 2,862 m (9,390 ft) between abutments, it was the longest bridge in France at the time of construction. It is now the third one, after the Saint-Nazaire bridge and the Ile de Ré bridge. It has been toll-free since 1991.
Tourism
Le Château-d'Oléron, 1703 military mock-up.As a large Atlantic island only 3 kilometres off the Aquitanian coast of France, Oléron is a popular tourist destination. There are beaches, surfing and horse-riding are catered for and there are many interesting old buildings.[2]
Sources
- Collins, Roger. "The Vaccaei, the Vaceti, and the rise of Vasconia." Studia Historica VI. Salamanca, 1988. Reprinted in Roger Collins, Law, Culture and Regionalism in Early Medieval Spain. Variorum, 1992. ISBN 0-86078-308-1.
External links
- (French) The official tourist office website for Oléron Island
- (English) Language, culture & discovery on Ile d'Oléron
Notes
- ^ Collins' book, p. 214.
- ^ a b http://www.ile-oleron-marennes.com/ by La Maison du Tourisme de l'ile d'Oléron et du bassin de Marennes 2007
Categories:- Islands of France
- Charente-Maritime
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