The ports, jetties and the sea at Les Sables d’Olonne !!!

Posted in Europe, France

Once again, coming back from my road warrior trails in my belle France. This one is a first time as usually bypassed it south but glad finally stop by, its a gem, and we will be back, eventually,The town of Les Sables-d’Olonne is located in the Vendée department no, 85) in the Pays-de-la-Loire region of my belle France , Therefore, here is my take on the ports, jetties and the sea at Les Sables d’Olonne !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.

The town of Les Sables-d’Olonne was formed on January 1, 2019, from the merger of the towns of Château-d’Olonne, Olonne-sur-Mer, and Les Sables-d’Olonne. The town is 42 km from La Roche sur Yon (see posts) from where we came from this time along the D160 road to the port and grande plage or big beach where we found free off street parking that was actually illegal but got away with a nice cop for free!! Otherwise 135 euro fine lol!! The town is 252 km from my current town.

Its three ports: the fishing port (4th largest port in France in terms of value) and its fish market; the industrial port of La Cabaude in a floating dock; the marina: Port Olona, ​​home to the start of the Vendée Globe. There is a boat taxi or passeur with four lines, The Line Florelle at quai Guiné to La Chaume Quai George V, The line Saint Nicolas basse mer to la Chaume Quai du Brise-Lannes, The line Belle Olonnaise quai Guisé to Port Olona Quai Prouteau, and the line Vendée Globe from Quai Guisé to Port Olona pontoon du Vendée Globe or Bd de l’Île Vertime.

The large Saint Nicholas jetty and the red lighthouse. The jetty was first planned in 1764 and completed in 1910 with the construction of the lighthouse. Standing 12.50 meters high, it is made of granite ashlar. Originally, the light operated on mineral oil without a permanent watchman and with an electric rotating mechanism. The small jetty and the green lighthouse. The jetty was built in the 18C, it protects the port from silting. In the 19C, along with the large jetty, it served as a towpath. The green granite lighthouse was built in the 19C. Its tilt, due to land settlement, earned it the nickname “the little tower of Pisa.” Although the port of Les Sables d’Olonne took off in the Middle Ages, it wasn’t until the 18C that the first port developments were built! First and foremost, the breakwater was built between 1764 and 1765. This rounded dry-stone wall extended 170 meters out to sea, extending from the Priory of St. Nicholas (see post). As its name suggests, its function was simply to break the force of waves coming from the west to secure the entrance to the port. Work on the Sables d’Olonne jetty, or small jetty, followed between 1768 and 1780 with the sole aim of limiting the progression of sand into the channel. A long wall extending 250 meters out to sea, a small granite lighthouse, 7 meters high, was installed at its end in 1825. It was not until 1863 that the work was fully completed. Thus, the breakwater or footbridge of the small jetty and its 14 piers, on the Les Sables side, came to link the Dingler quay and the jetty. They consisted of extending, at 90°, the first breakwater to a rocky area called the “small port stone”. Then, a 100 meters long jetty was built towards the open sea in a south-east direction. It rested on this extension, always with the aim of “breaking” the waves and securing the entrance to the port. Finally, a 490 meters footbridge resting on 27 piers was built after 1876 to connect the Chaume quay to the jetty. The construction of the red port entrance light marked the end of this work in 1910.

Follow the coast to the Saint-Nicolas priory (see post) from where you can see the two lighthouses of the Grande and Petite Jetée.

The town of Les Sables-d’Olonne faces the sea, which is reflected in the presence of three ports: the fishing port, the fourth largest in France, artisanal fishing (sole, cuttlefish, cod, etc.); the commercial port; the marina, Port Olona, ​​hosts many nautical events, the most prestigious of which is the Vendée Globe and Port Garnier ,right on the fishing port.  

The town of Les Sables d’Olonne on the ports:  https://ville.lessablesdolonne.fr/culture-patrimoine/patrimoine/mer-et-nautisme/

The town of Les Sables d’Olonne on the lighthouses: https://ville.lessablesdolonne.fr/culture-patrimoine/patrimoine/phares/

The Les Sables d’Olonne tourist office on the ports: https://www.destination-lessablesdolonne.co.uk/portail-nautique/

The Vendée dept 85 tourist office on the Pleasure port marina : https://www.vendee-tourisme.com/port-de-plaisance-port-olona/les-sables-dolonne/loipdl085v51tuq9

There you go folks, again, another gem of my belle France ! This is real country off the beaten path trails, Again, nice opportunity to see the town , good for the soul, Again, hope you enjoy the post on the ports, jetties and the sea at Les Sables d’Olonne !!! as I,

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!

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Published by pedmar10

I am a lover of travels to Europe , Americas , Africa and Asia as well ,who like to share my experiences of the last 53 years with the world, visiting so far 81 countries; living in 6, working in 5, and Citizen of 4, speaking fluently 4 languages. I can deal with sports especially football/soccer and love music, arts, wine collector/drinker, and go out to restaurants, and just visit the world. My background comes all the way from Candelaria and Pajara in Tenerife, Spain where my grandparents came from ;not knowing each other then, to Punta Brava, west of Havana, Cuba. There , my parents born in Cuba met and later on I was born there too. 100% guanche (annexed Tenerife to Spain on April 10 ,1496). I left Cuba as many have to Madrid, Spain where I lived for 4 years. Then, move to Perth Amboy ,New Jersey USA (living there 13 yrs) ; where I completed high school, became a US Citizen, learned to drive a car, and learned English. Afterward, went to the university in Florida, ERAU, and upon graduation decided to moved there to Ormond by the Sea, near Daytona Beach, finally moving North Miami, then Hialeah, then another moved to Silver Lakes division in Miramar, Broward county, Florida; in Florida I lived a total of 18 years. Finally , moved to France in 2003 ,Versailles call me for its royalty, and working in Paris was great. It was time to seek frontiers again and moved to Brech near Auray, Morbihan in Brittany , and later move to not too far Pluvigner. Total so far in France has been 20 years, and counting. Moving average a home every 5.5 years hopefully this will be my last. Cheers All rights reserved. No part of this blog may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means or stored in a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the copyright holder, me. No part of this work may be modified, without the written permission of the holder, me.No part of this work may be exposed to public view in any form or by any means, without identifying the holder as the author, and with the before mentioned permission.

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