Today, the town of Les Sables d'Olonne has 13,000 residents.

Its maritime activity revolves around its three ports:

its fishing port, the biggest French port for sole (85 boats and 255 sailors);

its marina, and its 1,100 berths, open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year;

port Olonna

its commercial port, 833,507 tons of traffic in 2006

 

le remblai

The "Remblai" and its swiming pool

A maritime façade dedicated to tourism: A 3km-long beach with fine sand whose perfect arc opens to the south, the wild coastline and the Paracou dunes to the west...

dunes

Paracou dunes

fishing port

The fishing port

routard

In the ROUTARD guide since 1997

Les Sables d'Olonne

vue aerienne

The term "Olonne" in all likelihood derives from the word "olona", of Celtic origin, which designated a small hill, a knoll emerging above the water.

The name Olona doubtless referred at the time to the Île Vertime, this barrier beach terminated by a rock on which the first houses were erected, which is now La Chaume.

A little history

While La Chaume had existed as a parish since the 11th century, the town of Les Sables originated in 1472 by the grace of King Louis XI, who, discovering "the haven of Les Sables d'Olonne", decided to protect it by surrounding it with walls, thereby launching the development of a new town. In the 18th century, Les Sables annexed La Chaume to form a single municipality.

Les Sables lived through the centuries with the reputation of a great fishing port (cod fishing in the 17th century, tuna and then sardine fishing in the 20th century).

In the 19th century, the surge in sea bathing was the occasion for extraordinary economic growth.

Access to the "History" pages from the Les Sables d'Olonne city site (in french)