Oléron
Encyclopedia
Île d'Oléron 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).
, formed the Vacetae Insulae or Vacetian Islands, according to the Cosmographia
. 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
.
.
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.
département, in the Poitou-Charentes
région. The island is divided into 8 communes:
The island has about 19,000 inhabitants.
. With a length of 2,862 m (9,390 ft) between abutment
s, 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.
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
off the Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
coast of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
(due west of Rochefort
Rochefort, Charente-Maritime
Rochefort is a commune in southwestern France, a port on the Charente estuary. It is a sub-prefecture of the Charente-Maritime department.-History:...
), on the southern side of the Pertuis d'Antioche
Pertuis d'Antioche
The Pertuis d'Antioche is a strait on the Atlantic coast of Western France, located between the two islands Île de Ré and Île d'Oléron and the continental coast, between the cities of La Rochelle and the naval arsenal of Rochefort...
strait.
It is the second largest French island after Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
(not counting French overseas collectivities).
History
In the seventh and eighth century the island, along with RéRe
Re, bre, moré is an interjection common to Cypriot Greek, the languages of the Balkans, Turkish, and Venetian, with its "locus... more in the Greek world than elsewhere". It is used in colloquial speech to gain someone's attention, add emphasis, insult, or express surprise or astonishment, like...
, formed the Vacetae Insulae or Vacetian Islands, according to the Cosmographia
Aethicus Ister
Aethicus Ister was the protagonist of the 7th/8th-century Cosmographia written by a man of church Hieronymus. It describes the travels of Aethicus around the world, and includes descriptions of foreign peoples in usually less than favourable terms...
. 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
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Eleanor of Aquitaine was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Western Europe during the High Middle Ages. As well as being Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right, she was queen consort of France and of England...
introduced the first 'maritime' or 'admiralty' laws
Admiralty law
Admiralty law is a distinct body of law which governs maritime questions and offenses. It is a body of both domestic law governing maritime activities, and private international law governing the relationships between private entities which operate vessels on the oceans...
in that part of the world: the Rolls of Oleron
Rolls of Oleron
The Rolls of Oléron were the first formal statement of "maritime" or "admiralty" laws in northwestern Europe....
. In 1306, Edward I of England
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
granted the island to his son, Edward II
Edward II of England
Edward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
, as part of the duchy of Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
.
On March 20, 1586, the Island was taken by Agrippa d'Aubigne
Agrippa d'Aubigné
Théodore-Agrippa d'Aubigné was a French poet, soldier, propagandist and chronicler. His epic poem Les Tragiques is widely regarded as his masterpiece.-Life:...
.
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 BiscayBay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish...
.
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.
Administration
Administratively, the island belongs to the Charente-MaritimeCharente-Maritime
Charente-Maritime is a department on the west coast of France named after the Charente River.- History :Previously a part of Saintonge, Charente-Inférieure was one of the 83 original departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
département, in the Poitou-Charentes
Poitou-Charentes
Poitou-Charentes is an administrative region in central western France comprising four departments: Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres and Vienne. The regional capital is Poitiers.-Politics:The regional council is composed of 56 members...
région. The island is divided into 8 communes:
- La Brée-les-BainsLa Brée-les-BainsLa Brée-les-Bains is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in the Poitou-Charentes region in southwestern France. It is situated on the Île d'Oléron.-Population:-References:*...
- Le Château-d'OléronLe Château-d'OléronLe Château-d'Oléron is a commune located on the island of Oleron in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
- Dolus-d'OléronDolus-d'OléronDolus-d'Oléron is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
- Le Grand-Village-PlageLe Grand-Village-PlageLe Grand-Village-Plage is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France. It is situated on the Île-d'Oléron.-Population:-References:*...
- Saint-Denis-d'OléronSaint-Denis-d'OléronSaint-Denis-d'Oléron is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
- Saint-Georges-d'OléronSaint-Georges-d'OléronSaint-Georges-d'Oléron is a commune on Oléron Island in the Charente-Maritime department in western France.-Population:-References:*...
(includes BoyardvilleBoyardvilleBoyardville is a district in the city of Saint-Georges-d'Oléron on the eastern part of the island of Oléron in Charente-Maritime, France. The community is a small beach resort with a fishing port and marina, and is a popular spot for surfing....
) - Saint-Pierre d'Oléron
- Saint-Trojan-les-BainsSaint-Trojan-les-BainsSaint-Trojan-les-Bains is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
The island has about 19,000 inhabitants.
Transportation
Since 1966, the island has been connected to the mainland by a road bridgeBridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
. With a length of 2,862 m (9,390 ft) between abutment
Abutment
An abutment is, generally, the point where two structures or objects meet. This word comes from the verb abut, which means adjoin or having common boundary. An abutment is an engineering term that describes a structure located at the ends of a bridge, where the bridge slab adjoins the approaching...
s, it was the longest bridge in France at the time of construction. It is now the third one, after the Saint-Nazaire bridge
Saint-Nazaire Bridge
The Saint-Nazaire bridge is a Cable-stayed bridge spanning the Loire river and linking Saint-Nazaire on the north bank and Saint-Brevin-Les-Pins on the south bank, in the department of Loire-Atlantique, France.- External links :*...
and the Ile de Ré
Île de Ré
Île de Ré is an island off the west coast of France near La Rochelle, on the northern side of the Pertuis d'Antioche strait....
bridge. It has been toll-free since 1991.
Tourism
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.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.