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Charente-Maritime (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Chérente-Marine''; ) is a department in the French
region In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
of
Nouvelle-Aquitaine Nouvelle-Aquitaine () is the largest Regions of France, administrative region in France by area, spanning the west and southwest of Metropolitan France. The region was created in 2014 by the merging of Aquitaine, Limousin, and Poitou-Charentes ...
, on the country's west coast. Named after the river
Charente Charente (; Saintongese: ''Chérente''; ) is a department in the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. It is named after the river Charente, the most important and longest river in the department, and also the r ...
, its
prefecture A prefecture (from the Latin word, "''praefectura"'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain inter ...
is
La Rochelle La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle'') is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department. Wi ...
. As of 2019, it had a population of 651,358 with an area of 6,864 square kilometres (2,650 sq mi).


History

The history of the department begins with a decree from the
Constituent Assembly A constituent assembly (also known as a constitutional convention, constitutional congress, or constitutional assembly) is a body assembled for the purpose of drafting or revising a constitution. Members of a constituent assembly may be elected b ...
on December 22, 1789, which took effect on March 4, 1790, creating it as one of the 83 original departments during the French Revolution. Named “Charente-Inférieure” after the lower course of the
Charente Charente (; Saintongese: ''Chérente''; ) is a department in the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. It is named after the river Charente, the most important and longest river in the department, and also the r ...
, it was renamed Charente-Maritime on September 4, 1941, during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, reflecting its Atlantic coast identity. The department encompasses most of the former province of Saintonge (excluding Cognaçais and Barbezilien, part of
Charente Charente (; Saintongese: ''Chérente''; ) is a department in the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. It is named after the river Charente, the most important and longest river in the department, and also the r ...
, and the duchy-pairie of Frontenay-Rohan-Rohan, in
Deux-Sèvres Deux-Sèvres (, Poitevin-Saintongese: ''Deùs Saevres'') is a French department. ''Deux-Sèvres'' literally means "two Sèvres": the Sèvre Nantaise and the Sèvre Niortaise are two rivers which have their sources in the department. It had a ...
), nearly all of
Aunis Aunis () is a historical Provinces of France, province of France, situated in the north-west of the department of Charente-Maritime. Its historic capital is La Rochelle, which took over from Châtelaillon-Plage, Castrum Allionis (Châtelaillon) t ...
, and the Pays d'Aulnay from
Poitou Poitou ( , , ; ; Poitevin: ''Poetou'') was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers. Both Poitou and Poitiers are named after the Pictones Gallic tribe. Geography The main historical cities are Poitiers (historical ...
. Evidence of human settlement dates back to the Paleolithic era, with the Celtic Santon tribe settling during the La Tène period, fostering trade and crafts. Romanization after the Gallic War led to the rise of Mediolanum Santonum ( Saintes), the capital of Augustan Aquitaine. Initially designated the prefecture in 1790 (having been Saintonge’s capital), Saintes lost this status in 1810 when
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
decreed its transfer to
La Rochelle La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle'') is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department. Wi ...
. The region, under Merovingian and Carolingian rule, oscillated between kingdom and duchy status until Carolingian decline spurred instability, shaping Aunis’ distinct identity.In the 12th century, Eleanor of Aquitaine’s remarriage tied the region to the Plantagenet domain, boosting trade with England despite revolts. The
Hundred Years' War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a conflict between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France and a civil war in France during the Late Middle Ages. It emerged from feudal disputes over the Duchy ...
brought devastation, ending with the French recapture of Montguyon in 1451. The 16th century saw the
Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...
and Wars of Religion divide Aunis and Saintonge. The French Revolution raised hopes but faltered with events like the Rochefort pontoons, amid tensions between the
Vendée Vendée () is a department in the Pays de la Loire region in Western France, on the Atlantic coast. In 2019, it had a population of 685,442.Girondine uprisings. The 19th century brought prosperity under the Second Empire, driven by cognac, until the
phylloxera Grape phylloxera is an insect pest of grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America. Grape phylloxera (''Daktulosphaira vitifoliae'' (Fitch 1855) belongs to the family Phylloxeridae, within the order Hemiptera, bugs); orig ...
crisis struck. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the German Army occupied the department, integrating it into occupied France. The Organisation Todt built sea defences, including pillboxes along the presqu'île d' Arvert and Oléron island, to counter Allied landings. The war’s end saw German resistance pockets at
La Rochelle La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle'') is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department. Wi ...
and
Royan Royan (; in the Saintongeais dialect; ) is a commune and town in the south-west of France, in the Departments of France, department of Charente-Maritime in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Capital of the Côte de Beauté, Royan is one of the mai ...
; Royan was nearly destroyed by an RAF raid on January 5, 1945, and liberated by the French Forces of the Interior in April, while La Rochelle was freed on May 9, 1945.


Prehistory


Paleolithic

Human occupation in present-day Charente-Maritime dates to the Lower Paleolithic (Acheulean), evidenced by bifaces found near Gémozac and Pons along the Seugne and Soute rivers, and an Acheulean lithic industry at ''Les Thibauderies'' near Saint-Genis-de-Saintonge. The Middle Paleolithic saw Mousterian civilizations flourish, with artifacts unearthed in the Charente valley (e.g., Gros-Roc cave at Douhet and sites at Port-d'Envaux and Saint-Sever-de-Saintonge). In 1979, a
Neanderthal Neanderthals ( ; ''Homo neanderthalensis'' or sometimes ''H. sapiens neanderthalensis'') are an extinction, extinct group of archaic humans who inhabited Europe and Western and Central Asia during the Middle Pleistocene, Middle to Late Plei ...
skeleton found at Roche à Pierrot in Saint-Césaire (dated to ~36,300 years ago) confirmed overlap with Cro-Magnons, leading to the Paléosite center’s opening in 2005. Notable
Aurignacian The Aurignacian () is an archaeological industry of the Upper Paleolithic associated with Cro-Magnon, Early European modern humans (EEMH) lasting from 43,000 to 26,000 years ago. The Upper Paleolithic developed in Europe some time after the L ...
and Magdalenian finds include three engraved stones from Saint-Porchaire’s caves, the oldest (1924) depicting mammoths. Solutrean flint points were also discovered at Saint-Germain-du-Seudre and Bois.


Neolithic Revolution

The
Neolithic The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...
“revolution” arrived in the Charente region around the 6th millennium BC, marked by settled agriculture, animal husbandry, and crafts like ceramics. The Middle Neolithic introduced the Chassean culture and megalithic monuments, including dolmens and menhirs, such as the Pierre-Levée dolmen at La Vallée, Pierre-Folle alley at Montguyon, and the largest menhir at Chives (Viviers-Jusseau). In the 4th–3rd millennia BC, the Matignons (e.g., Ile d'Oléron, Soubise) and Peu-Richard ( Thénac, Barzan) civilizations built fortified camps. By the early 3rd millennium BC, the Artenac civilization emerged, introducing copper metallurgy.


Antiquity


The Santoni

From the
Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...
, Saintonge inhabitants maintained trade with the Atlantic arc, evidenced by bronze objects in the Meschers deposit. In the early Iron Age, a tomb at Courcoury with Mediterranean imports (Etruscan basin, Greek bowl) highlights broader connections. During the La Tène period, the Santoni established the Pons oppidum as their political and trading hub, a key example of oppida civilization. This rural, hierarchical society featured self-sufficient villages and necropolises. Along the coast, they produced sea salt, while at Novioregum ( Barzan), an emporium facilitated trade with the Romans via the Gironde estuary.


High Roman Empire and Gallo-Roman Period

The Gallic War (58–51 BC), sparked by
Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in Caesar's civil wa ...
’s intervention against the Helvetians, saw mixed Santon involvement: their fleet aided the Romans against the Venetians (56 BC), yet some joined Vercingetorix at Gergovia and Alesia. Post-conquest, under
Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...
, the Santons’ territory became part of the province of Aquitaine, with Mediolanum Santonum ( Saintes) as its first capital, boasting monuments like the votive arch and amphitheater. Novioregum ( Barzan) emerged as a major port, exporting goods like wine (reallowed by
Probus Probus may refer to: People * Marcus Valerius Probus (c. 20/30–105 AD), Roman grammarian * Marcus Pomponius Maecius Probus, consul in 228 * Probus (emperor), Roman Emperor (276–282) * Probus of Byzantium (–306), Bishop of Byzantium from 293 t ...
in 276) and ''santonine'' absinthe. Roman infrastructure, including roads to Burdigala (
Bordeaux Bordeaux ( ; ; Gascon language, Gascon ; ) is a city on the river Garonne in the Gironde Departments of France, department, southwestern France. A port city, it is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the Prefectures in F ...
) and Limonum (
Poitiers Poitiers is a city on the river Clain in west-central France. It is a commune in France, commune, the capital of the Vienne (department), Vienne department and the historical center of Poitou, Poitou Province. In 2021, it had a population of 9 ...
), and structures like the Pirelonge tower at Saint-Romain-de-Benet, enriched the region.


Late Roman Empire and First Barbarian Invasions

From the late 3rd century, barbarian invasions disrupted Santonia: ''Novioregum'' was destroyed in 256, and ''Mediolanum Santonum'' and Pons were burned in 276 by the
Alamanni The Alemanni or Alamanni were a confederation of Germanic tribes * * * on the Upper Rhine River during the first millennium. First mentioned by Cassius Dio in the context of the campaign of Roman emperor Caracalla of 213 CE, the Alemanni c ...
. Saintes retreated behind ramparts, shrinking significantly. In 285,
Diocletian Diocletian ( ; ; ; 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed Jovius, was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Diocles to a family of low status in the Roman province of Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia. As with other Illyri ...
reorganized it into Aquitaine Seconde, diminishing Saintes’ role. Christianity emerged, led by Eutrope, the first bishop, though its spread was slow until the 5th century. After the
Western Roman Empire In modern historiography, the Western Roman Empire was the western provinces of the Roman Empire, collectively, during any period in which they were administered separately from the eastern provinces by a separate, independent imperial court. ...
’s fall in 476,
Vandals The Vandals were a Germanic people who were first reported in the written records as inhabitants of what is now Poland, during the period of the Roman Empire. Much later, in the fifth century, a group of Vandals led by kings established Vand ...
and
Alans The Alans () were an ancient and medieval Iranian peoples, Iranic Eurasian nomads, nomadic pastoral people who migrated to what is today North Caucasus – while some continued on to Europe and later North Africa. They are generally regarded ...
plundered the region, ending its Gallo-Roman prosperity.


Early modern period


Early Middle Ages

In 418, a ''fœdus'' between
Visigoth The Visigoths (; ) were a Germanic people united under the rule of a king and living within the Roman Empire during late antiquity. The Visigoths first appeared in the Balkans, as a Roman-allied barbarian military group united under the comman ...
king Wallia and Roman emperor Flavius Honorius allowed Visigoths to settle in Aquitaine II, including Saintonge, forming the
Visigothic kingdom The Visigothic Kingdom, Visigothic Spain or Kingdom of the Goths () was a Barbarian kingdoms, barbarian kingdom that occupied what is now southwestern France and the Iberian Peninsula from the 5th to the 8th centuries. One of the Germanic people ...
with
Toulouse Toulouse (, ; ; ) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Haute-Garonne department and of the Occitania (administrative region), Occitania region. The city is on the banks of the Garonne, River Garonne, from ...
as its capital. They occupied the region until 507, leaving toponymic traces like Goutrolles and Aumagne. Frankish king Clovis ousted them after defeating Alaric at Vouillé. In 584, Gondovald briefly ruled a Merovingian kingdom of Aquitaine, supported by Bishop Palladius of Saintes. A second kingdom under Caribert II became a duchy after his death, with Eudes resisting Saracen incursions in 732, halted by
Charles Martel Charles Martel (; – 22 October 741), ''Martel'' being a sobriquet in Old French for "The Hammer", was a Franks, Frankish political and military leader who, as Duke and Prince of the Franks and Mayor of the Palace, was the de facto ruler of ...
near Poitiers.
Charlemagne Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...
established a new kingdom of Aquitaine in 781 for his son Louis. Viking raids began in 843, devastating
Royan Royan (; in the Saintongeais dialect; ) is a commune and town in the south-west of France, in the Departments of France, department of Charente-Maritime in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Capital of the Côte de Beauté, Royan is one of the mai ...
, Saujon, Saintes (845, 863), and Saint-Jean-d’Angély (865), weakening Carolingian control and fostering feudalism. By the 10th century, Aunis split from Saintonge, with castles like Broue built for defense.


Late Middle Ages

La Rochelle La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle'') is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department. Wi ...
grew in the 12th century under the Dukes of Aquitaine, gaining a communal charter from Henry II in 1175 and boosting trade with the
Hanseatic League The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
. Saintonge and Aunis prospered from salt, wine, and stone exports. The Via Turonensis pilgrimage route spurred religious growth, with a hospice in Pons and a basilica for Eutropius in Saintes. In 1137, Eleanor of Aquitaine inherited the region, marrying Louis VII, then
Henry Plantagenet Henry II () was Monarchy of the United Kingdom, King of England from 1154 until his death in 1189. During his reign he controlled Kingdom of England, England, substantial parts of Wales in the High Middle Ages, Wales and Lordship of Ireland ...
in 1152, tying Aquitaine to England. Her Roles of Oléron maritime code emerged in 1169. Rebellions in 1174 and sieges like Saintes strained Plantagenet rule. After John’s contested reign, Philippe Auguste seized most of Saintonge and Aunis by 1204, though La Rochelle resisted until 1224 under Louis VIII. The Battle of Taillebourg (1242) saw Louis IX defeat Henry III, solidified by the Treaty of Paris (1259).


Hundred Years' War

The
Hundred Years' War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a conflict between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France and a civil war in France during the Late Middle Ages. It emerged from feudal disputes over the Duchy ...
began when
Edward III Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring royal authority after t ...
claimed the French throne in 1337, sparking the “Saintonge Wars.” In 1345, Henry of Lancaster raided Saintonge, capturing key towns. The
Black Death The Black Death was a bubonic plague pandemic that occurred in Europe from 1346 to 1353. It was one of the list of epidemics, most fatal pandemics in human history; as many as people perished, perhaps 50% of Europe's 14th century population. ...
(1347) paused fighting, but in 1351, John II retook Saint-Jean-d’Angély. The Treaty of Brétigny (1360) ceded Saintonge and Aunis to Edward of Woodstock, but Charles V’s forces, led by Du Guesclin, reversed this. The Battle of La Rochelle (1372) and subsequent sieges secured French control by 1374. After truces, Charles VII’s reconquest ended with the siege of Montguyon (1451) and the
Battle of Castillon The Battle of Castillon was a battle between the forces of England and France which took place on 17 July 1453 in Gascony near the town of Castillon-sur-Dordogne (later Castillon-la-Bataille). On the day of the battle, the English commande ...
(1453), leaving the region devastated.


Early modern period


Renaissance

Post-war recovery in Saintonge and Aunis was rapid, with lords granting land to peasants, spurring population growth and agricultural revival. Louis XI confirmed communal charters, and towns like Marennes (1452) and Jonzac (1473) gained fair rights. La Rochelle’s trade flourished, welcoming foreign ships despite plagues (1500–1515) and a 1518 hurricane. In 1542, François I’s attempt to impose the '' gabelle'' tax on salt sparked revolt, initially subdued by Gaspard de Saulx, but he granted amnesty after arriving in La Rochelle. The '' Jacquerie des Pitauds'' erupted in 1548, spreading regionally; rebels seized Pons, Saintes, and Royan, but Anne de Montmorency’s harsh repression crushed it, though Henri II later restored the old tax system in 1555. Cod fishing grew from ports like La Tremblade and Royan by 1546, and Jacopolis-sur-Brouage was founded in 1555 as a salt trade hub.


The Reformation

The
Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...
gained traction in Aunis and Saintonge after
Martin Luther Martin Luther ( ; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, Theology, theologian, author, hymnwriter, professor, and former Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. Luther was the seminal figure of the Reformation, Pr ...
’s 1517 '' 95 Theses'', fueled by clerical abuses and trade with Protestant Northern Europe.
John Calvin John Calvin (; ; ; 10 July 150927 May 1564) was a French Christian theology, theologian, pastor and Protestant Reformers, reformer in Geneva during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of C ...
briefly preached in Saintonge in 1534 as Charles d’Espeville. Coastal areas like Marennes and Oléron became Reformed strongholds. Repression began in 1548, with public penance in La Rochelle and executions in 1552. Protestant churches emerged, including La Rochelle (1557) and Saint-Jean-d’Angély (1558), though leaders like Philibert Hamelin faced execution. Tensions escalated with the 1562 Massacre of Vassy, igniting the Wars of Religion.


Wars of Religion

La Rochelle’s growing Calvinist population led to the 1562 Edict of Toleration by Charles IX, but the Massacre of Vassy sparked uprisings led by Louis de Condé. Iconoclastic attacks hit Saint-Jean-d’Angély’s abbey in 1562. The Edict of Amboise (1563) ended the first war. In 1565, Charles IX visited Saintes and La Rochelle, noting Protestant resistance. By 1567, La Rochelle became a Protestant stronghold under mayor François Pontard, aligning with Condé. The Battle of Jarnac (1569) killed Condé, but the Edict of Saint-Germain (1570) made La Rochelle a Protestant safe haven. The St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre (1572) led to the Siege of La Rochelle, which ended in 1573. Later wars saw Henri de Navarre lead Protestants, culminating in the
Edict of Nantes The Edict of Nantes () was an edict signed in April 1598 by Henry IV of France, King Henry IV and granted the minority Calvinism, Calvinist Protestants of France, also known as Huguenots, substantial rights in the nation, which was predominantl ...
(1598), designating La Rochelle and others as security strongholds.


17th century


From the Edict of Nantes to the Assassination of Henri IV

Under Henri IV, the
Edict of Nantes The Edict of Nantes () was an edict signed in April 1598 by Henry IV of France, King Henry IV and granted the minority Calvinism, Calvinist Protestants of France, also known as Huguenots, substantial rights in the nation, which was predominantl ...
(1598) brought civil peace, though tensions persisted between Catholics and Protestants. Tax increases, like the 1602 “''pancarte''” extension, sparked revolts in Aunis and Saintonge, with La Rochelle’s privileges causing regional envy. Henri IV ordered land reclamation in Marans’ marshes, led by Flemish and Brabantine experts. Explorers Pierre Dugua de Mons and
Samuel de Champlain Samuel de Champlain (; 13 August 1574#Fichier]For a detailed analysis of his baptismal record, see #Ritch, RitchThe baptism act does not contain information about the age of Samuel, neither his birth date nor his place of birth. – 25 December ...
from Saintonge founded Québec in 1608, boosting
New France New France (, ) was the territory colonized by Kingdom of France, France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Kingdom of Great Br ...
migration. Henri IV’s assassination in 1610 raised Protestant fears under regent Marie de Médicis, who favored Catholics, prompting leaders like Henri II de Rohan to emerge.


Aunis and Saintonge Under the Reign of Louis XIII

From 1615–1620, Aunis and Saintonge saw skirmishes due to Louis XIII’s pro-Spanish policies and Catholic restoration in Navarre, inciting Protestant unrest. In 1621, Louis XIII besieged Saint-Jean-d’Angély, defended by Benjamin de Soubise, capturing it after a month, abolishing privileges, and razing defenses. Pons surrendered, but Royan’s 1622 siege ended with its destruction. La Rochelle resisted longer, facing a year-long blockade.


Siege of La Rochelle (1627-1628)

La Rochelle, dubbed the “metropolis of heresy” by
Cardinal Richelieu Armand Jean du Plessis, 1st Duke of Richelieu (9 September 1585 – 4 December 1642), commonly known as Cardinal Richelieu, was a Catholic Church in France, French Catholic prelate and statesman who had an outsized influence in civil and religi ...
, defied Louis XIII, leading to the 1622 Treaty of Montpellier, which faltered over Fort-Louis’ demolition. Renewed conflict in 1625 saw Jean Guiton’s fleet lose to Henri II de Montmorency, and Saint-Martin-de-Ré fell. In 1627, England’s Duke of Buckingham blockaded Île de Ré, while Richelieu’s siege of La Rochelle, with a dike blocking sea access, began. Famine and disease reduced the population from 28,000 to 5,000, forcing surrender on October 28, 1628.


The Peace of Alès and the Counter-Reformation

The Peace of Alès (1629) stripped Protestants of safe havens but allowed worship, though the
Counter-Reformation The Counter-Reformation (), also sometimes called the Catholic Revival, was the period of Catholic resurgence that was initiated in response to, and as an alternative to or from similar insights as, the Protestant Reformations at the time. It w ...
pushed Catholic resurgence with Jesuit colleges and church restorations. In 1648, the diocese of La Rochelle was created, converting its grand temple into a cathedral. By 1660, 80,000 Protestants remained in Saintonge and Aunis.


The Reign of Louis XIV and the 1685 Revocation of the Edict of Nantes

Louis XIV LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...
intensified Protestant persecution with
dragonnades The ''Dragonnades'' was a policy implemented by Louis XIV in 1681 to force French Protestants known as Huguenots to convert to Catholicism. It involved the billeting of dragoons of the French Royal Army in Huguenot households, with the so ...
, taxes, and temple destruction, culminating in the 1685
Edict of Fontainebleau The Edict of Fontainebleau (18 October 1685, published 22 October 1685) was an edict issued by French King Louis XIV and is also known as the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes. The Edict of Nantes (1598) had granted Huguenots the right to prac ...
, revoking the
Edict of Nantes The Edict of Nantes () was an edict signed in April 1598 by Henry IV of France, King Henry IV and granted the minority Calvinism, Calvinist Protestants of France, also known as Huguenots, substantial rights in the nation, which was predominantl ...
. Clandestine “desert church” gatherings persisted, and many Protestants emigrated from Marennes and Arvert to England, Holland, and North America.


1666: Creation of Rochefort

In 1666, Jean-Baptiste Colbert established Rochefort as a naval arsenal on the Charente, designed on a grid plan with key facilities like the Corderie Royale. Fortifications by Vauban bolstered coastal defenses. Michel Bégon, Intendant from 1688, modernized it with social and cultural initiatives.


1694: Creation of the Généralité de La Rochelle

In 1694, Michel Bégon became Intendant of the new ''Généralité de La Rochelle'', unifying five elections from Poitiers, Limoges, and Bordeaux jurisdictions.


18th century


Return to Prosperity in the Age of Enlightenment

The 18th century brought agricultural growth in Aunis and Saintonge with the introduction of corn from the New World, complementing wheat, rye, and barley. Cognac production began, with eau-de-vie shipped via La Rochelle to Northern Europe. The “ Little Ice Age” caused harsh winters, notably in 1708, 1739, and 1788/1789, freezing rivers and triggering famines. Textile and leather industries thrived in Saintes and Jonzac. La Rochelle prospered through the triangular trade, importing sugar and engaging in the slave trade, while Rochefort trained soldiers for
New France New France (, ) was the territory colonized by Kingdom of France, France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Kingdom of Great Br ...
. Enlightenment advances included La Rochelle’s Académie (1732) and Rochefort’s Naval Medicine School (1722). During the
Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...
, British raids in 1757 failed to take Rochefort. In 1780,
Marquis de La Fayette Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette, Marquis de La Fayette (; 6 September 1757 – 20 May 1834), known in the United States as Lafayette (), was a French military officer and politician who volunteered to join the Conti ...
sailed from Rochefort on '' L'Hermione'' to aid the American Revolution.A replica of this ship is being built in Rochefort. Economic decline in the 1780s, worsened by the 1788/1789 winter, led to riots in Rochefort by 1789. The Estates-General convened in 1789, with representatives from La Rochelle, Saintes, and Saint-Jean-d’Angély drafting reform-focused ''
cahiers de doléances The Cahiers de doléances (; or simply Cahiers as they were often known) were the lists of grievances drawn up by each of the three Estates in France, between January and April 1789, the year in which the French Revolution began. Their compilatio ...
''.


Revolution

The Estates-General led to the
Constituent Assembly A constituent assembly (also known as a constitutional convention, constitutional congress, or constitutional assembly) is a body assembled for the purpose of drafting or revising a constitution. Members of a constituent assembly may be elected b ...
, which, on December 22, 1789, created the department of Saintonge-et-Aunis, renamed Charente-Inférieure by February 26, 1790, centered on the Charente River. Ratified on March 4, 1790, it merged Aunis and Saintonge, incorporating some Poitevin areas, and was divided into seven districts, later six arrondissements, with Saintes chosen as the capital after debate. The new order was widely accepted, with a federative oath taken on July 14, 1790, though rural discontent over lingering feudal rights sparked unrest, including uprisings in Saint-Thomas-de-Conac and Varaize, where a mayor was killed. The Civil Constitution of the Clergy divided the clergy, with many, including Bishop Pierre-Louis de La Rochefoucauld of Saintes, refusing the oath; he was arrested in 1792 and killed in the September Massacres. From 1791–1793, Charente-Inférieure raised eight battalions for war against
Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
and
Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...
. The
Republic A republic, based on the Latin phrase ''res publica'' ('public affair' or 'people's affair'), is a State (polity), state in which Power (social and political), political power rests with the public (people), typically through their Representat ...
was proclaimed on September 22, 1792.


The Terror

The
Execution of Louis XVI Louis XVI, former Bourbon King of France since the Proclamation of the abolition of the monarchy, abolition of the monarchy, was publicly executed on 21 January 1793 during the French Revolution at the ''Place de la Révolution'' in Paris. At Tr ...
on January 21, 1793, radicalized the Revolution under the Montagne faction, establishing the '' Comité de salut public'' and '' Tribunal révolutionnaire''. Rochefort gained strategic importance as the Republic’s key arsenal after Toulon’s fall. The Rochefort Revolutionary Court, created November 3, 1793, by Joseph Lequinio and Joseph François Laignelot, became a tool of repression, with the guillotine set up at Place Colbert. A de-Christianization campaign targeted priests, forcing renunciations and transforming churches into “ temples of Reason.” On January 25, 1794, refractory priests were rounded up for deportation to
French Guiana French Guiana, or Guyane in French, is an Overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France located on the northern coast of South America in the Guianas and the West Indies. Bordered by Suriname to the west ...
, but British blockades confined them to ships like the “Deux-Associés” off Île Madame, where typhus killed many. Survivors were released in 1795 or later under the 1802 Concordat. Rural brigandage, including “ chauffeurs,” surged amid administrative chaos.


Contemporary times


Charente-Inférieure During the First Empire

After Napoleon’s coup, Charente-Inférieure overwhelmingly supported the
Empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...
in 1804, with local leaders attending the coronation. Michel Regnaud rose as a key imperial figure. Napoleon visited in 1804, initiating Fort Boyard’s construction, halted by British threats. The 1809 Battle of Aix Island saw British forces under Thomas Cochrane destroy much of the French fleet. Napoleon reinforced coastal defenses with forts like Énet. In 1810,
La Rochelle La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle'') is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department. Wi ...
became the prefecture. After defeats in 1814, Napoleon was exiled from Île d’Aix to Saint Helena.


Charente-Inférieure During the Restoration

The Restoration saw indifference in Charente-Inférieure, though peace spurred rural growth. Marsh reclamation in Brouage began under sub-prefect Charles-Esprit Le Terme. Cultural societies emerged, and the 1833 Guizot law reduced illiteracy from 53.7% (1832) to 2.4% (1901). The 1822 four sergeants’ plot against
Louis XVIII Louis XVIII (Louis Stanislas Xavier; 17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824), known as the Desired (), was King of France from 1814 to 1824, except for a brief interruption during the Hundred Days in 1815. Before his reign, he spent 23 y ...
gained national attention.


Charente-Inférieure During the July Monarchy

The
July Revolution The French Revolution of 1830, also known as the July Revolution (), Second French Revolution, or ("Three Glorious ays), was a second French Revolution after French Revolution, the first of 1789–99. It led to the overthrow of King Cha ...
and Louis-Philippe I’s reign brought economic crises, sparking 1839 riots in La Rochelle and Marans. Deputies Jules Dufaure and Tanneguy Duchâtel rose to ministerial roles.


Charente-Inférieure During the Second Republic

The 1848 revolution was welcomed, with Napoleon becoming President, and then Emperor after the 1851 coup.


Charente-Inférieure During the Second Empire

The Second Empire boosted agriculture and Cognac production, with vineyards growing from 111,000 hectares (1839) to 164,651 (1876), aided by an 1860 trade treaty. Railroads developed, starting with the Rochefort-La Rochelle-Poitiers line in 1857. Prosper de Chasseloup-Laubat became Minister of Marine in 1860.


Charente-Inférieure during the Third Republic (1870-1940)


= The Slow Establishment of the Republican Idea

= Charente-Inférieure remained Bonapartist post-1870, with Baron Eugène Eschassériaux leading conservatives until 1893. Republican gains came in 1876 with Jules Dufaure as President of the Council (1876-1879).
Phylloxera Grape phylloxera is an insect pest of grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America. Grape phylloxera (''Daktulosphaira vitifoliae'' (Fitch 1855) belongs to the family Phylloxeridae, within the order Hemiptera, bugs); orig ...
devastated vineyards from 1872, dropping production from 7 million to 70,000 hectoliters by 1880; Saintonge rebuilt vineyards, while Aunis shifted to dairy, led by Eugène Biraud’s 1888 cooperative. Coastal resorts like Royan boomed with rail access by 1875, hosting figures like Émile Zola during the
Belle Époque The Belle Époque () or La Belle Époque () was a period of French and European history that began after the end of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871 and continued until the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Occurring during the era of the Fr ...
. In 1895, Alfred Dreyfus was held in Saint-Martin-de-Ré before deportation.


= The Belle Époque: Radical Domination

= Radicals dominated post-1898, with
Émile Combes Émile Justin Louis Combes (; 6 September 183525 May 1921) was a French politician and freemason who led the Bloc des gauches, Lefts Bloc (French: ''Bloc des gauches'') cabinet from June 1902 to January 1905. Career Émile Combes was born on 6 ...
of Pons as President of the Council (1902-1905), pushing the 1905 Church-State separation law. In 1910, a rail crash at Saujon killed 38 and injured 80.


= A Great War Is Seen from Afar

= World War I mobilization began on August 1, 1914; Charente-Inférieure supported the war effort with converted factories and U.S. bases like Saint-Trojan-les-Bains (1917). The unfinished Talmont port project halted with the 1918 armistice.


= Between the Wars

= Post-war population dropped from 451,044 (1911) to 418,310 (1921), worsened by a 1920 oyster epizootic. The Rochefort arsenal closed in 1927, but La Pallice port expanded by 1930. The
Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
hit in 1931, ending the
Roaring Twenties The Roaring Twenties, sometimes stylized as Roaring '20s, refers to the 1920s decade in music and fashion, as it happened in Western world, Western society and Western culture. It was a period of economic prosperity with a distinctive cultura ...
. Radicals held strong in 1936 (42%), with strikes following the Front Populaire victory.


World War II

German occupation began June 23, 1940, after the armistice; Charente-Inférieure hosted Alsace-Lorraine refugees from 1939. The
Atlantic Wall The Atlantic Wall () was an extensive system of coastal defence and fortification, coastal defences and fortifications built by Nazi Germany between 1942 and 1944 along the coast of continental Europe and Scandinavia as a defense (military), d ...
fortified the coast, and La Pallice gained a
Kriegsmarine The (, ) was the navy of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It superseded the Imperial German Navy of the German Empire (1871–1918) and the inter-war (1919–1935) of the Weimar Republic. The was one of three official military branch, branche ...
submarine base by 1941. Resistance faced harsh repression, with deportations to camps like Drancy. The name changed to Charente-Maritime in 1941. Liberation began in August 1944, with Royan bombed by the RAF in 1945 (442 civilian deaths) and freed in April via Operation Venerable. Oléron was liberated on April 30, and La Rochelle surrendered on May 9, 1945.


Post-war


= 1945-1960: The Feverish Years of Reconstruction

= Royan, 85% destroyed, was rebuilt as a modernist “urban laboratory” under Claude Ferret in the 1950s. Saintes launched the “Castors Saintais” housing cooperative in 1950. Rail lines closed, replaced by roads like Rochefort-Aigrefeuille-d’Aunis by 1950.


= 1960-1975: Modernization Underway

= The Trente Glorieuses brought industrial growth, with SIMCA in Périgny (1965) and CIT-Alcatel in La Rochelle (1970). Agriculture modernized, but rural exodus hit hard, with commune mergers like Montendre in 1972. Urbanization grew, with La Rochelle’s agglomeration exceeding 100,000 by 1975; tourism surged with the Oléron viaduct (1966) and La Palmyre Zoo (1967).


= 1975-1990: Continued Modernization Against a Backdrop of Economic Crisis

= A 1976 drought and 1982 floods hit hard. Agriculture shifted to cereals and oilseeds like sunflower. De-industrialization cut 10,000 jobs by 1985, with unemployment peaking above 15%. Peri-urbanization emerged, and infrastructure grew with the A10 freeway (1981) and
Île de Ré Île de Ré (; variously spelled Rhé or Rhéa; Poitevin dialect, Poitevin: ''ile de Rét''; , ) is an island off the Atlantic coast of France near La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime, on the northern side of the Pertuis d'Antioche strait. Its high ...
bridge (1988). Royan became a tourist hub, hosting 400,000 visitors seasonally.


Charente-Maritime Today

Since the 1990s, Charente-Maritime has transformed economically and socially, modernizing infrastructure with projects like the Martrou viaduct (1991), A837 freeway (1997), and Paris-La Rochelle TGV electrification (1993). La Rochelle University, founded in 1993, bolstered education and research. Tourism drives the economy, making it France’s second most popular destination, with attractions like Royan, La Palmyre Zoo, and La Rochelle Aquarium. Industry includes rail, aircraft, and yachting, alongside La Pallice port activities. Agriculture focuses on cereals, cognac, and pineau, while shellfish farming leads nationally in oysters and mussels. With over 605,000 residents, it’s the most populous and fastest-growing department in Poitou-Charentes. Natural disasters struck with Cyclone Martin (1999, 13 deaths, 197 km/h winds) and Cyclone Xynthia (2010, 12 deaths, coastal flooding), prompting a
natural disaster A natural disaster is the very harmful impact on a society or community brought by natural phenomenon or Hazard#Natural hazard, hazard. Some examples of natural hazards include avalanches, droughts, earthquakes, floods, heat waves, landslides ...
declaration. After the 2015 Charlie Hebdo shooting, 30,000 marched in La Rochelle, with thousands more in Rochefort, Saintes, and Royan, supporting “'' Je suis Charlie''.”


Geography

Charente-Maritime is part of the
Nouvelle-Aquitaine Nouvelle-Aquitaine () is the largest Regions of France, administrative region in France by area, spanning the west and southwest of Metropolitan France. The region was created in 2014 by the merging of Aquitaine, Limousin, and Poitou-Charentes ...
administrative region. It is bordered by the departments of
Gironde Gironde ( , US usually , ; , ) is the largest department in the southwestern French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Named after the Gironde estuary, a major waterway, its prefecture is Bordeaux. In 2019, it had a population of 1,623,749.
,
Charente Charente (; Saintongese: ''Chérente''; ) is a department in the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. It is named after the river Charente, the most important and longest river in the department, and also the r ...
,
Deux-Sèvres Deux-Sèvres (, Poitevin-Saintongese: ''Deùs Saevres'') is a French department. ''Deux-Sèvres'' literally means "two Sèvres": the Sèvre Nantaise and the Sèvre Niortaise are two rivers which have their sources in the department. It had a ...
,
Dordogne Dordogne ( , or ; ; ) is a large rural departments of France, department in south west France, with its Prefectures in France, prefecture in Périgueux. Located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region roughly half-way between the Loire Valley and ...
and
Vendée Vendée () is a department in the Pays de la Loire region in Western France, on the Atlantic coast. In 2019, it had a population of 685,442. Major rivers are the
Charente Charente (; Saintongese: ''Chérente''; ) is a department in the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. It is named after the river Charente, the most important and longest river in the department, and also the r ...
and its tributaries, the Boutonne and the Seugne, along with the Sèvre Niortaise, the Seudre and the Garonne, in its downstream part, which is the estuary of the
Gironde Gironde ( , US usually , ; , ) is the largest department in the southwestern French region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Named after the Gironde estuary, a major waterway, its prefecture is Bordeaux. In 2019, it had a population of 1,623,749.
. The départment includes the islands of
Île de Ré Île de Ré (; variously spelled Rhé or Rhéa; Poitevin dialect, Poitevin: ''ile de Rét''; , ) is an island off the Atlantic coast of France near La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime, on the northern side of the Pertuis d'Antioche strait. Its high ...
,
Île d'Aix Ile or ILE may refer to: Ile * Ile, a Puerto Rican singer * Ile District (disambiguation), multiple places * Ilé-Ifẹ̀, an ancient Yoruba city in south-western Nigeria * Interlingue (ISO 639:ile), a planned language * Isoleucine, an amino a ...
, Ile d'Oléron and Île Madame. The department forms the northern part of the
Aquitaine Basin The Aquitaine Basin is the second largest Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary basin in France after the Paris Basin, occupying a large part of the country's southwestern quadrant. Its surface area covers 66,000 km2 onshore. It formed on Varisca ...
. It is separated from the Massif Armoricain by the Marais Poitevin to the north-west and from the Parisian basin by the Seuil du Poitou to the north-east. The highest point in the department is in the forest of Chantemerlière, near the commune of Contré in the north-east, and rises to 173 m.


Administrative borders


Principal towns

The most populous commune is
La Rochelle La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle'') is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department. Wi ...
, the prefecture. As of 2019, there are 7 communes with more than 8,000 inhabitants:Populations légales 2019: 17 Charente-Maritime
INSEE


Climate

The climate is mild and sunny, with less than 900 mm of precipitation per year and with insolation being remarkably high, in fact, the highest in Western France including southernmost sea resorts such as Biarritz. Average extreme temperatures vary from in summer to in winter (as of 2022).


Economy

The economy of Charente-Maritime is based on three major sectors: tourism, maritime industry, and manufacturing. Cognac and pineau are two of the major agricultural products with maize and
sunflower The common sunflower (''Helianthus annuus'') is a species of large annual forb of the daisy family Asteraceae. The common sunflower is harvested for its edible oily seeds, which are often eaten as a snack food. They are also used in the pr ...
s being the others. Charente-Maritime is the headquarters of the major
oyster Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. In some species, the valves are highly calcified, and many are somewhat irregular in shape. Many, but no ...
producer Marennes-Oléron. Oysters cultivated here are shipped across Europe. Rochefort is a shipbuilding site and has been a major French naval base since 1665.
La Rochelle La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle'') is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department. Wi ...
is a seat of major French industry. Just outside the city, in Aytré, is a factory for the French engineering giant Alstom, where the TGV, the cars for the
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
and other metros are manufactured (see :fr:Alstom Aytré). It is a popular venue for tourism, with its picturesque
medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...
harbour and city walls.


Demographics

The inhabitants of the department are called ''Charentais-Maritimes''.


Politics


Departmental Council of Charente-Maritime

The President of the Departmental Council has been Dominique Bussereau ( LR) since 2008. He was replaced by Sylvie Marcilly after the departmental elections of June 2021.


National representation

In the 2022 legislative election, Charente-Maritime elected the following members of the
National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...
: In the
Senate A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
, Charente-Maritime is represented by three members: Daniel Laurent (since 2008), Corinne Imbert (since 2014) and Mickaël Vallet (since 2020).


Tourism

Popular destinations include
La Rochelle La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle'') is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department. Wi ...
,
Royan Royan (; in the Saintongeais dialect; ) is a commune and town in the south-west of France, in the Departments of France, department of Charente-Maritime in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Capital of the Côte de Beauté, Royan is one of the mai ...
, Saintes,
Saint-Jean-d'Angély Saint-Jean-d'Angély (; Saintongeais dialect, Saintongeais: ''Sént-Jhan-d'Anjhéli'') is a Communes of France, commune in the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department in southwestern France. The commune has its historical origins i ...
, Rochefort, the
Île d'Aix Ile or ILE may refer to: Ile * Ile, a Puerto Rican singer * Ile District (disambiguation), multiple places * Ilé-Ifẹ̀, an ancient Yoruba city in south-western Nigeria * Interlingue (ISO 639:ile), a planned language * Isoleucine, an amino a ...
,
Île de Ré Île de Ré (; variously spelled Rhé or Rhéa; Poitevin dialect, Poitevin: ''ile de Rét''; , ) is an island off the Atlantic coast of France near La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime, on the northern side of the Pertuis d'Antioche strait. Its high ...
and Île d'Oléron. The department is served by the TGV at
Surgères Surgères () is a Communes of France, commune in the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department, southwestern France. It is the home of the Surgères 48 Hour Race. History Middle ages The site of Surgères was occupied in Neolithic tim ...
and
La Rochelle La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle'') is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department. Wi ...
. It can also be reached by motorway by the A10 (E5, Paris-
Bordeaux Bordeaux ( ; ; Gascon language, Gascon ; ) is a city on the river Garonne in the Gironde Departments of France, department, southwestern France. A port city, it is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the Prefectures in F ...
) and A837 (E602, Saintes-Rochefort). File:La Rochelle2tours.jpg,
La Rochelle La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle'') is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime Departments of France, department. Wi ...
File:Port Royan.jpg,
Royan Royan (; in the Saintongeais dialect; ) is a commune and town in the south-west of France, in the Departments of France, department of Charente-Maritime in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Capital of the Côte de Beauté, Royan is one of the mai ...
, a seaside resort File:Cabanes ostréicoles au Château-d'Oléron.jpg, Oyster farms on the island of Oléron File:Talmont sur Gironde.jpg, Talmont-sur-Gironde File:Jonzac 17 Église façade 2013.jpg, Jonzac File:Fort boyard aout 2006-6.JPG, Fort Boyard File:Hennessy cognac.jpg, Barrels of Hennessy cognac


See also

* Cantons of the Charente-Maritime department * Communes of the Charente-Maritime department * Arrondissements of the Charente-Maritime department * Éclade des Moules


Notes


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


External links

* *
Prefecture website
*
Departmental Council website
*
Tourism website
{{Authority control 1790 establishments in France Nouvelle-Aquitaine region articles needing translation from French Wikipedia Departments of Nouvelle-Aquitaine States and territories established in 1790