Tourist Information, Vendee History, Accommodation, Photos, Reviews, Maps,
La Chaume
During the Roman
era this was a fishing village on the island of Vertime, but over the
centuries the sea that separated the island from the mainland silted up
and it became a part of the mainland. The shifting sand dunes were then
stabilised with the planting of a forest of pine trees which today is
the foret d'olonne.
In Roman France there was no Les Sables d'Olonne,
in fact there was no land where Les Sables d’Olonne is now situated,
the sand bar on which the town now stands gradually developed as the
Marais silted up, the port of Olonne-sur-mer became silted as well and
it was only in 1472 by decree of Louis XI that the harbour of Les
Sables-d'Olonne was dug out. The village of la Chaume was joined to les
Sable-d'Olonne in 1753 in order for the little port to avoid paying the
taxes that were crippling it.
At the entrance to the ocean stands the Priory of St.Nicholas,
this ceased to be a religious establishment during the XVII
century when Sorbise turned it into an arms store, and it is still
occasionally referred to as Fort St.Nicholas.
Tower of Arundel. Built in the 14th century by the Princes of
Talmont, it is all that is left of the Chateau St.Clair, measuring 33m
high it made an ideal lighthouse.
Today there are pleasant walks around the church of St.Nicholas and
along the coast to the Pointe du Grouin Cou and there a few small beaches
between the rocks .One could take in the small narrow streets of the
old town or wander along the quayside to Port Olona with its many bars
and restaurants. Every four years the world’s most prestigious single
handed around the world sailing race, “The Vendee Globe”, leaves from the port .
You can take the ferry across the harbour to Les Sables d'Olonne which operates throughout the year.
Market days; Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
Photo gallery of Chaume
Return to find more interesting towns and villages in the Vendee
![](chaume_files/IMG_50781.JPG)
![Chaume Vendee](chaume_files/IMG_5070.JPG)
![Chaume](chaume_files/IMG_5075_01.JPG)
![](chaume_files/IMG_5088.JPG)
![](chaume_files/IMG_5080.JPG)
![](chaume_files/IMG_5082.JPG)
![Fishing the Harbour Chaume](chaume_files/IMG_5084.JPG)
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