Fort-Royer, Oyster farming site in Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron, France.
Fort-Royer is an oyster farming site on Oléron Island where cultivation channels and ponds were dug into mudflats starting in the 1920s. The location is sheltered by a natural dune barrier that helps protect the shallow basins used for raising oysters.
Oyster farmers first developed this site systematically in the 1920s by hand-digging basins in the mudflats. This growth reflected a broader shift toward organized oyster production along the French Atlantic coast.
The colorful oyster huts here come from a time when farmers used leftover boat paint to decorate them. This practice shows the creativity and resourcefulness of local oyster growers who made their workspaces their own.
The site offers tours and walks that show how oyster farming works in practice. Visitors should wear sturdy shoes since the ground can be muddy and uneven.
A rare 1907 film documents the oyster farming methods used here in the early days of the site. This footage shows how the work looked before modern equipment was introduced.
Location: Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron
Address: 17310 Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron, France
Opening Hours: Monday-Friday 09:00-19:00
Phone: +33546470648
Website: http://fort-royer-oleron.fr
GPS coordinates: 45.95945,-1.24333
Latest update: December 6, 2025 19:00
Oléron Island, the largest island in mainland France after Corsica, features a military, maritime, and natural heritage reflecting its strategic position facing the Atlantic Ocean. This Charente island, connected to the mainland since 1966 by a nearly three-kilometer-long bridge, houses fortifications built under Louis XIV, such as the Citadel of Château d'Oléron and Fort Louvois, as well as the famous Fort Boyard positioned on its sandbank offshore. The Chassiron Lighthouse, standing at forty-six meters high, marks the northern tip of the island and guides ships through the waters of the Pertuis d'Antioche. Beyond its defensive legacy, the island offers various natural areas where sandy beaches, pine forests, and salt marshes alternate. Saint-Trojan-les-Bains extends its wooded shoreline to the south, while Boyardville features a protected coast on its eastern side. Visitors also observe oyster farming along the La Baudissière channel and explore the colorful huts that house artist workshops at the port of Château d'Oléron. The Saltworks Museum traces the history of salt extraction, a resource that shaped the local economy for centuries.
Fort Boyard
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Aix island lighthouses
7.6 km
ÎléO
5.3 km
Maison des aïeules de Pierre Loti
5 km
Lanterne des morts de Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron
5.1 km
Le Marais aux Oiseaux
4.1 km
Église Saint-Pierre de Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron
5.1 km
Réserve naturelle nationale de Moëze-Oléron
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Maison Heureuse de Saint-Georges-d'Oléron
1.3 km
Parc Myocastors
4.2 km
Château de Bonnemie
5.9 km
Plage de la Gautrelle
5.1 km
Église Saint-André de Dolus-d'Oléron
5.6 km
Pont Napoléon
6.3 km
Plage de Boyardville
1.6 km
Église Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Nicolas de La Cotinière
5.1 km
Cabanes de créateurs et d'artisans de La Baudissière
4.1 km
Plage de l'Anse de la Croix
7.6 km
Maison Gourgaud
7.8 km
Caserne Vaudreuil
7.8 km
Plage naturiste
3.8 km
Pointe Sainte-Catherine
7.5 km
Temple de Saint-Pierre-d'Oléron
5.2 km
Scenic viewpoint
7.5 km
Scenic viewpoint
1.6 km
Les Jardins de la Boirie
3.9 km
La Vigie
833 m
Fort Boyard
618 mVisited this place? Tap the stars to rate it and share your experience / photos with the community! Try now! You can cancel it anytime.
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