Charente-Maritime, Department in western New Aquitaine, France
Charente-Maritime is a department on the French Atlantic coast in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, spreading across sandy beaches, pine forests, and flat marshlands. The coastline includes two large islands, several smaller ones, and harbor cities like La Rochelle and Rochefort, while the interior is shaped by vineyards, sunflower fields, and Romanesque churches.
The administrative unit was formed in 1790 during the French Revolution when new departments replaced the old provinces. Napoleon moved the capital from Saintes to La Rochelle in 1810 to strengthen the role of the port in trade and military affairs.
The local food traditions come alive in small harbor markets where fishermen sell their daily catch and restaurants prepare fresh oysters and mussels. Inland villages open some family distilleries to visitors who want to see brandy aging in old cellars.
Those exploring the area will find marked cycling routes linking coastal towns to inland villages and passing through nature reserves and wine-growing areas. The coastal beaches get busy in summer while the interior remains quieter throughout the year.
The territory is divided into five administrative districts—La Rochelle, Rochefort, Saintes, Saint-Jean-d'Angély, and Jonzac—each showing its own building styles, from harbor architecture to countryside houses in pale limestone. This subdivision still shapes local identity and how residents describe where they come from.
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