Île-d'Aix, Fortified island commune in Charente-Maritime, France
This commune sits on a small island between Oléron and the mainland near the mouth of the Charente, measuring roughly 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) from north to south and under a kilometer (0.6 miles) across. Most buildings cluster around the harbor while fortifications ring parts of the shore and paths cross meadows and low vegetation.
Fortifications rose during the 17th century under Vauban, who used the strategic location along the Atlantic coast. Napoleon spent his final days on French soil here in July 1815 before surrendering to British ships and being taken to Saint Helena.
The houses follow Atlantic style with white plaster walls and pastel shutters that brighten narrow streets around the village center. Oyster farmers still tend shallow beds that reveal themselves at low tide, keeping alive a trade that has shaped daily routines for generations.
Access is only by boat from the mainland, with ferries running several times a day throughout the year. Motor vehicles are not allowed, so all distances are covered on foot or by bicycle.
Fort Liédot on the southern tip served as a prison until 1960 and held Algerian politician Ahmed Ben Bella in the late 1950s. The cells are now open to visitors and show the spare furnishings of that period.
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