Olonne-sur-Mer, former commune in Vendée, France
Olonne-sur-Mer is a former commune in the Vendée department of western France, now merged into the city of Les Sables-d'Olonne. It sits between a pine forest and the Atlantic coast, covering a mix of residential streets, wetlands, and open land close to the sea.
Olonne-sur-Mer grew over centuries as a standalone community shaped by fishing and salt production along its coast. In early 2019, it merged with Les Sables-d'Olonne and La Chaume to form a single commune.
The name Olonne comes from a small river that flows through the area and meets the Atlantic. Salt pans and fishing traditions shaped daily life here for generations, and traces of that past are still visible along the coast today.
The area is easy to reach by car and sits close to the services and facilities of Les Sables-d'Olonne. The flat terrain makes it straightforward to get around on foot or by bike, especially along the coast and through the pine forest.
The port of Les Sables-d'Olonne, just next to this area, is the start and finish line of the Vendée Globe, a race where solo sailors circle the globe without stopping or receiving outside help. Every 4 years, crowds gather along the waterfront to watch the fleet depart.
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