MARSHLAND

1300 hectares of protected marshland

At the beginning of our era, the land now occupied by marshes was covered by the sea. It was known as the Golf of Olonne, which was separated from the ocean by Vertime Island (now covered by the forest of Olonne). The first salt marshes, which date from Gallo-Roman times, witnessed a resurgence from the Middle Ages until the 19th century.

The region’s ‘white gold’, as the salt is known, is at the very origins of the salt merchants’ village known as Ile d’Olonne. Most of the marshland became a breeding ground for eels and mullet. Seven marshes are still in operation today.

The salt workers will be more than happy to welcome you :
At Les Salines, there are 4 working salt marshes, the Aubraie marshes in Les Sables d’Olonne and the bean marshes, avocet marshes and rivolia marshes in Ile d’Olonne.