Vaux-sur-Mer is a coastal town of Charente-Maritime, in the region of New Aquitaine, 40 km south of Rochefort.
Limitrophe of Royan, at the mouth of the estuary of the Gironde, the territory of 6 km² is bordered on the south by limestone cliffs alternating with beaches (called conches) and inland, includes woods and trees. swamp.
Now having about 3800 inhabitants, the seaside resort of Vaux-sur-Mer was first the seat of a powerful abbey founded in the 11th century. The region is then challenged by the Hundred Years' War between kingdoms of France and England and the Wars of Religion. Protestants are then numerous on Royan and the neighboring localities. Vaux-sur-Mer is endowed with a temple which is destroyed in 1682 during the persecution of the Huguenots.
In the nineteenth century, the beginnings of seaside tourism complement the agricultural activity and fishing. Less affected than Royan by the Second War, the town develops and is equipped with commercial areas.
Its heritage, its beaches, its richness in terms of leisure and culture offer in a natural environment of quality make Vaux-sur-Mer a popular stopover or resort.
The Saint-Etienne church is the heritage jewel of the town, the only witness of the Benedictine abbey founded in 1075 that the Black Death and the wars of Hundred Years and Religion ruined well before the Revolution.
If it has suffered significant damage, the church retains a Romanesque style typical of the region. It is classified, as well as its cemetery which includes tombs of the seventeenth century. A restoration project of the building was recently initiated.
Also nearby, the old castle of the locality, which includes some elements of the seventeenth century from the old abbey. Formed of three levels, it dates essentially from the nineteenth: it will be noted that a former guard tower has been preserved on one wing. It now houses the Town Hall.
A discovery of Vaux-sur-Mer must also include its Protestant temple, rebuilt from 1841 on the site of a first demolished building in 1683. Note its neoclassical facade adorned with a triangular pediment.
In summer, guided tours of the old town center are proposed, which also include the first houses dedicated to seaside tourism in the 19th century (residence Rohan, villas of Pontaillac) and sections of the coastal path along the coast. Information on +33 5 46 38 79 05.
Another piece of heritage, in a different register, the park of the town hall, a space of 12 hectares formerly formed of marshes and which depended on the abbey. There is an English garden, a set of trees composed of sixty species (bamboos, palms, chestnut, weeping willows and a rare example of Japanese Ginkgo Biloba), an orchard and a flower meadow. A theater of greenery hosts many shows in the summer and walking trails as playgrounds punctuate all. A pond completes this green lung, open to fishermen (information on the regulation at +33 5 46 98 98 79).
For the walkers, again, a route connecting the market to the beaches marked out by six artistic and informative panels makes it possible to combine walk and culture to better understand the history of the station.
For a walk of a few kilometers or a hike (pedestrian or mountain bike), the path of customs along the coast, lined with pines and oaks and several bike paths are available. The Vélodyssée which follows the Atlantic littoral also crosses the commune. Maps and information on +33 5 46 08 17 51.
Direction the beaches, then, to combine relaxation and nautical pleasures on the fine sand! The main beach of Vaux-sur-Mer is Nauzan, which borders a promenade where shops and restaurants are located. Swimming is supervised from the end of June to the end of August. A sailing school welcomes young or old: contact +33 5 46 23 28 10.
In July and August, concerts are organized on the promenade.
We can prefer the beach of the Council, quieter but unsupervised, the beach of Saint-Sordelin or that of Gilet, covered at high tide, accessible by a staircase, and which still has a few squares typical of the region (shelters of fishing on stilts).
For athletes, young or adult, the sports park adjacent to the town hall provides basketball court, ping-pong tables and bi-cross field. And for a game of tennis, you can book a covered or outdoor court at +33 5 46 38 53 84.
Finally, at the cultural level, the Saint-Étienne gallery and the Protestant church welcome from spring to autumn artistic or historical exhibitions of quality. Information on +33 5 46 23 53 00.
