Saint-Pierre d'Oleron

Population

Saint-Pierre has 6,200 inhabitants, called Saint-Pierrois.

Saint-Pierre d'Oléron is the French district with the largest number of villages. The main ones are Arceau, La Cotinière, Matha and La Menounière.

A bit of history

French academician Pierre Loti (1850­1923) spent much of his childhood in Saint-Pierre, in the house he called "maison des aïeules" ("house of the grandmothers").

In accordance with the wishes expressed in his will, he was buried in the garden of the house. His tomb can not be visited.

Remarkable places

• The church of Saint-Pierre, the lantern of the dead and Oleron island museum are presented on the page dedicated to tourism in Saint-Pierre d'Oleron.
• The fishing port of La Cotinière is the largest one in the department.
• Fort-Royer oyster-farming site should be visited to discover the breeding of oysters.
• The gardens called "Jardins de la Boirie" are dedicated to perennials.
• The Protestant church, where the funeral of Pierre Loti has been celebrated, was built in 1833.
• The castle of Bonnemie was built in the seventeenth century. Note its four towers and the unusual shape of the roof of the dungeon.

Accomodation

There are nine hotels and twenty-one camping sites in Saint-Pierre, some of them being in the village of La Cotinière.