Les Sables-d'Olonne

Les Sables-d'Olonne is a seaside town in western France, on the Atlantic Ocean. It is situated on the coast between La Rochelle and Saint-Nazaire, near the coastal terminus of the A87 that connects it and nearby communities to La Roche-sur-Yon, Cholet, and Angers to the northeast. The nearest major metropolitan center of France, to Les Sables-d'Olonne, is Nantes, to the north (approximately 105 km, by road). Les Sables-d'Olonne station has rail connections to Paris, La Roche-sur-Yon and Nantes. It is at the level of administrative division in the French Republic of a commune and is a sub-prefecture of the Department of Vendée. Climate Les Sables-d'Olonne has an oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfb) closely bordering on a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Csb). The average annual temperature in Les Sables-d'Olonne is . The average annual rainfall is with November as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in July, at around , and lowest in January, at around . The highest temperature ever recorded in Les Sables-d'Olonne was on 18 July 2022; the coldest temperature ever recorded was on 12 February 2012. {{Weather box ==History==

Les Sables-d'Olonne () is French for "the sands of Olonne". It was founded in 1218 from Havre d'Olonne by Savary I de Mauléon, the Lord of Mauléon, Sénéchal of Poitou and prince of Talmont. Its history is tied to the ocean for which it has served as a port and point of maritime commerce. Louis XI separated Les Sables d'Olonne from the town of Olonne in 1472, improved the harbour, and fortified the entrance. It became the largest cod-fishing port in France, with 14,000 inhabitants, in the 17th century. In 1696 Sables was bombarded by the combined fleets of England and the Dutch Republic. The current local tourism industry traces its roots to bathing establishments, first begun in 1825. Rail service reached Les Sables on 29 December 1866, via the line from La Roche-sur-Yon, Bressuire, Saumur, and Tours; express service to and from Paris would arrive in 1971. The city's port served as a base port for American Expeditionary Forces during World War I. Germany occupied Les Sables d'Olonne during World War II and, upon evacuation of that army at war's end, the German army made an effort to destroy the port, and mined the harbor. ==Population==

The population data in the table and graph below refer to the commune of Les Sables-d'Olonne proper, in its geography at the given years. The populations of Olonne-sur-Mer and Château-d'Olonne, absorbed in 2019, are not included in population data for 2019 and earlier. ==Interests and events==

The Vendée Globe yacht race, which takes place every four years, starts and ends at Les Sables-d'Olonne. The Vendée Air Show has been held on the beach "La Grande Plage" on three occasions, first in 2017, then in 2019, and most recently in 2022. The Musée de l'Abbaye Sainte-Croix is a municipal museum situated in a 17th-century building that is devoted to modern and contemporary art, and that has "Musée de France" status. It includes works of Gaston Chaissac (1910–1964) and Victor Brauner (1903–1966). Zoo des Sables is a zoo in the town, that is home to about 500 animals, and features around 50 species. Les Sables-d'Olonne is the setting for 1948 novel '''', by Georges Simenon. The town is the birthplace of pirate François l'Olonnais. ==Transport==

The nearest airports are La Rochelle–Île de Ré Airport, located south east and Nantes Airport, located north east of Les Sables-d'Olonne. ==Twin towns – sister cities==

Les Sables-d'Olonne is twinned with: • Niceville, Florida, United States • Gourcy, Burkina Faso • A Laracha, Spain • Murat, France • Schwabach, Germany • Worthing, England, United Kingdom ==Gallery==

Sables-Olonne-entree-port1.jpg|The channel, view from the tower St-Clair Sables-Olonne-entree-port2.jpg |The channel, from the west dock Sables-Olonne-plage1.jpg|Promenade de l'Amiral Lafargue Sables-Olonne-prieure1.jpg|The priory St-Nicolas Sables-Olonne-chateau1.jpg|The tower St-Clair == Notable people ==

• Marie-Rose Tessier (1910–2026), supercentenarian, the oldest living person in France, and the second oldest living person at the time of her death. ==See also==