Noirmoutier


Noirmoutier is a tidal island off the Atlantic coast of France in the Vendée department.

History

Noirmoutier was the location of an early Viking raid in 799, when raiders attacked the monastery of Saint Philibert of Jumièges in 799.
St. Mary Euphrasia Pelletier was born on this island on July 31, 1796.

Geography

The island comprises ten localities and four distinct Communes of France. Its length is approximately, and its width varies from to. Its area of.
Noirmoutier is referred to as the Island of Mimosas, due to the temperateness of its climate, which allows for the flowering of Acacia dealbata year-round. The island is predominantly salt marsh and salt banks, sand dunes and evergreen oak forests.
The communes of the island are grouped into a communauté de communes. The communes are:
The island has been a site of uninterrupted human inhabitation since prehistoric times, and is a popular tourist destination.
Parts of the island have been reclaimed from the sea. In 2005 it served as the finish of the Tour de France prologue.

Transport

Noirmoutier has been connected to mainland France by bridge since 1971. The island is most notable for the Passage du Gois, a paved-over sandbank with a length of, one of the routes that connect the island to the mainland. It is flooded twice a day by the high tide.

Events

Every year, a foot race; the Foulées du Gois, is held across it, starting at the onset of the high tide.

Infrastructure

In response to an effort by the French government to add offshore wind projects to the national grid, a 496 MW wind farm is being developed near the island, with a planned commissioning date of 2021.

Climate

Noirmoutier experiences an oceanic climate typical of the west coast of France. Both the winters and summers are heavily moderated by the surrounding Atlantic Ocean. There is a low degree of diurnal temperature variation throughout the year, especially in the winter. There is considerably more precipitation in winter compared to summer.