12 Attractions to Explore Near Phare des Baleines

The Chassiron lighthouse, perched on a rocky cliff, is located at the northern end of the island of Oléron, near the town of Saint-Denis-d'Oléron . The lighthouse allows sailors to enter the waters of the Antioch sluice, a place strewn with reefs and famous for its many shipwrecks. It is the oldest lighthouse in France still inactivity after that of Cordouan.

The port of Minimes de La Rochelle is the main site of the marina of La Rochelle, created in 1972. With just over 5,000 berths, including 300 visitor berths and 15 kilometers of pontoons spread over an area of ​​over 70 hectares. Nestled in the natural bay of La Rochelle, the Minimes site has 4 basins.

La Rochelle’s aquarium is one of Europe’s largest private aquariums, with over 12,000 marine animals. But entering the family-friendly space often involves a long wait. You can meet over 12 000 marine animals, and be amazed by the biodiversity of the Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea and Tropics.

A majestic fort which was located between the Île-d'Aix and the Île d'Oléron in the Pertuis d'Antioche straits. the construction of the fort is decided because of the need to lock the passage between Aix Island and Oléron Island. The building started in 1801 and was completed in 1857. It was one of the unique forts in this area and it has a lot of history to say.

The island of Aix is an island in the southwest of France. Bathed by the Bay of Biscay, it is located 3.1 km west-north-west of Pointe de la Fumée, on the Charente coast. Being part of the Charente archipelago, it is also one of the fifteen islands of Ponant. It is located west of the bay of Yves, between the island of Oléron and the town of Fouras, at the northern end of the Charente estuary. To the north of the island is the Antioch sluice.

Île Madame is an island in the River Charente estuary on the Atlantic coast of France joined to the mainland by a causeway. The island has an area of four square miles and is unpopulated. It is only accessible at low tide, preferably on foot and by bicycle. It is a fragile space that must be respected and protected. On the highest point of the island, there is a fort built in the 17tyh century.

The Corderie Royale, built between 1666 and 1669, provided ropes for the French Navy and its ships for over three centuries. First industrial building in Rochefort, it will not withstand the appearance of steel cables and in 1862, the production of rope is ceased. Reassigned to many uses, it will definitely close its doors at the same time as the closing of the Naval Dockyard of Rochefort in 1927.

The Palmyre zoo is a zoo French on the Atlantic coast of Nova Aquitaine, in Charente-Maritime, in the Arvert peninsula, between Royan and Oléron Island. Created in 1966 by Claude Caillé. It covers 18 hectares in the seaside resort of La Palmyre, enclosed between the national forest of La Coubre and the forest of Combots d'Ansoine. The park, set up as a landscaped garden, offers visitors the opportunity to observe more than 1,500 animals of 115 species, along a course of more than 4 kilometers.

The famous Cordouan Lighthouse, built between 1584 and 1611, is the oldest working lighthouse in France. It was located in the middle of the sea, at the mouth of the Gironde estuary. It stands 67.5 metres tall and has six storeys in the Renaissance style. It is the only lighthouse at the sea on the coast of France still guarded, the oldest still in activity and the only one in the world open to the visit.

Puy du Fou is one of the most popular historical theme parks in France. The park is divided into 26 main shows, each performing for 30 to 40 minutes or more. The key performance takes place on a large outdoor stage behind the abandoned castle in the evening. It tells the story of the area's 700-year history.

The château is one of the largest mediaeval monuments in France and is set over three hectares with an outer wall of 700 m and 18 towers.

One of the Local Nature Reserve, Lac de Grand-Lieu is a beautiful lake located in Nantes, France. Its access for tourists is restricted due to the lake classifiaction as protected area. A museum was built for tourists to view the lake and its ecology, as well as the past of local fishermen.