Last modified: 2009-06-06 by ivan sache
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![[Flag of Les Sables-d'Olonne]](../images/f/fr-85-so.gif)
Flag of Les Sables-d'Olonne - Image by Arnaud Leroy, 21 February 2009
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The municipality of Les Sables-d'Olonne (15,596 inhabitants in 2006; 883 ha) is located in Vendée, on the Atlantic Ocean.
In 1218, Savary I of Mauléon founded a new town near the villages of La Chaume and Olonne; lord of Olonne, Savary was also lord of
Talmont, whose port was silted up, and therefore needed a new port.
Set up south of Olonne on the northern side of the coastal dunes, the
new town, called Les Sables (lit., The Sands) attracted several
traders and shipowners.
In 1472, King of France Louis XI decided that Les Sables-d'Olonne
should be the main port of the kingdom; at the end of the 15th
century, some 80-100 ships moored at Les Sables each year. From the
16th to the 18th century, the main activity of the port was whaling
and cod fishing. In 1602, Les Sables-d'Olonne was made the seat of one
of the eight élections (administrative divisions) of Lower-Poitou.
Louis XIV's wars seriously hampered trade and fishing in Les Sables;
in 1690, the town was bombed by an Anglo-Dutch fleet, with limited
damage, though. In the 18th century, the funders of the port activity
withdrew to Nantes and the port started to silt up. From 1750 onwards, the entrance of the port was revamped and the town was protected from floods by a system of wharfs and quays.
During the French Revolution, Les Sables-d'Olonne remained loyal to
the Republic and was threatened from sea by the English fleet and from
land by the Catholic Royal Army, that attacked the town on 24 and 29
March 1793, to no avail. The situation of the town did not improve
during the First Empire because of the Continental System set up by
Napoléon I and the persistent English threat.
The town reemerged in the first quarter of the 19th century; sea
bathing was regulated for the first time in 1816, while the first sea
resorts and "bathing machines" appeared in 1825. Published in 1854,
the Guide historique et pittoresque du baigneur aux Sables-
d'Olonne (The Historical and Picturesque Guide of the Swimmer in Les
Sables-d'Olonne) contributed to the fame of the resort in Paris and
the main western towns. From 1854 to 1863, the port was modernized for
pilchard and tuna fishing; the famous canning factories Amieux and
Maingourd date from that time. Several shipyards were set up on the
quays. The maritime life of Les Sables has been depicted by the local
painter Paul-Émile Pajot (1870-1930), a former fisher highly estimated by Cocteau, Marquet and Foujita. Until the 1990s, Les Sables-d'Olonne ranked as the 5th biggest fishing port in France.
Tourism really started in Les Sables-d'Olonne in 1866 with the
inauguration of the railway line (known as trains de plaisir,
pleasure trains) linking Paris to la plus belle plage d'Europe (The
nicest beach in Europe). Two casinos were founded in 1876 and 1886,
respectively.
Source: Municipal website
The marina of Port Olona, built in the 1970s, is the home of the
single-handed sailing race around the world Vendée Globe, ran for the first time in 1989, as Vendée Globe Challenge. Known as "the Everest of the Seas", the race was won by Titouan Lamazou (1989-1990; 109 days and 8 hours), Alain Gautier (1992-1993; 110 days and 2
hours), Christophe Auguin (1996-1997; 105 days and 20 hours), Michel
Desjoyaux (2000-2001; 93 days and 4 hours - 2008-2009; 84 days and 4
hours) and Vincent Riou (2004-2005; 87 days and 11 hours).
In 1997, Catherine Chabaud (140 days and 4 hours) was the first woman
to finish the race; in 2002, Ellen Mac Arthur (94 days and 4 hours)
ranked 2nd. In 2005, the two participating women finished the race,
Anne Liardet (119 days and 9 hours) and Karen Leibovici (126 days and
8 hours, as did Samantha Davies (95 days and 4 hours) and Dee Caffari
(99 days and 1 hour) in 2009.
The race has its legend made of wreckages and epic rescue operations;
Nigel Burgess (1992) and Gerry Roufs (1996) died during the race.
Ivan Sache, 21 February 2009
The flag of Les Sables-d'Olonne, as hoisted in several places of the
town and on the Vendée Globe moored boats, is white with the
municipal logotype.
The municipal logotype is a white rectangle bordered in blue with a
blue sea charged with the name of the town in white letters, a yellow
circular sun and a red sail with two white stripes.
A photo shown on the website of the hotel Le Calme des Pins shows a light blue flag with the muncipal coat of arms on the middle, hoisted
near the Arundel Tower. The flag, flying together with the flags of France and of Poitou, is confirmed by several other photos.
The three flags are also represented on a painting of Arundel Tower by Raphaël Toussaint (b. 1937), which seems to indicate that they must be part of the landscape.
Arundel Tower was the square donjon of the St. Clair castle, built at
the entrance of the port in the 14th century by the lords of Talmont.
The tower was transformed into a lighthouse in the 18th century.
Revamped in 1855, the lighthouse was brought electricity in 1932.
The arms of Les Sables d'Olonne are (GASO):
D'azur au vaisseau habillé et équipé d'argent voguant sur une mer de sinople mouvant de la pointe, surmonté de la Vierge aussi d'argent, les bras croisés sur la poitrine et au voile mouvant à senestre, posée sur une nuée du même, accostée de deux chérubins aux ailes déployées
d'argent cantonnés l'un en barre à dextre, l'autre en bande à senestre (GASO).
Azure a vessel with sails and masts argent sailing on a sea vert
issuant from the base, ensigned by a Virgin of the second, the armed
crossed on her breast and a veil moving to sinister, placed on a cloud
of the same, flanked by two cherubs argent with displayed wings
cantonned in dexter and sinister.
The arms, granted in 1765, recall the maritime history of the town,
placed under the protection of the Blessed Virgin, as said in its
motto, Advocata nostra, ora pro nobis (Our mediator, intercede on
our behalf).
According to Amédée Odin, the religious elements seem to have been removed from the arms during the French Revolution, on which remained
only the ship and the sea on a background azure, with the writing "LES
SABLES DOLONNE"; the shield was surrounded by weapons, flags etc. The
original arms were subsequently restored.
The municipality seems to prefer the logo flag, which is hoisted over the town hall and the sea front.
Ivan Sache, 21 February 2009