Charente-Maritime

Charente-Maritime is a department on the west coast of France named after the Charente River. Previously a part of Saintonge, Charente-Inférieure was one of the 83 original departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. On September 4, 1941, it was renamed Charente-Maritime. When first created, the commune of Saintes was assigned as the prefecture of the department (Saintes had previously been the prefecture of Saintonge). Thi... more

Charente-Maritime is a department on the west coast of France named after the Charente River. Previously a part of Saintonge, Charente-Inférieure was one of the 83 original departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. On September 4, 1941, it was renamed Charente-Maritime. When first created, the commune of Saintes was assigned as the prefecture of the department (Saintes had previously been the prefecture of Saintonge). This changed in 1810 when Napoléon passed an imperial decree which moved the prefecture to La Rochelle. During World War II, the department was invaded by the German army and became part of occupied France. To provide defence against a possible beach landing, the Organisation Todt constructed a number of sea defences in the area. Defences such as pillboxes are particularly noticeable on the beaches of the presqu'île d'Arvert and the island of Oléron. At the end of the war there were only two pockets of German resistance: La Rochelle, in the north... less