Noirmoutier-en-l'Île

Noirmoutier-en-l'Île (French pronunciation: [nwaʁmutje ɑ̃ l‿il]), commonly referred to as Noirmoutier, is a commune located in the northern part of the island of Noirmoutier, just off the coast of the Vendée department in the Pays de la Loire region in western France.

The history of the town began with the arrival of the monk Saint Philibert in 674 who founded a monastery.

The commune covers the northern point of the island, and contains three villages: Noirmoutier, L'Herbaudiere and Le Vieil.

[8] The inconvenient location in relation to the town and economic success of the village encouraged its inhabitants to seek the establishment of a commune independent from Noirmoutier-en-l'Île.

An inventor Brutus de Villeroi tested the first French submarine in the village on 12 August 1832.

[12][13] Known as "La Bonnotte", only around 100 tons of this top quality potato are cultivated annually and it is harvested only on the island Noirmoutier.

[14] The potato fields also require fertilization by seaweed in a climate shaped by the nearby sea.

[14] The potatoes are generally served in top class restaurants in France and the Netherlands in mid-May.

The commune was also part of the 2005, 2011 and 2018 Tour de France, including playing host to the Grand Depart in 2018.

The Château de Noirmoutier is one of the town's major landmarks and is run by the commune government, It has been listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture since 1994.

The castle was rebuilt in stone in the 12th century by the feudal power who was trying to stabilise the region, notably by preventing Norman pillaging.

When the son of Charlemagne, Louis the Pious became King of Aquitaine, he inherited the rights to the church and in 801 ordered the reconstruction of the abbey and chapel.

The church received the body of St. Philbert some time between 690 and 836, when he was transferred to Saint-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu,[17] where the monks had taken refuge after the invasion of Normandy in 875.

L'Herbaudière marina
The commune is located in the northern part of Noirmoutier Island
The commercial center of Noirmoutier
The crypt of St. Philbert
Parish Church of Noirmoutier
Chapelle de Le Vieil
Eglise de l'Herbaudière