Le Quartier de la Chaume
Separated from the main town by the harbour channel and reached by a short ferry crossing or a longer road detour, La Chaume is Les Sables-d'Olonne's oldest and most atmospheric neighbourhood — a tight cluster of low white fishermen's cottages, narrow cobbled lanes and a medieval tower that most visitors never find. It is the authentic, unhurried counterweight to the busy beach promenade.
The Neighbourhood
La Chaume's street plan has barely changed since the seventeenth century: lanes barely wide enough for two people to pass, hollyhocks growing against whitewashed walls, and the occasional cat asleep on a window ledge. The neighbourhood was historically home to the families of the fishing fleet and retains a tight-knit, village-within-a-city character.
The Tour d'Arundel, a fourteenth-century defensive tower standing at the tip of the Chaume peninsula, is the neighbourhood's most striking landmark and offers a free, if modest, glimpse into the town's medieval maritime history.
Eating & Drinking in La Chaume
A handful of small restaurants and bars cluster around the Place de la Liberté in La Chaume, serving simpler, cheaper food than the tourist-facing establishments on the main promenade — grilled sardines, moules frites and local rosé at tables that spill onto the square on warm evenings.
The neighbourhood's boulangerie opens early and sells the best croissants in town according to locals; arriving for breakfast before the morning ferry starts running is a ritual for those in the know.
Getting There
The most enjoyable way to reach La Chaume is on the small passenger ferry (bac) that crosses the harbour mouth from the Quai Guiné in about three minutes — it runs frequently in summer and costs around €1 each way, making it one of the best-value experiences in the Vendée.
On foot or by bike, the alternative is to cross the lifting bridge at the inner harbour and follow the road around; this adds about 20 minutes but allows you to observe the fishing boats at close quarters along the way.
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