Les Sables-d'Olonne

Les Sables-d'Olonne ( French pronunciation: [le sabl dɔlɔn] ; Poitevin: Lés Sablles d'Oloune; lit. 'The Sands of Olonne') is a seaside resort and port on the Atlantic coast of Western France, best known as the starting and finishing point of the round the world Vendée Globe yacht race. A subprefecture of the Vendée department, Pays de la Loire, administratively it is a commune, Vendée's second most populated after La Roche-sur-Yon. On 1 January 2019, the communes of Olonne-sur-Mer, Château-d'Olonne and Les Sables-d'Olonne merged, retaining the latter name.

Location and geography