Travel Guide Talmont-Saint-Hilaire

Talmont-Saint-Hilaire is a large territory (90 km²) with many attractions: la Guittière, le Veillon, Port Bourgenay, its thousand-year-old castle... Talmont was for a long time a port that the marshes gradually pushed away from the ocean. The name Talmont, Talamonte, first appears in a text from 1025. The construction of the first castle (a simple tower on a motte surrounded by a wooden palisade), ordered by William V the Great, Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Poitou to William the Bald, dates back to 1018. Between 1030 and 1040, it was decided to build a new, more comfortable castle. A pebble wall was erected around the church of Saint-Pierre. A large reception building was built inside this great wall. William the Younger raised the porch bell tower and added a tower containing a spiral staircase serving all floors. This type of architecture remains rare. In fact, it's one of the ten oldest castles in the Centre-Ouest region. The castle was burned to the ground by order of Louis VII, in 1138. The principality of Talmont became English during the reign of Richard the Lionheart, son of Eleanor of Aquitaine, when he inherited the county of Poitou. In a way, the château became his second home. After further construction, it became a truly impregnable military fortress. It passed into the hands of the Viscounts of Thouars in 1253, and then to the d'Amboise family in 1470, before being dismantled to prevent the English from gaining a foothold in the region. The commune of Saint-Hilaire became part of Talmont in 1974. In the town center, many old houses add to its charm. Talmont-Saint-Hilaire opened up to tourism with the Bourgenay resort, supported by a marina, an ocean-view golf course and the breathtaking beauty of its unspoilt countryside. It has been awarded the "Ville active et sportive" label for 2019! The Payré estuary, located between the communes of Talmont-Saint-Hilaire and Jard-sur-Mer, is remarkable. Classified as a Grand Ensemble Naturel and in contention for the Grand Site de France label, the Payré Estuary is an exceptional place. A veritable natural sanctuary with preserved flora and fauna, the estuary is home to the magnificent Veillon beach and the small oyster-farming village of La Guittière, where you can sample a dozen oysters.