1 Of Celtic origin, brem, or bram, means "mud", "marsh".
Formed by the association of the former communes of Saint Martin de Brem and Saint Nicolas (1st January 1974), Brem sur Mer has its origins in a distant past. As far back as prehistoric times, people lived along the coast. Their presence can still be seen today: dolmen, menhirs, stone and bronze tools. But it was not until the 9th century, after the Norman invasions, that Saint Nicolas de Brem began to take root. After the Normans had passed through, the inhabitants of old Brem took refuge inland and built the village. At the same time, the port at the mouth of the Gachère was relocated and became a stopover for ships sailing up and down the coast. In the 12th century, a new village, Saint Martin, was created a short distance from Saint Nicolas and grew rapidly.
2 This Romanesque church, built in the 11th century (1020), was partially destroyed during the Wars of Religion. Today, it is one of the oldest churches in the Vendée and one of the most beautiful medieval monuments in the department. When you visit it, you'll discover, among other things, its remarkable triangular pediment, its wall frescoes and its 17th-century crucifix.
3 This man-made mound or tumulus dates back to feudal times. Excavations undertaken in 1901 uncovered the remains of the ancient fortified castle that served as a defence for the natural harbour formed behind Saint Nicolas de Brem. According to legend, it was built by Saint Martin de Vertou, the great apostle of this region. A cross was erected on the mound in the early 19th century.
4 The quarry was worked between 1902 and 1984. The stone was grey when first extracted, turning red over time. This stone was very hard and was known as micro granulite. It was used as a building material for some of the houses in Brem sur Mer.
5 Under the old regime, this was the customs officer responsible for collecting the salt tax known as "la gabelle". This term is still used today to designate customs officers.
6 Take a stroll through the village of La Gachère, the entrance to the old port of Les Olonnes. This very typical little seafaring village, with its narrow streets and low whitewashed houses, is an ancient port formed by the mouths of the Auzance and Vertonne rivers. Until the 16th century, fishing was the main activity here - whaling is even said to have been practised. Today, it is no longer in use.
7 In 1846, two farmers living in the village of La Gachère in Saint Martin de Brem applied to the Vendée Prefect for permission to quarry limestone at Roc-Chardon and Tombes, in order to feed and support their families. The stone was first transported by donkey, then in ox-drawn carts. By 1870, only two carters remained to transport and operate the lime kiln. The kiln remained in operation until the Second World War. The lime produced was mainly used to improve farmland and to render the facades of the small houses in La Gachère.
Unfortunately, you can no longer see the lime kiln, which used to stand by the side of the Route des Sables.
8 The Parc des Genêts is a 3-hectare landscaped park with a picnic area featuring wooden tables and benches. You can enjoy a gourmet meal under the open sky, followed by a quiet stroll.
In this landscaped park you will also find: pedestrian and cycle links, sanitary facilities, a secure sports area, a city park, wooden games for children with a small plant maze and a small slide.
9 Brem sur Mer is a wine-growing centre renowned for its Fiefs Vendéens wines, which have just been awarded the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) label.
At 20 ter rue de l'Océan, you can taste the wines of Domaine Saint Nicolas, which are distinguished by their fruity, refreshing character, and cuvées for laying down with greater concentration and volume. Their wines have been produced using organic and biodynamic methods since 1995. The grapes are harvested exclusively by hand in crates. The different grape varieties grown on the clay and schist soils are Pinot Noir, Gamay, Cabernet Franc and Négrette for the red wines. Chenin, Chardonnay and Groslot gris are grown for the white wines.
10 Opposite you is the Pont de la Gachère bridge. From 1893 onwards, the Pont et Chaussées administration undertook major works to make the channel navigable, and above all to protect it from silting up. It was decided to build a dyke, and the work was inaugurated in 1898. The first La Gachère bridge was inaugurated on 16 December 1900. From the moment it opened, traffic was heavy during the summer season. Tourists took advantage of this passage to discover the Olonne forest and the Brem marshes.
11 In front of you, the work of Mr Lavrat, a young man from Orléans, is installed at the roundabout in rue De Gaulle. This stainless steel sculpture has a very specific meaning:
The sphere, symbol of the Earth, emerges from the water where the original forces reign. The knots of vines, representing an ancestral activity in the town, stretch across the Earth's core. Emerging from the sphere, an arabesque symbolising movement carries the seabirds in a circle around the vine.
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