Île Sans Nom

Cordouan lighthouse (French pronunciation: [kɔʁdwɑ̃]) is an active lighthouse located 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) at sea, near the mouth of the Gironde estuary in France. At a height of 67.5 metres (221 ft), it is the tenth-tallest "traditional lighthouse" in the world. The Tour de Cordouan, the 'Patriarch of Lighthouses' is by far the oldest lighthouse in France, with construction starting in 1584 and finishing in 1611. Designed by leading Paris architect Louis de Foix, the lighthouse is something of a Renaissance masterpiece, drawing inspiration from Roman mausoleums, and the palaces, cathedrals, and forts of the Renaissance. Three stories were added in the 18th century. Because of its outstanding Renaissance architecture and its testimony to the development of lighthouses, the Cordouan Lighthouse was listed as a historic monument in 1862, and recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2021.

Soulac-sur-Mer (French pronunciation: [sulak syʁ mɛʁ]; Occitan: Solac de Mar, [suˈlak de ˈmaɾ], lit. 'Soulac on Sea'), commonly known as Soulac (Solac), is a commune in the department of Gironde, administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine (formerly Aquitaine), France. It's a seaside resort on the Côte d'Argent, on the peninsula of Médoc, 12 km from Royan and 86 km from Bordeaux.

The Pointe de Grave (in occitan : Punta de Grava) is the northernmost tip of the Médoc Peninsula and marks the Northern end of the pine-clad sandy Landes coastline of Western France. It lies in the commune of Le Verdon-sur-Mer and across the Gironde Estuary from the resort town of Royan. The offshore Cordouan lighthouse lies off the point and a second lighthouse, on the shore, houses a lighthouse museum.

Le Verdon-sur-Mer (French pronunciation: [lə vɛʁdɔ̃ syʁ mɛʁ], literally The Verdon on Sea) is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France.

Les Mathes (French pronunciation: [le mat]) is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department and Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France. The commune includes the beach resort La Palmyre, and the Palmyre Zoo.

The siege of Royan (French: Siège de Royan) was a siege accomplished by the young French king Louis XIII in 1622, against the Protestant stronghold of Royan. This siege followed the siege of Montauban, in which Louis XIII had failed against the Huguenot city. The siege started at the beginning of May 1622. After six days, despite support from La Rochelle, the city surrendered, the defenders obtaining to withdraw to La Rochelle with weapons and luggage, although they had to leave cannons and ammunition.

Royan (French pronunciation: [ʁwajɑ̃]; locally [ʁwejɑ̃] in the Saintongeais dialect; Occitan: Roian) is a commune and town in the south-west of France, in the department of Charente-Maritime in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Capital of the Côte de Beauté, Royan is one of the main French Atlantic coastal resort towns, and has five beaches, a marina for over 1,000 boats, and an active fishing port. As of 2013, the population of the greater urban area was 48,982. The town had 19,029 inhabitants in 2021. Royan is located on the peninsula of Arvert, at the mouth of the Gironde estuary on its eastern shore. Royan was once of strategic importance, coveted in particular by the Visigoths and the Vikings. During the Reformation the city became a Protestant stronghold, and was besieged and destroyed by King Louis XIII of France (ruled 1610–43). During the Bourbon Restoration (1814–1830), and especially during the Second Empire (1852–1870), Royan was celebrated for its sea baths. It attracted many artists during the Roaring Twenties. Allied bombing between September 1944 and April 1945 destroyed the town. Known then as the "martyred city", it was declared a "Laboratory of research on urbanism", and it is now a showcase of the Modernist architecture of the 1950s. It was classified as a Town of Art and History (Ville d'Art et d'Histoire) in 2010. Royan today is a tourist and cultural hub, with some 90,000 visitors each summer season.

The canton of Royan is an administrative division of the Charente-Maritime department, western France. It was created at the French canton reorganisation which came into effect in March 2015. Its seat is in Royan. It consists of the following communes: Royan Saint-Georges-de-Didonne Vaux-sur-Mer The Canton of Royan was organized in the district of Rochefort. The altitude varies from 0 m (Breuillet) to 50 m (Saint-Palais-sur-Mer) for an average altitude of 18 m. The Canton of Royan was divided in 1973 leading to the formation of Canton of Royan-Ouest.

The Forest of la Coubre (French: forêt de la Coubre) is a large forest in the region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, near the city of Royan. Its area is roughly 7916 hectares, making it the third largest forêt domaniale (French State's inalienable domaine) of the north of the region, behind forest of la Double and the forest d'Horte. Around its remaining perimeter, it contains or is adjacent to numerous communes including La Tremblade, Les Mathes, Arvert, Étaules, Saint-Augustin and Saint-Palais-sur-Mer. It borders the Atlantic Ocean, the Gironde estuary and the forest of the Combots d'Ansoine. The forest of la Coubre is composed mostly of maritime pine. This pine plantation was started in the 19th century by Médéric de Vasselot de Régné in the Pointe de la Coubre area, to halt erosion. The EuroVelo bicycle route (Atlantic Coast route) crosses the forest.

Breuillet (French pronunciation: [bʁøjɛ] ) is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department and Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France.

Étaules (French pronunciation: [etol]) is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department and Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in southwestern France. Located in the heart of the Arvert peninsula and the touristic region of Royannais, in the continental fringe of the "Côte de Beauté" and near the famous oyster farming zone of Marennes-Oléron, this small town is well situated in the western suburbs of Royan. The city experience constant and sustained growth for over twenty years (its population was 1,413 in 1990 and 2,375 inhabitants in 2012). With its "sisters cities" Arvert, Chaillevette and La Tremblade, Étaules forms a small conurbation of 11,630 inhabitants, with many services and shops. The town benefits from its proximity to the seaside resorts on the Atlantic coast (Royan, Vaux-sur-Mer, Saint-Palais-sur-Mer, La Palmyre) and the forest of la Coubre, a natural reserve of biodiversity, and has developed tourism-related activities, accommodation Cap France, a camping and several seasonal dwellings. It is also an important oyster production center, with two ports : Orivol and Les Grandes Roches. The city is strongly influences by Royan, the main economic center of the area. Modernization of roads, marked by the opening of a ring road round the downtown, also facilitates connections with La Tremblade, the tiny capital of the canton. Étaules belongs to the agglomeration community Royan Atlantique (CARA), intercommunal structure gathering about 84,000 inhabitants.

Planet Exotica (7.6 hectares) is a commercial botanical garden located at 5 avenue des Fleurs de la Paix, Royan, Charente-Maritime, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. It is open daily; an admission fee is charged. The gardens include Japanese gardens, Tuscan landscapes, a bonsai collection (400 m2), an orchid greenhouse described as the largest in France (700 m2, about 3,000 specimens), a butterfly conservatory, bamboo labyrinth with artificial fog, boat trips through the marshes, and water games. Of particular interest is an olive tree imported from Spain, 4m high, 7m in circumference, with an estimated age of 1800 years.