Geography of the Charente-Maritime

The department of the Charente-Maritime occupies a surface of 6 864 km ², which makes of him the 16th French department in term of surface.

The Atlantic facade and islands

It is only the department of the area having a maritime frontage which extends on 463 kilometers in front of the Atlantic Ocean. One finds the four islands of the department, two more important connected to the continent by a bridge. They are the Ile de Ré, attached to the Arrondissement of the La Rochelle and the island of Oléron, attached to the Arrondissement of Rochefort. One finds also two other islands of more modest size which are the island of the Aix which is accessible only by boat, and smallest of the four (one kilometer length), the island Madam, accessible to low tide by a master key (the Passe with the oxen ).

Relief

Most of the department is in marshy zone, in particular around Marennes and of Brouage. As a whole, the department is composed of plains and the relief is relatively flat. The most point of the department culminates with 172 meters and is with the wood of Chantemerlière on the commune of Contré.

Geology

The department has a light seismic activity, consituée regularly of earthquakes which take place with broad Île of Oléron. The site of the fault is still badly known. The most important seism of a magnitude of 5.5, took place the September 7th 1972. The latest to date, a magnitude of 4.5, took place the April 18th 2005.

Reference

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