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VENDEE
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VENDEE , a maritime See also:department of western See also:France, formed in 1790 out of Bas-See also:Poitou, and taking its name from an unimportant tributary of the Sevre Niortaise. It is bounded by See also:Loire-Inferieure and See also:Maine-et-Loire on the N., by Deux-Sevres on the E., by See also:Charente-Inferieure on the S. and by the See also:Atlantic Ocean on the W. for 93 M. Pop. (1906) 442,777. See also:Area, 2708 sq. m. The islands of Yeu (area, 84 sq. m.) and See also:Noirmoutier (q.v.) are included. The Sevre Nantaise on the N.E. and the Sevre Niortaise on the S., besides other streams of See also:minor importance, See also:form natural boundaries. The department falls into three divisions—woodland (See also:Bocage), See also:plain (Cote) and See also:marsh (Marais). The highest point (748 ft.) is situated in the woodland, which occupies the greater 'See also:part of Vendee, on the See also:water-parting between the Loire and the See also:rivers of the See also:coast. This region, which, geologically, is composed of See also:granite, See also:gneiss, See also:mica-schist, schist and See also:lias, abounds in springs, and is fresh and verdant; the landscape is characterized by open See also:fields surrounded by trees, which supplied ambushes and retreats to the Vendeans in the See also:civil See also:war at the end of the 18th See also:century. The marshes, raised above the See also:sea-level within historic tilnes (four centuries ago), consist of two portions, the See also:Breton marsh in the See also:north and the Poitevin marsh in the See also:south; the latter extends into the departments of Charente-Inferieure and Deux-Sevres. The region includes productive See also:salt marshes andfertile cultivated areas artificially drained. Its area is constantly being increased by the See also:alluvium of the rivers and the See also:secular See also:elevation of the coast. The celebrated beds of sea-shells near St See also:Michel en 1'Herm—2300 ft. See also:long, 985 ft. broad and from 30 to 50 ft. deep —show to what extent the coast has risen. The plain of Vendee lying between the Bocage and the Poitevin marsh is See also:bare and treeless, but fertile, though poor in springs; geologically it is composed of lias and oolite. The department is drained by the Sevre Nantaise (tributary of the Loire) and the See also:Boulogne (a feeder of See also:Lake Grandlieu in Loire-Inferieure), both draining into the See also:basin of the Loire; and by. the See also:Vie, the See also:Lay (with the See also:Yon), and the Sevre Niortaise (with the Autise and the Vendee), which flow into the Atlantic. The See also:climate is that of the Girondine region, mild and See also:damp, the temperature rarely rising above 77° or falling below 18° F.; 120 to 150 days of See also:rain give an See also:average See also:annual rainfall of 25 in. The woodland is colder than the plain, and the marsh is damp and unhealthy. The department is agriculturally prosperous. See also:Wheat is the most important See also:crop, oats, potatoes, See also:clover, See also:lucerne and mangoldwurzels ranking next. Beans, See also:flax and colza may also be mentioned. See also:Wine is grown in the south of the department. The rearing of live stock flourishes in the Bocage and the marsh, the pastures of the latter nourishing See also:fine oxen and horses, and See also:sheep famous for the excellence of their mutton. See also:Cider-apples, See also:pears, peaches, plums, cherries and walnuts are among the fruits grown. See also:Coal is See also:mined in the south-See also:east of the department (basin of Vouvant) and See also:antimony is found; See also:limestone is quarried. The See also:spinning and See also:weaving of See also:wool, See also:cotton and flax is carried on, and there are See also:potteries, See also:paper-See also:mills, tan-yards, dye-See also:works, manufactories of hats, boots and shoes, See also:glass and lampblack, See also:flour-mills, distilleries, oil-works, See also:tile-works and See also:shipbuilding yards. Sardines and tinned foods are prepared. The sardine See also:fishery is active on the coast and there are extensive See also:oyster-beds near Sables-d'Olonne. See also:Corn, See also:cattle, mules, See also:fish, salt, wine, See also:honey, See also:wood, glass and manure are exported; wine, wood, See also:building material, coal, See also:phosphates and See also:petroleum are among the imports. Sables-d'Olonne is the See also:principal fishing and commercial See also:port. Vendee is served by the Ouest-Etat railway and has 81 m. of navigable rivers and canals. The department forms the See also:diocese of Lucon, has its See also:court of See also:appeal and educational centre at See also:Poitiers, and is included in the See also:district of the XI. See also:Army See also:Corps (headquarters at See also:Nantes). There are three arrondissements (La See also:Roche-sur-Yon, Fontenay-le-See also:Comte and Sables-d'Olonne), 3o cantons, and 304 communes. The principal towns are La Roche-sur-Yon, See also:Les Sables-d'Olonne, Fontenay-le-Comte and Lugon, which are treated under See also:separate headings. Other places of See also:interest are Foussais, Nieul-sur-l'Autise and Vouvant, with Romanesque churches; Pouzauges, which has a stronghold of the 13th century; Maillezais, with the ruins of its old See also:cathedral ; Talmont and Tiffauges, both possessing ruined castles; and Le See also:Bernard with noteworthy megalithic remains. Additional information and CommentsThere are no comments yet for this article.
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