Escape to l'Île d'Yeu >
Light and refuge in the seas

For centuries, the ocean has been at the heart of life on the Île d’Yeu, granting it a rich and varied heritage. Located in a sheltered spot on the main commercial shipping routes, 17 km from continental Europe, Île d’Yeu was an essential port of call for trading vessels until the 19^th century. The remains of shipwrecks from this era can be found scattered around the Île d’Yeu and its recipes feature ingredients which passed through the island such as prunes, rum and cinnamon.

The glory days of commercial shipping came to an end towards the end of the 19^th century, but fishing on the other hand has continued to thrive. Sole, monkfish, seabass and hake are the most commonly landed species.Recreational fishing is also woven into the very fabric of life on the island. Fishing is a fundamental aspect of the island’s identity. It has made its mark everywhere - in the economy, thanks to the fleet of commercial fishing boats, in its geography, influencing the port’s development, in its history, with the fishing museum, in its education, with its fisheries school, and in its food.
 

Today, the omnipresence of the sea and the island’s unique character have shifted the local economy towards seaside- and tourism- related activities. This sea change however hasn’t stopped the island from keeping the heart and soul of a refuge in the high seas!
 

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