ÃŽle Madame () is an island in the
Charente
Charente (; Saintongese: ''Chérente''; ) is a department in the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. It is named after the river Charente, the most important and longest river in the department, and also the r ...
estuary on the Atlantic coast of
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
joined to the mainland by a causeway. The island has an area of four square miles and is unpopulated. It is part of the town
Port-des-Barques.
Hundreds of Catholic priests were held prisoner on the island during anti-clerical persecution in 1794. A total of 254 died before the survivors were allowed to leave.
The priests who were held prisoner and those who died on the island are commemorated during a pilgrimage there each August.
External links
Article by Jonathan Luxmoore for Catholic News Service
Madame
River islands of France
{{CharenteMaritime-geo-stub