Les Minimes, Port de plaisance des Minimes, is the largest
marina in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
for pleasure boats. It is located in the city of
La Rochelle
La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle''; oc, La Rochèla ) is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department. Wi ...
.
Its name is derived from the establishment of a convent of the
Frères Minimes ("Order of the Minimes Brothers") in this area during the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
.
There are slips for about 3,500 boats. The whole area has seen intense urban development, with the construction of many residential buildings.
The marina offers sailing access to the protected
Pertuis d'Antioche
The Pertuis d'Antioche (, ''Passage of Antioch'') is a strait on the Atlantic coast of Western France, between two islands, Île de Ré and Oléron, on the one side, and on the other side the continental coast between the cities of La Rochelle and ...
and its surrounding islands, such as
Île de Ré
Île de Ré (; variously spelled Rhé or Rhéa; Poitevin: ''ile de Rét''; en, Isle of Ré, ) is an island off the Atlantic coast of France near La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime, on the northern side of the Pertuis d'Antioche strait.
Its high ...
,
Île d'Aix and
Île d'Oléron.
Buildings and structures in La Rochelle
Transport in Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Tourist attractions in Charente-Maritime
{{CharenteMaritime-geo-stub