The Strait of Fromentine (french: Détroit de Fromentine or ) is the maritime passage that separates the island of
Noirmoutier
Noirmoutier (also French: Île de Noirmoutier, ; br, Nervouster, ) is a tidal island off the Atlantic coast of France in the Vendée department (85).
History
Noirmoutier was the location of an early Viking raid in 799, when raiders attacked ...
from the mainland, connecting the south of the
Bay of Bourgneuf (or "Bay of Brittany") to the north of the
Bay of Biscay.
Its maximum width is approximately 450 meters between the “tip of the Fosse” (commune of
Barbâtre
Barbâtre () is a commune in the Vendée department in the Pays de la Loire region in western France.
Geography
The altitude of the commune of Barbâtre lies between 0 and 19 meters. The area of the commune is 12.47 km2.
Arms
The arm ...
, at the southern end of Noirmoutier) and the
Pays-de-Monts National Forest. It has a maximum depth of 18 m. Given its narrowness, it is subject to strong tidal currents, which typically reach at the surface.
It owes its name to the town of
Fromentine
Fromentine is a district of La Barre-de-Monts, in the Vendée region of France. It is located opposite the island of Noirmoutier and is the main way to "l'Ile d'Yeu".
History
The name Fromentine seems to be a transformation of ''froment'' (whe ...
, a port suburb of the municipality of
La Barre-de-Monts
La Barre-de-Monts () is a commune in the Vendée department in the Pays de la Loire region in western France.
See also
*Communes of the Vendée department
The following is a list of the 257 communes of the Vendée department of France.
Th ...
, located on the continent in its eastern part. In 1704, a map by engineer referred to it as the ("Formantine harbour") .
[''Carte de l'île de Noirmoutier et de l'île de Bouin'', Claude Masse, 1704]
Since July 1971, the
Noirmoutier Bridge has been used to cross the strait.
References
{{reflist
Geography of Vendée
Straits of Metropolitan France