Pornichet (; br, link=no, Pornizhan) is a
commune in the
Loire-Atlantique
Loire-Atlantique (; br, Liger-Atlantel; before 1957: ''Loire-Inférieure'', br, Liger-Izelañ, link=no) is a department in Pays de la Loire on the west coast of France, named after the river Loire and the Atlantic Ocean. It had a population ...
department in western
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
.
Geography
Location
Pornichet is a coastal town of the
Côte d'Amour
The Côte d'Amour is a name given to part of the north western Atlantic coast of the Pays de la Loire region in France. It runs from Le Traict de Pen Bé to the mouth of the Loire in Saint-Nazaire, both of which are in the Loire-Atlantique departm ...
, located ten kilometers west of the centre of
Saint-Nazaire
Saint-Nazaire (; ; Gallo: ''Saint-Nazère/Saint-Nazaer'') is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France, in traditional Brittany.
The town has a major harbour on the right bank of the Loire estuary, near the Atlantic Ocea ...
. The adjacent communes are Saint-Nazaire and
La Baule-Escoublac.
Physical geography
The town of Pornichet is located
* on the line ''sillon de Guérande'', orientated NW-SE; the town border is located on the ''Route de Guérande'', D392d, at approximately 4 km from the shore, at a place called ''Pont de Terre'' (railway junction) at the ''Quatre Vents'';
* on a coastal rock belt located upfront of the ''sillon de Guérande'' (same orientation), between two rock heads, the ''Pointe du Bec'' and the ''Pointe de la Lande'' (border with Saint-Nazaire), separated of 4.25 km;
* on sandy terranes part of the sand dune unit of ''Escoublac'', between the place named ''Mazy'' (border with La Baule-Escoublac) and the ''Pointe du Bec'' (length: 2 km; width: 100 m at Mazy, 1 km at the head);
* on former swamp area (racetrack).
The lowest altitude (except shoreline) is of 4 m at the racetrack. The dune behind the beach of the ''Libraires'' reaches 9 m. The cliffs of ''Bonne Source'' and ''Sainte-Marguerite'' can reach 12 m. Going inland, altitudes progressively increase up to 44 m. The highest point is located in the hamlet called ''Ville ès Blais''.
Shore and beaches
Pornichet has three beaches: in the West, the Beach of the Libraires (
plage des Libraires), of 2 km length, is part of the Bay of Pouliguen (
baie du Pouliguen), shared with La Baule; the border is marked by the Mazy creek (currently underground). In the East, between the ''Pointe du Bec'' and the ''Pointe de la Lande'', are located the beaches of ''Bonne-Source'' (2.5 km) and ''Sainte-Marguerite'' (1.5 km), separated by a rocky head called the ''Pointe de Congrigoux''.
Toponymy
The name of Pornichet comes from ''Port Niché'', which could be translated into ''Nested Port''. The town is named following its principal characteristic of a port located in an alcove along a salt-work channel, which was connecting the salt-works (current racetrack) and the bay.
History
The commune of Pornichet was created in 1900 from parts of
Saint-Nazaire
Saint-Nazaire (; ; Gallo: ''Saint-Nazère/Saint-Nazaer'') is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France, in traditional Brittany.
The town has a major harbour on the right bank of the Loire estuary, near the Atlantic Ocea ...
and
La Baule-Escoublac.
[
]
Population
Sister cities
* Bexbach (Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...
)
* San Vicente de la Barquera
San Vicente de la Barquera is a municipality of Cantabria
Cantabria (, also , , Cantabrian: ) is an autonomous community in northern Spain with Santander as its capital city. It is called a ''comunidad histórica'', a historic community, ...
(Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, ...
)
See also
* Communes of the Loire-Atlantique department
*La Baule - Guérande Peninsula
LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States.
La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* La (musical note), or A, the sixth note
* "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...
* Parc naturel régional de Brière
References
Communes of Loire-Atlantique
Seaside resorts in France
{{LoireAtlantique-geo-stub