Charente-Maritime
Charente-Maritime (; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Chérente-Marine''; ) is a Departments of France, department in the French Regions of France, region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, on the country's west coast. Named after the river Charente (river), Charen ...
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 ...
. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune
Marennes-Hiers-Brouage
Marennes-Hiers-Brouage () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France. It was established on 1 January 2019 by merger of the former communes of Marennes (the seat) and Hiers-Brouage.Arrêté préfectoral 27 November 2018
History
For a long time it was one of the most prosperous cities of the
Saintonge
Saintonge may refer to:
*County of Saintonge, a historical province of France on the Atlantic coast
* Saintonge (region), a region of France corresponding to the historical province
* Saintonge ware, a medieval pottery type produced in Saintes reg ...
due to its location in the middle of the salt-water marshes at a time where salt was a valuable commodity.
Marennes is a center for
oyster farming
Oyster farming is an aquaculture (or mariculture) practice in which oysters are bred and raised mainly for their pearls, shells and inner organ tissue, which is eaten. Oyster farming was practiced by the ancient Rome, ancient Romans as early as the ...