Talmont-sur-Gironde

Word of Mouth

Who could have imagined a petrol station in place of the current small harbour and fishing huts? And yet… The village’s strategic location on the banks of the estuary sparked grand ambitions in some people from the First World War onwards. The Americans, the first to take an interest in this area, had the Rocher du Sphinx demolished in order to build a vast port complex. In the 1920s, a local councillor championed a vast project involving the construction of massive quays capable of accommodating large ships, all complemented by a petrol station… But the project was ultimately – and thankfully! – abandoned.