Pornichet

Pornichet

Sunset at the entrance to the port of Pornichet

Coat of arms
Pornichet

Coordinates: 47°16′39″N 2°20′20″W / 47.2775°N 2.3389°W / 47.2775; -2.3389Coordinates: 47°16′39″N 2°20′20″W / 47.2775°N 2.3389°W / 47.2775; -2.3389
Country France
Region Pays de la Loire
Department Loire-Atlantique
Arrondissement Saint-Nazaire
Canton La Baule-Escoublac
Intercommunality région nazairienne et l'estuaire
Government
  Mayor (20082014) Robert Belliot
Area1 12.67 km2 (4.89 sq mi)
Population (2008)2 10,502
  Density 830/km2 (2,100/sq mi)
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
  Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
INSEE/Postal code 44132 / 44380
Elevation 0–44 m (0–144 ft)
Website http://www.mairie-pornichet.fr/

1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Pornichet is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.

Geography

Location

Pornichet is a coastal town of the Côte d'Amour, located tens of kilometers west of Saint-Nazaire.

The adjacent towns are Saint-Nazaire and La Baule-Escoublac.

Physical geography

The town of Pornichet is located

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 by Port in a niche. 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

Until the town was created in 1900, Pornichet was a hamlet of Saint-Nazaire.

Sister cities

See also

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