Summary:

The settlement of the island of Oléron started with the south-eastern point, the Gold point located on the commune of the Castle of Oléron.

The settlement was carried out during the paleolithic one (- 250 000 years). For testimony, cut stones and some tools.

Then, at the Neolithic period, the Castle of Oléron accomodates people come from the sea, undoubtedly to the Mediterranean. Three villages are installed on the littoral of the commune and testify to a sedentary occupation that one can date at approximately -3.000 years.

There remains to us also a very important megalith, a dolmen which, by its size, is regarded as the second in France.

Excavations take place each year on these first sites of occupation on the initiative of the university of Poitiers and one always collects very interesting vestiges there.

The Romans were installed on our commune as of the 1st century of our era. It is them which built a tower, a castrum on the rock headland which accomodates the citadel today, and it is undoubtedly of this castrum that our city draws its name.
   

One finds of course permanently, during, enormously the stone building work of this time like various objects.

The Roman, long roadway several hundreds of meters, made it possible the tanks to go to discharge the ships which could accost even with low tide.

Like all the French territories, the island of Oléron underwent the cruel invasions, Saxons, Visigoths, Normands, which was driven out definitively at the 9th century by the duke of Aquitaine which builds a strong castle on the place of the Roman tower.

With the Middle Ages, as from the 11th century, the island profited from many privileges. Situation which will extend to the next century thanks to Aliénor from Aquitaine, in particular, which promulgated the roles of Oléron: collection of common law being based on the practical institutions, as well in the maritime field as terrestrial.

The sad period of the wars of religion will be followed from there, where the island will alternate between Protestant occupation and catholic occupation. It is what will also determine the decision of the king Louis XIII and of Richelieu which, on passage to the Castle of Oléron before the seat of the La Rochelle (1627) decided to build a citadel on the rock headland already defended since the Roman epoch.

Work will start in 1630 until 1677 directed by engineer Pierre d' Argencourt before Vauban itself does not take again in hand the plans, thus of 1677 to 1691 it completely transformed the first citadel into a fortified town with work with horns, half the moon, covered ways, glacis and bastionnées enclosures which included the borough completely.

This imposing work, was never attacked besides except by allied aviation in April 1945 when it was destroyed to 90%!