Île Penotte: the hidden treasure of Sables-d'Olonne

Published on August 8, 2024 at 4:00 pm

Fancy some unusual discoveries? In Les Sables-d'Olonne, the Île Penotte offers an unusual and colourful walk! Over the years, this area has become an open-air museum thanks to the talent of Danièle Arnaud-Aubin. The artist from Sabl has just one objective: to bring her childhood neighbourhood back to life by decorating the facades of the houses, the doors, the floors and even the street signs with shells and works of art featuring animals and fantastic characters. Today, his little artistic touch attracts curious onlookers who flock to the streets.

Penotte Island, jewel of the Vendée coast

A seashell district

Hidden away in the town centre of Les Sables-d'Olonne, just a few metres from the beach, the emblematic Île Penotte district is characterised by its twisted, cobbled streets. These are known as 'venelles', and their names are rather surprising: rue Trompeuse, rue des Bains, rue des Corderies...

Beyond the charming, flower-filled houses, multicoloured shells are an elegant part of the district's décor. Since 1997, artist Danièle Arnaud-Aubin has been painting frescoes all over the walls of her childhood neighbourhood. Little by little, she has transformed the Ile Penotte district into a veritable open-air museum. Now a must-see in the Vendée, the colourful alleyways are visited by hundreds of tourists and regulars every day.

Île Penotte and its colorful walls

Mythology and fairy tales

From fresco to fresco, Danièle Arnaud-Aubin, nicknamed the "shell lady" by the people of Sables-d'Olonne, has redecorated every nook and cranny of this part of town. Over a period of more than 25 years, she has glued together thousands of shells to create incredible works inspired by fairy tales and ancient Greek mythology. On the walls, we cross paths with the sea god Poseidon, then Ulysses and the mermaids. Flowers, rats, monkeys, sailing boats and cats also adorn the houses, sometimes hidden away on the roofs or door frames.

Seashells on the walls of Île Penotte

Danièle Arnaud-Aubin uses a variety of shells to create her work, including periwinkles, oysters, whelks, clams, scallops, mussels and even exotic shellfish. Danièle Arnaud-Aubin finds her raw material on the beaches of the Vendée, but also all over the world. She works with the Musée du Coquillage in Les Sables-d'Olonne, which supplies her with exotic shellfish from the Philippines. L'Île Penotte is an island escape right in the heart of Les Sables d'Olonne.