Abbaye Notre-Dame de la Blanche

The monastery was founded in 1172 on the islet of Îlot du Pilier, located far out to sea northwest of the island of Noirmoutier, which was then named Île de Dieu. After living conditions there proved too harsh, Peter V of La Garnache donated land on the island of Noirmoutier in 1205, where a new monastery was built. It was named La Blanche (the White Monastery) after the habit of its monks, in contrast to the settlement of the Black Monks (Benedictines) in Noirmoutier. The monastery belonged to the filiation of the primary abbey of Clairvaux, with Buzay Abbey named as its immediate mother monastery. It owned a grange in Orouet. At the beginning of the 16th century, it fell into commendam. In 1562, the monastery was plundered by the people of Nantes and the Huguenots from La Rochelle. Around 1611, the Breton monastery of Prières reformed the abbey, which came to an end during the French Revolution. Today it is privately owned and not accessible.

The Lion Gate (la porte des lions), rebuilt in the 17th century, originally from the 13th century, is preserved. A sculpture-adorned portal from the 13th century remains from the church.