Overview

• The quake struck near Les Herbiers about 30 km northeast of La Roche-sur-Yon at approximately 8:30 a.m. on July 13, 2025.
• The Bureau Central Sismologique Français confirmed the magnitude at 3.7 and gathered around fifty testimonies describing explosion-like noises, thunderous bangs and distant rumbling felt as far as Nantes.
• Local officials noted that houses shook for three to four seconds and that Vendée typically experiences one to two minor tremors each year without significant damage.
• Geological surveys indicate Vendée rests atop two tectonic plates and an ancient Hercynian mountain chain, factors contributing to its low-to-moderate seismic risk classification.
• France’s 2011 seismic zoning update underpins safety measures in schools and public infrastructure to address these recurrent minor earthquakes.