Vaux-sur-Mer is on the Arvert peninsula, in maritime Saintonge, between the Seudre and Gironde estuaries. The commune is in the canton of Royan-Ouest (Rochefort district). The population was 412 in 1793, 619 in 1946 and nearly 4000 today. Vaux comes from the plural of 'val', 'vallibus', in Latin in the Middle Ages.

The commune (597 hectares) is partly situated on the Cretaceous limestone plateau bordered to the north by an arm of the Saint- Augustin marshes and to the east by the Pontaillac marshes. To the south it opens out broadly on to the Gironde. It is a picturesque cliff, carved out by four coves, the largest of which, Nauzan Cove, is extended inland by the Nauzan marshes, which come right up to the foot of the abbey church.
Evergreen oak and pine woodland covers part of the cliff (Bois des Fées) and the north of the commune. Large numbers of underground tunnels have been dug out under the town. Some of the tunnels in the coastal cliffs were used by monks as fisheries.

Tourism remains the leading activity, with over 20,000 summer visitors during the season. The town offers a choice of several hotels, campsites and furnished accommodation. A great effort has been made to renovate the town; the town centre has been redeveloped with a landscaped square and the church surroundings have been redesigned. Visitors can also enjoy the Parc de l'Hôtel de Ville, Théâtre de Verdure (open-air theatre) and cycle tracks... There is a footpath linking the four coves and providing a pleasant seaside walk.