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About the Vendée
Introduction
With an
array of attractions to tempt the most jaded of palates, the Vendée
makes an ideal
family
holiday destination. For many years quietly kept to
themselves by the French, the charms of the Vendée are now being
discovered by visitors from further afield.
From
its 140km of beaches to the tranquillity of the rolling countryside of
forests &
the bocage Vendéen, from the wild beauty of the marais
wetlands to the breathtaking spectacle of the shows at Le Grand Parc
de Puy du Fou, the Vendée can amuse, relax, stimulate and enchant in
equal measure.
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Although the region has many
attractions, the beaches of the Vendée are the primary source
of its fame and the reason why the coast has long been a popular
destination with the French. Mainly sandy and only gently sloping,
the beaches are a particular hit with children of all ages. The
beaches and sea are kept scrupulously clean and many stretches are
patrolled by lifeguards during the summer. |
The
South of the Vendée benefits from the same microclimate as the Northern
part of the Charente Maritime, giving the region a level of summer
sunshine bettered in France only by the Côte d’Azur. The sandy beaches
of this part of the Vendée are considered amongst the best in Europe.
A cooling contrast to
the coast, the peaceful forests and countryside (the "bocage") of the
Vendée provide ideal venues for picnics and leisurely rambles, more
serious walks and cycling
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Things to See
& Do in the Vendée
The Vendée and the surrounding region offer a wide
selection of days out and places to visit to cover the interests of the entire family.
The following is just a small selection to provide a taste and
more details can be found on the website of the
Vendée
Tourism Board
 (opens in
new window):
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Le
Grand Parc de Puy du Fou
- Arguably the best family day out in France!
This extraordinary theme park displays the history of France from the
standpoint of events in the Vendée via the medium of spectacular re-enactment.
Set in a huge landscaped park, the shows of the Puy du Fou combine the
skills of actors, horsemen, falconers and stuntmen combine with stunning
sets to portray history in a way that could not be less stuffy. Open in
2007 from 18th April until 23rd September.
The Puy du Fou also stages evening shows (the "Cinescene") on some dates during the
summer. This outside spectacular is perfomed on a "stage" of several
acres (the largest in the World), features over a thousand actors and
some of the most ingeneous special effects seen anywhere on Earth. |
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Visit the Website at:
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Forêt de Mervent - one of
a series of forested granite hills (or
massif forestiers)
that border the marais. Only 20 minutes drive away from your
holiday gite, the forest of Mervent provides over 12000 acres of mixed woodland,
with over thirty varieties of tree, including holm oaks (a
Mediterranean species that does very well in the warm climate of the
Vendée), penduculate oaks, ash, hornbeam, beech and chestnut.
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Ideal
for walking, riding, cycling and picnics, the forest is also home to
a water sports complex (canoes, sailing, etc), a small zoo and an
amusement park (Parc de Pierre Brune - see "Adventure
& Fun Parks" below). On a hot day a picnic
in the cool of the woods followed by a gentle stroll is a delight.
The forest is home to a wide variety of
mammals and birds, including roe deer, badger, pine marten and wild boar.
Rare short-toed eagles are often to be seen. In Autumn, the forest floor
provides a bounty in the form of edible mushrooms to anyone wishing to
collect them: local pharmacists will be happy to sort through and remove
anything dangerous or unpalatable, a service they provide free of
charge. |
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Marais Poitevin
- Covering a large
area in
the South Vendée and extending into the neighbouring départements
of Deux Sèrves and Charente Maritime, the marais is a vast area of wetlands.
Reclaimed from the sea a thousand years ago by the great monasteries,
and once a source of their immense wealth, this extraordinary
landscape is home to a staggering variety of flora and fauna. |
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In many places, the tranquillity of
the marais can be enjoyed by boat (for example from Coulon
and Maillezais) on the network of limpid canals that criss-cross it. These are the origin of the name by it
which is known locally - venise vert: Green Venice. More
information about boat trips on the marais can be found on
marais-poiteven.com (in French only).
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Fontenay-le-Comte - The small Renaissance city of
Fontenay-le-Comte lies between the marais poitevin and the forest
of Mervent and is only 10 minutes drive away from your gite. Noted
for its architectural heritage and particularly relaxed way of life,
the town has nonetheless borne witness to both the brutality of
civil war and to the heights of science & culture.
During the Renaissance,
the city was home to the great Rabelais and the mathematcian Viète,
amongst others. Later, in 1793 (after the revolution in 1789),
Fontenay was one of the seats of rebellion that led to the bloody
Vendéen wars. The slaughter that followed marks the collective
consciousness of the Vendée even two centuries later.
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So troublesome was
Fontenay-le-Comte as the capital of the Vendée that Napoléon decreed a
new capital be built at La Roche-sur-Yon, with wide, straight
thoroughfares to give troops clear fields of fire should the people of
the Vendée take up arms again. Today, Fontenay offers
a wide range of cultural activities (museums, cinemas, a theatre and
a new arts centre), a wide range of shopping, an excellent selection
of restaurants and a superb Saturday market.
More information can be found on the
website of the:
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Châteaux
& Abbeys
The fascinating (and
often somewhat lively) history of the Vendée has left the region
with many important abbeys and châteaux. Two of the most important
châteaux are the Château de la Guignardière and Château Tiffaugues,
both of which are well suited to family days out.
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Château Tiffaugues was
built over a period ranging from the 12th to the 16th century. It
was home to one Giles de Rias (1404 - 1440), also known as "Blue
Beard" he was made Marshal of France under Charles VII for his
exploits against the English during the Hundred Years War and was
comrade-in-arms of Joan d'Arc. After the death of Joan, he returned
to Tiffauges and developed an unhealthy obsession with alchemy. He
came to believe that the key to transmuting base metals into gold
lay in the blood of innocetnts and is reputed to have kidnapped &
murdered some 200 local children....The château has an extensive
collection of engines of war, many in complete working order and
whose operation is demonstrated throughout the day. |
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Château de la
Guignardière (website
www.guignardiere.com) was started far later than Château
Tiffaugues in around 1550. Although never actually completed, it
remains one of the finest examples of renaissance architecture in
western France. Care has been taken to ensure that children will
also enjoy the day out, and the grounds are well equipped with play
areas and other distractions.
The great cathedral abbey
of St Peter at Maillezais (about 8km from Fontenay) is regarded as
being the historic centre of the marais. Founded in the 10th
century, it is now a ruin, but the grandeur of the building is
evident. Boats for touring the marais can be hired here, and
the town has a couple of nice restaurants. Nearby Nieul-sur-l'Autise
(birthplace of Eleanor of Aquitaine) is home to the more complete
abbey of St Vincent. Both abbeys hold son-et-lumière shows
throughout the summer months.
Adventure & Fun Parks
There are a number of adventure parks
in the Vendée that are suitable for family days out. Two in
particular - the Indian Forest and Parc de Pierre Brune - are
particularly recommended.
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The Parc de Pierre
Brun is located in the forest of Mervent on a 25 acre site.
Attractions include trampolines, a range of gigantic inflatables in
the "bouncy castle" mould and bumper boats. There is something for
children of all ages (and adults are allowed to play too...) Visit
the website by clicking on the picture to the left (in French). |
The Indian Forest is a newer
attraction for the Vendée. Spread over two sites, the Indian forest
has facilities for age 2 to adult, including eight courses of "high ropes" (elevated
obstacle courses that are allegedly quite safe), giant inflatables,
maxi-bungee (a trampoline / elastic rope affair that throws people
22m into the air - again, allegedly perfectly safe, though perhaps
not ideal after a heavy lunch) and paint-balling. Our children (7 &
9) thoroughly enjoyed themselves gadding about 35 feet above the
ground and it must be admitted that the accompanying adults rather
had fun too! Visit their website
at
www.indian-forest-atlantique.com.
Walking and Cycling
in the Vendée
Walking in the Vendée is a real
joy. The département is well served with paths, including two
grandes randonnées (long distance footpaths or GRs)
the GR8 and GR364, four local
long paths (or GRPs) and hundreds of lesser paths. In total, the Vendée
boasts something over 6000 km of well marked path. Our own commune of Le
Langon has about 25km of promenade de randonnée.
Routes range in length from
2.5 km to something over 300 km and can be cunningly arranged to include a
suitable wayside restaurant for lunch. The paths cover a spectacular range
of scenery, and
are well maintained,
with many
being
suitable for
buggies, so children can easily be included in the party.
We have put together a selection of routes
suitable for families and details of these are available in our properties,
including laminated cards that can be taken out with you.
Cyclists are equally well catered for in the
Vendée: cycling is regarded by many as being the national sport of France,
and certainly most towns and larger villages have well subsribed cycling
clubs. There are any number of minor roads carrying very little in the way
of motor traffic that open up the countryside to the two-wheeled explorer,
as well as several hundred kilometers of dedicated cycle track. Away from
the roads, many areas (including the forest of Mervent and the marais)
have well-marked routes for vélos tout terrain (VTT or mountain
bikes).
Cycle hire (including equipment for children)
is available at all our gîte properties.
La Rochelle & Ille de Ré
Located about
40 minutes away, La
Rochelle, the capital of Charentes Maritime,
is superb; an historic and beautiful city.
From the port, busy with yachts and pleasure
vessels, to the quays replete with excellent restaurants, and the
handsome 17th century city centre with its extensive shopping
facilities, there is plenty to occupy visitors. For children,
the large, modern aquarium (certainly the
largest in France and said to be the largest in Europe)
is not to be missed. Just offshore, the
Ille de Ré (reached by bridge from the mainland) has fantastic
beaches, cycle ways and picnic spots. Visit the
La Rochelle
website for more infomation about the city.
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| The Harbour - La
Rochelle |
St
Martin - Ille de Ré |
Zoos and
Wildlife Parks
There are a number of zoos
and wildlife parks in the Vendée and neighbouring Charente Maritime,
the best of which are
the zoo at Les Sables d'Olonne on the Vendée coast and the Palmyre zoo
near Royan in the Charente Maritime.
The zoo at
Les Sables d'Olonne is located on the edge of this popular resort town.
Set in verdant
gardens, this beautifully presented zoo is home to 200 animals of more
than 40 species, including big cats, red pandas and primates. Some of
the species kept are rare and the zoo is part of a European breeding
program for many of these. Visit their website at:
www.zoo-des-sables.com (in French).
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The
Palmyre zoo is generally held to be the best in France. Visited by
over 800,000 visitors per year, the 35 acre site is home to 1600
animals including polar bears, gorillas and rhinoceros. Visit their
website (in French) at:
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Futuroscope
Located near Poitiers in the
neighbouring département of Vienne, Futuroscope has been
established for many years as a futuristic theme park featuring
extraordinary cinematic shows and architecture. The park was taken over
by new management a few years ago and has been extensively remodelled
and renovated. New shows and attractions are being added at high rate of
knots. Visit their website for a the latest news for 2006 at:
www.futuroscope.com.
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Beaches of the Vendée
The Vendée is famous
throughout France for the quality of its fine, sandy beaches. These
run to 140km along the coast and receive upto 2500 hours of sunshine a
year.
The
sea is warm, shallow and very clean, particularly good for children.
Some have lifeguard cover during the summer months, and many of the
beaches closest to our gites
in the south of the
département (L'Aiguillon / La Faute, La Tranche and Longeville)
regularly receive European Blue Flag accreditation
for general cleanliness and
water quality.
Wind surfing and body
boarding are very popular on the beaches of the Vendée during the summer
season, whilst in spring and autumn, board surfers are well served. The
best area for surfing is reckoned to lie between the beaches of La
Tranche and Longeville). There are plenty of surf shops and surf schools
in the area.
The beach at
Les Conches (Longeville-sur-Mer) is
our personal favourite being bordered by woods that are ideal for
picnics and with plentiful parking.
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Food and
Drink
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With its long coastline, it
is no surprise that seafood features strongly in the cusine of the
Vendée. Fish is available throughout the département from fishmongers,
supermarkets, markets and directly from fishermen. Amongst wet fish,
Dover and lemon sole, sardines, bass and sea bream are particularly
good, though many other varieties are available fresh. The marais
provides a selection of fresh water fish - eels, pike and zander being
widely available. |
Oysters
and mussels are raised in vast numbers on the coast of the Vendée.
Oysters are available just about everywhere and are astoundingly good
value. Best eaten raw with a twist of lemon juice or a drop of Tabasco
and washed down with crisp white wine such as muscadet or gros
plant from the neighbouring Loire Atlantique. Mussels are also
available ready-for-the-pan at very low cost, and are essential in the
production the iconic dish of the Vendée: mouclade, a happy
marriage of mussels with white wine, eggs and crème fraîche.
Other shell fish from Vendéen waters include cockles, whelks, razor
clams and crabs.
Poultry
are raised in large numbers in the Vendée. Particularly famous are the
free-range chickens raised around the town of Challans. The breed used
here, the noire de Challans produces a dense meat of particularly
fine flavour that roasts very well. Duck are reared also - it comes as a
surprise to many to learn that the Vendée is the département that
produces the largest quantity of foie gras in France.
Game is
available in autumn and winter months, and a traditional pâté made from
wild rabbit is highly esteemed. Venison and boar are available, as are
game birds. A more unusual delicacy is a pâté made from wild coypu that
breed in large numbers on the marais.
Sheep
raised on the salt marshes in the north of the Vendée are the source of
succulent lamb and mutton with a characteristic and sought-after
flavour. Beef produced locally reared patherney cattle has and
exceptional taste and texture and is available from many butchers and
markets. Pigs are farmed to produce Vendéen ham. This is served raw or
fried in thick slices with the regions best-known vegetable crop : white
haricot beans known as mogettes.
Local
cheeses include mizotte and halbran made from cows milk
and dozens of types of goat cheese made artisanally by small-scale
producers. Local butter is excellent and is the fat most usually used
for cooking in the Vendée.
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Puddings
include brioche (for which the Vendée is famous and which is very
different from the more usual fluted loaf sold in bakeries), and
tourteau au fromage, a curious looking (but very nice) black-topped
cheese cake made from sweetened goat's cheese. |
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Wine has
been produced in the southern Vendée since Roman times and the local
VDQS "Fiefs Vendéen" goes from strength to strength.
We
are happy to advise
on vineyard visits and purchasing. Pineau, a drink more often
associated with the Charente Maritime is also produced in the Vendée
from grape juice and local grape spirit, is a traditional apéritif
locally. Troussepiette, however, is a 100% Vendéen apéritif made
from hedgerow fruits, and kamok is a coffee liqueur made in the
Vendée at Luçon for almost 200 years. Finally, although by no means
traditional brewing country, the Vendée is home to a number of
microbreweries that are producing some outstanding (and powerful) beers.
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With a
wide selection of excellent markets and small specialist shops, food
shopping and eating n the Vendée can be as much a part of a holiday for
some as the beach. These are usually the source of the ingredients we
ourselves use in our pre-prepared meals. (Follow the link to see an
example Menu ). |
There is a wide selection of
restaurants conveniently close by, ranging from simple family run places
to establishments with two Michelin stars. All tastes and budgets are
catered for. We will have produced a (painstakingly researched) guide
for of guests that is available in the gites, and will be very happy to provide recommendations and make
reservations.
Child
friendly Gites
in the Vendee
Particularly for
families with babies, toddlers and young children
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Les Alouettes
Gite Sleeping up to 8
adults & children plus two infants
Four bedrooms |
La Maison du
Blé
Villa Sleeping up to 11
adults & children plus three infants
Five bedrooms |
Les Chardonnerets
Holiday Cottage sleeps up to 9
adults & children plus two infants
Five bedrooms |
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