Relax in Vendee

The Vendée littoral stretches on 250kms and has a wide variety of landscapes: long rocky coastlines, quality waters (Pavillon Bleu) (140kms of beaches). Everything is there to ensure you spend lovely and safe moments with your family.
Walk or ride along the littoral through the forests, on the 150kms of cycling path. Find out about the 18 well known sea resorts such as St Jean de Monts, St Gilles Croix de Vie, Les Sables d'Olonne, La Tranche sur Mer.... and the six marinas which can all together receive 5000 sailing boats.

Vendée is famous for its beautiful Islands such as:

L'île de Noirmoutier, known as The Mimosa Island, it is a heaven for those who love nature. The island is connected to the land by a bridge, the famous Passage du Gois. Once you will get there, you will see the salt marshes, sand dunes, the Chaize forest and the Herbaudière Port.

L'île d'Yeu is classified as a natural site. By foot or riding a bike, you will enjoy going along the wild coast and admiring the steep cliffs and sandy beaches.

You will be amazed by finding a manor, a castle or a windmill at the turn of a path, a lake or a pond. Go and get lost in the 5000 hectares of the forest of Mervant-Vouvant. You will feel the magic of a place where you may be able to see deer or boar roaming in their natural environment.

The mogette is a local bean, emblematic and very traditional of the Vendee region. You can eat it plain or with butter, with ham, duck or leg of lamb.
You will appreciate too, all seafood like the canned sardines in oil from St Gilles sur Mer which are exported all around the world, the sole from les Sables d'Olonne (fried in filets), the white tuna (albacore) of the Ile d'Yeu fishermen, the Vendée-Atlantique oysters grown in the Bourgneuf Bay and the mussels de bouchot raised in the Aiguillon Bay.
Taste the local specialities like the potato of Noirmoutier; the Préfou (delicious garlic bread to warm in the oven); toffee sweets gently salted with fleur de sel; samphire; Brioche vendéenne (sweet bread); Vix, Mareuil, Pissotte and Brem sur Mer wines and the inevitable Trouspinette, the local aperitif (black thorns of a special tree marinated in eau de vie (strong white alcohol) and wine).

• Vendée Globe around the world sailing competition (starts in Les Sables d'Olonne every four years).
• Walks on the Gois, passage to go to Noirmoutier Island.
• Boating Celebration, end of May.
• La Solitaire du Figaro.
• The Terre Neuve festival in Fontenay le Comte, outdoor theatre, July.
• The International Jazz festival in Saint Gilles Croix de Vie.
• The 7^ème Vague music festival in Bretignolles sur Mer.
• Poupet music Festival in Saint Malo du Bois.