The Vendee



Campsites:

Bretignolles, Camping les Genets
Bretignolles, Camping les Dunes

Cross the River Loire, head south and you will quickly sense a change of scenery. You’ll discover a much flatter countryside with long sweeps of beautiful sandy beach edged with dunes and pine woods, and a very mild climate. This, then is the Vendee, boasting sunshine averages only marginally less than the Riviera.
One of the most fascinating areas of this region is La Venise Verte - a maze of dykes and canals used instead of roads to transport produce and locals from one area to another by punt. Today, tourists come to see for themselves this hidden waterway and can either hire a boat or hire a guide for an hour or so, to hear some of the history of this unique area.


Things to do in the Vendee

Venise Verte, Apremont, Fontenay-Le-Comte, Ile de Re, La Rochelle, Noirmoutier and some of the Loire Chateaux.
A great family day out is a visit to the Puy de Fou. There are various shows throughout the day, falconry, a gladiator display in the Roman Amphitheatre, a realistic Viking raid with laser displays, and much more. Once night falls, there is an outstanding son et lumiere on most Friday and Saturday evenings from mid-June through until the end of September.


Food

There is a wide range of excellent traditional French cooking at very reasonable prices throughout the Vendee. Muscadet and Gros Plant wines are produced near the Loire, and the range of Bordeaux reds and whites are produced further south.

Highlights

Some Loire Chateaux can easily be visited from our sites in the Vendee, and throughout this region wine can be tasted and bought from local producers. A day’s outing to Futuroscope at Poitiers is also popular with families.

Getting to the Vendee

The Vendee is ideally located for many ferry ports and airports. Caen is always a popular option when taking the ferry or the Fastcraft. If you wish to fly, Nantes is very popular, but there are other airports within easy reach as well. Hiring a car from the airport couldn’t be easier, so remember to organise this before you leave.