#Vendee
At the beach; Among nature; Near water
Vendée is the perfect holiday destination with its 240 km of beach and an extraordinary amount of sunshine (2600 hours per year). First there is "Vendée Blue" with the islands of Yeu and Noirmoutier, an extensive range of water activities, small fishing ports and salt marshes where you can see how salt workers practice their traditional craft ... Then there is "Vendée green" with its lush oak forests and sea pines, the Marais de Potevin also called "the green Venice", the wealth of the hinterland with its castles, abbeys and mills that tell the story of Vendée ... The resort offers many activities for holiday pleasure: horseback riding, sailing, diving, surfing, walking and cycling. There is an 18-hole golf course at Saint Jean de Monts, one of the finest golf courses on the Atlantic coast. Places worth a visit: the island of Noirmoutier (40km) with its 12th century castle and archaeological exhibitions (open all year); the island of Yeu (sailing by boat from Saint Gilles Croix de Vie); the salt marsh of Riez (open from 15/06 to 15/09); the salt route by boat to Sables d'Olonne; the Automobile Museum in Talmont Saint Hilaire; the Ecomuseum of Bourrine, located in a typical Vendean house (open all year); the Shell museum (open all year). You can take a fragrant walk among the flowers of the Olfacties garden or visit the beautiful castles of Apremont (20 km, open from 30/03 to 15/09), the castle of Richard Coeur at Lion-Talmont St. Hilaire (open from 30 / 03 to 15/09, medieval performances from 01/07 to 30/08) and the castle of Guignardiere with its 86 hectares park (open every Sunday throughout the year, open every day from 01/06 to 30/09). Children can enjoy the Vallees leisure park with its slides, minigolf, outdoor games (open on the weekend of May / June and open daily in July / August). Every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday morning there is a market, as well as Wednesday and Saturday afternoons in high season and Tuesday and Saturday mornings in low season.