What to visit during your vacations in Vendee ?
The Vendée is one of France's leading tourist destinations. Beaches, enchanting landscapes, culture, heritage, terroir… This region has many wonders for you to discover.
Attracting many tourists all year round thanks to its pleasant weather, the Vendée offers many types of accommodation. Camping in the Vendée is one of the best accommodations thanks to its quality/price ratio, but also to its proximity with nature. To easily find a campsite in the Vendée, there are many choices according to your desires.
But what should you visit during your vacations in Vendée? ? Here is a non-exhaustive list of our preferences.
1. Visit the salt marshes during your vacations in Vendée
When you choose to spend your vacations in Vendée, it seems obvious to us to visit the famous salt marshes. Salt harvesting started in the 7th century in the region and still continues today. The salt marshes are cleaned in March to rehabilitate them after the winter and the harvest takes place from mid-June to mid-September.
There are salt marshes There are several places on the Vendée coast and many salt marshes offer guided tours to share their know-how during the summer period.
2. Discover the Sables-d'Olonne during your vacations in Vendée
If there is a city that you must visit during your vacations in the Vendée, it is the Sables-d'Olonne. Vendée Globe starting city, it's also a good place to relax on the beach, surf or do other water activities.
Stroll through the streets of Les Sables-d'Olonne to discover the wonders that are hidden there as well as the specialties of the region. The Penotte Island area, for example, is covered with shell frescoes made by local artist Danièle Arnaud-Aubin.
3. The castle of Tiffauges
If you want to take advantage of your vacations in the Vendée to learn something new, go to castle of Tiffauges. Guided tours are organized, it is also possible to attend shows and to practice archery. Demonstrations are also organized to discover war machines.
During your visit, you will learn more about the most famous owner of the castle of Tiffauges: Gilles de Rais, companion in arms of Joan of Arc. After having lived the recognition thanks to his feats of arms, his criminal acts earned him the beheading. Its history is reminiscent of that of a tale of Perrault will have earned the nickname of Bluebeard to the castle of Tiffauges.
If you go on vacation in the Vendée during the Christmas season, the town of Tiffauges offers a famous Christmas market every year.
4. Visit Nieul-sur-l'Autise during your vacations in Vendée
Stop at Nieul-sur-l'Autise, in the south of the department, to discover this village classified "small city of character". Located between plain and marsh, this city of religious origin is inhabited since the Neolithic.
The city has some historical treasures, including l’Saint-Vincent abbey, designated as a royal abbey by Eleanor of Aquitaine during her reign. Shows animate this charming village.
5. The Vendee coastline
The Vendée coastline is 3 kilometers long and extends from Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie. The trail is designed to be walked or cycled along. You will have the opportunity to discover the fauna and flora of the trail and the sandy coves with a permanent view of the sea and the rocky coast.
Several stops are to be expected: a picnic in a creek, a swim from a rock, a nap in the shade of trees … But above all, do not miss the Devil's Hole to discover the bubbling of the water. The legend says that this cave is the devil's prison and that the 5 rocks that protrude from the water in the distance are 5 monks who guard this prison of the devil.