ANGELA BIRD'S

The
Vendée

WHAT'S ON IN THE VENDEE
January 2012

(entries in red indicate new additions)

		PLEASE NOTE This website is really just a supplement to Angela Bird’s guidebook, The Vendée (left), which gives full details in its 176 pages of hundreds of interesting and off-beat tourist sites throughout the region. What you see on the website consists of either extra topics not covered in the book (Calendar, Restaurants, Travel routes, Internet links etc), or updated information (new tourist attractions open – or old ones closed) since the most recent edition of the book appeared. For the complete picture, order The Vendée through bookshops in the UK and Ireland, or from Amazon ; it is also on sale in good bookshops throughout the Vendée.	The listings on this site are supplied in good faith, gathered by the author from various Vendée sources. However it is always wise to check details with organisers or tourist offices before making a special journey.

	1 Jan	JOUR DE L’AN New Year’s Day (public holiday)
Until 31 Jan 2012		Vitrines animées Cute Christmas scenes, with working models in 10 illuminated shop-windows in this pretty village. Daily 3-9pm. Free.		Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche, near Aizenay
Until 31 Jan 2012		Crèches animées: La Féérie des Santons Wonderful displays of animated nativity scenes with 600 characters in model-village settings and landscapes of all kinds. Daily 2.30-6.30pm. 5€, children under 10 free.		Maison de l’Art, Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche
Until 26 Feb 2012		Georges Simenon: La Vendée aux Quatre Coins du Monde Comprehensive exhibition about the famous Belgian writer who invented Inspector Maigret. Simenon and his family lived for some years in and around the Vendee, and he used the area as the setting for many of his Maigret novels.		Historial de la Vendée, Les Lucs sur Boulogne.
Until 26 Feb 2012		Emile Savitry. Un photographe de Montparnasse. Savitry lived and worked among the artists and intellectuals of Paris from 1930 to 1950. Starting out as a painter, he went on to become a photographer, reporting on war and on peace, and photographing fashion for Vogue & Harper's Bazaar. This exhibition shows his work. Tues-Sun 2.30-5.30pm. Admission charge		Musée de l’Abbaye Ste-Croix, Rue de Verdun, Les Sables d’Olonne.
8 Jan 2012		Concert du Nouvel An Hugo Reyne and the Simphonie du Marais play two concerts at La Chabotterie. 3pm & 5.30pm. Admission 18 euros.		Logis de la Chabotterie, St Sulpice le Verdon
21 Jan 2012		LPO nature walk Guided walk for bird-lovers, with an expert from the French equivalent of the RSPB, looking at the flora and fauna on and around this lake that lies just back from the beach. Booking essential; time and meeting-point given on reservation.		Lagune Belle Henriette, La Faute-sur-Mer (tel: 02 51 28 79 20)
27-29 Jan 2012		La Folle Journée: Le Sacre Russe A packed weekend of music by Russian composers. The series of concerts and talks is an offsthoot of the main Folle Journée event at Nantes. Folles Journees also take place the same weekend at Cholet, Fontenay-le-Comte and La Roche-sur-Yon. Details here.		Various venues, Challans Booking via the Hôtel de Ville 1 Bd Lucien Dodin 85300 CHALLANS * Tel. billetterie : 02 51 60 01 80 * www.ville-challans.fr
29 Jan 2012		International Migration Day walk Guided walk for bird-lovers, with an expert ornithologist, observing winter visitors to the long strip of common grazing land. Booking essential; 9.30am; meeting-point given on reservation.		Communal, Le Poiré-sur-Velluire, near Fontenay-le-Comte (tel: 02 51 56 78 80)
29 Jan 2012		9^e Balade a Theme : Jean de Lattre An 8km route for walkers leads around the most picturesque corners of Mouilleron, with events themed on the village’s celebrated soldier Jean de Lattre. Start 9am from Jean de Lattre’s birthplace. Participants must register by 24 Jan ; 5 euros.		Mouilleron-en-Pareds, near Chantonnay. Reserve via La Chataigneraie tourist office.

The Conseil-Général’s website also has a regularly updated calendar of events
on its site www.vendee.fr, under “Agenda”.

A free quarterly publication called Musique-Danse lists many concerts of all kinds in the Vendee. You can find it in Mairies and tourist offices.
There is an online version here.

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