ANGELA BIRD'S
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The |
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July 2010
WHAT'S ON IN THE VENDEE
(entries in red indicate new additions)
For
the vide-greniers, I have drawn on the useful list in the
excellent Courrier Vendéen newspaper.
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PLEASE NOTE This website is really just a supplement to Angela Bird's guidebook, The Vendée (left), which gives full details |
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. |
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Until late July |
Les Soldes /
Sales! This is the official period for which French shops
are authorised to hold sales. Make the
most of it! |
Throughout |
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Until mid Sept |
Cinéscénie Spectacular son-et-lumiere show, retelling the
history of the Vendee. June |
Puy du Fou, Les Epesses, near
Les Herbiers (tel: 02 51 64 11 11). |
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Until late Sept |
Le Grand Parc. New season for the hugely
enjoyable “historical theme park”. High points include the storming of the “donjon
médiéval”, the “Vikings”, and a fabulous falconry show. Among other
dazzling entertainments are the much-hyped chariot-racing, and faithful
recreations of 18th- and 19th-century villages. 1-30 June Tues & Thurs-Sun
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Puy du Fou, Les Epesses, nr Les Herbiers |
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early July |
Festival de Poupet Big names come to the annual open-air music
festival in a picturesque site alongside the river Sèvre Nantaise. Admission
prices vary |
Poupet, near Mortagne-sur-Sèvre. |
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early July |
Vide-grenier (car-boot sale) in centre of this picturesque village. |
Vouvant |
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Early July- |
Les Nocturnes du Château Medieval
entertainment around the ruins of St Mesmin castle. |
Chateau de St Mesmin, La Ville, near Pouzauges |
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mid July |
Festival à tout vent Major
kite festival, with night kite-flying and fireworks on the last evening. |
Notre-Dame-de-Monts, nr St-Jean-de-Monts |
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13 July |
Torchlight processions and dancing in celebration of Fête Nationale |
Various venues, including Olonne-sur-Mer |
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14 July |
Fete des Vieux Métiers Colourful
traditions and old crafts. Sat, meal, fireworks and dancing; Sun old
crafts etc demonstrated in village centre 10-7; grand parade at |
Ile d’Olonne, nr Les Sables. |
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14 July |
Brocante de La Tranche Large
annual brocante and car-boot sale, with 150+ stalls and thousands of
visitors. |
Parking de la Grière. |
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14 July 2010 |
Vide-grenier estival Annual summer car-boot fair. |
St-Brévin-les-Pins 44 |
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14 July 2010 |
5e Grand Brocante
Large brocante fair. |
Stade du
Bossad, Chasnais |
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mid July- |
Les Ricochets Festival
of street theatre. Wed & Fri evenings. Admission free. |
Fontenay-le-Comte |
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Mid July |
Nocturnes Océanes Season
of concerts of Romantic music in the open air. 15, 16 July, Rigoletto, |
Luçon |
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15 July 2010 |
Autrefois . . . Challans Wonderful old-time fair days throughout this pleasant market town,
with traditional activities and a good deal of family fun. |
Challans |
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mid July |
Concours de saut d’obstacles A
major national French showjumping competition over three days, with a special
evening on the Saturday featuring a meal and a circus-style equestrian show. Admission
free to competitions; Sat evening 8pm (booking essential) 20€, children 12€
for meal and spectacle. |
Les Presnes, St-Gervais,
near Challans (tel: 02 51 68 71 13). |
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18 July |
14e Course a la Soupe de Poisson Gastromer Annual
“fish-soup race” sponsored by a local manufacturer of this delicious
product. Around 400 runners of all
levels will compete on a 10km course through woods and on the coast. Races
start about 5pm. The top male and female runners are awarded his or her
weight in fish soup! |
Start: |
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18, 19 July |
21eme Festival de Peinture Artists
are invited to set up their easels for the weekend, and produce a work of art
that will be judged on Sunday. (All entries go on show on Sun from |
Magné, near Maillezais |
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18, 19 July |
Salon du Livre Vendéen A
book fair specialising in publications on the Vendee, its history and its
traditions, in the atmospheric setting of a recreated hideout of the 18th-century
Vendée wars. Entertainment around the same theme. |
Refuge de Grasla, Les Brouzils, nr St Denis la Chevasse |
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18 July 2010 |
Puces Lignéronnaises July edition of the Vendée’s largest open-air flea-market. 9am-7pm. 1€. |
St
Christophe du Ligneron, near Challans |
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late July |
Fête du Lin A
day devoted to the growing, harvesting and many used of flax/linen. Entertainment
from 2pm; fashion parade at 6pm. |
Aire de Loisirs |
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late July |
Journée Luçonnaise du Cheval, du Chien
et du Chat An action-packed day, with events for riding and
driving horses; dog show .and obedience displays; and sales of horses, dogs and
cats as well as of rare breeds of poultry. |
Hippodrome (race track),Base des guiffettes, near Luçon. |
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late July |
Festival de Terre-Neuve French plays performed in the open air in
front of the lovely Chateau de Terre-Neuve. |
Château de Terre-Neuve, Fontenay-le-Comte (tel : 02 51 36 93
60) |
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Late July- |
Musiques à La Chabotterie Annual festival of baroque music in the courtyard
and garden of the Logis de la Chabotterie. |
Logis de la Chabotterie, |
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22-23 July |
La Fête du Miel en Folie Events centred around the production of honey, wuth
beekepers on hand to demonstrate their skills. |
La Folie de Finfarine, Poiroux, near Avrillé |
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late July |
Les Mysteres de Gilles de Rais Lively
medieval-style entertainment and son-et-lumiere type show performed by
costumed locals around the jagged ruin of a castle that once belonged to the
notorious child-killer Gilles de Rais. |
Machecoul (44), near Challans (tel: 02 40
31 42 87) |
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22 July 2010 |
Autrefois . . . Challans
Wonderful old-time fair days throughout this pleasant market town,
with traditional activities and a good deal of family fun. 9am-7pm.
Admission free. |
Challans |
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late July |
Broc à
Brem Annual brocante fair, Place de
la Poste |
Brem-sur-Mer |
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25 July 2010 |
Fête de la Bouse Annual cow-pat festival in the marshland village of Triaize, with
cow-pat throwing, cooking over cow-pat fires and other delights. Also a
brocante fair. |
Triaize,
near La Tranche-sur-Mer |
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late July |
Fete de la Caille The
annual quail festival by the shore of the lake, with afternoon entertainment
and an evening meal based around Maché’s famous little birds. |
Rue du Moulin-a-Eau, Maché, near Aizenay |
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The Conseil-Général’s website also has a regularly
updated calendar of events on its site www.vendee.fr, under “Agenda”. |
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