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VENDEE INFORMATION
First stop must be the highly informative website of the Conseil Général (or county council) of the
Vendée, which is strong on business and other information.
The site of the Vendée tourist board has plenty
of detail - this link should take you straight to the English version - about
what to see when you are in the area.
Software expert Roland Oziel has created several very comprehensive websites
on the region. On Le Tourisme en Vendée
you find details of hundreds of holiday cottages, B&Bs and campsites,
plus photographs of wildlife and well-illustrated descriptions of walks
through attractive areas of countryside (see individual village entries
below), and also tidetables and some good maps of the
county and of its climate.
Try “The Vendée:France in English”
for its Vendée-specific forum where you can share information and advice with
other Brits in the area.
AngloInfo is a very useful series of sites covering different regions of
France. The site for Pays de la Loire
(and hence the Vendée) has invaluable information on exchange rates, books,
maps, weather, games, the latest films showing in English-language versions,
a what’s on guide for the region, classified ads and links to professionals
such as architects and surveyors.
French Entrée is another France-wide site
with a comprehensive guide to living in the Pays de la Loire
region, as well as hints on property-buying in the area. Editors David and
Gwen carry interviews and information on many aspects of Vendée living,
provide lists of emergency numbers, adverts for builders, a forum, and a
useful map that shows flights
to France from different airports in the UK.
The TotalFrance site has another useful
forum for those in the Pays de la Loire (which also includes the Vendée).
Telegraph writer Jon Doust lives in the Vendée, and makes
the area (along with other more general French topics) the subject of many of his blogs.
On Chouan.com site,
Roland provides links to loads of businesses and other useful information.
And with his English-language site Vendee.biz
he provides links to holiday accommodation
Weather reports for the next five days can be found on the MeteoConsult site
by typing in the postcode of the town or village you are interested in. For
weather in La Roche-sur-Yon try the Voila
search engine (or select another town, and click on "afficher").
SOME ARTISTS' VIEWS
The painter Raphael
Toussaint is one of the Vendée's best known living artists; the site
shows a selection of his works - many of which depict local scenes. Another
relatively modern artist is the late Henry
Simon, native of St-Hilaire-de-Riez, who painted wonderful market and
marshland scenes during the 1950s and 60s, though his styles varied
considerably from decade to decade of his long career. (A major exhibition on
Simon is planned from 10 July to 28 August 2005, at the Palais des Congrès in
St-Jean-de-Monts.
For landscapes of the Challans marshes, drop in on another page to see
early-20th-century works by Vendean painter Charles
Milcendeau, who is commemorated at a charming museum set up in the
artist's former home near Soullans. Other Milcendeau links are at this
site of practical detail on the museum, and a site devoted to the cultural heritage of
Soullans.
Another artist who lived locally, though produced essentially abstract works,
is Gaston Chaissac (you can
see a lot of his cheerfully colourful work in the Musée
de l'Abbaye Ste-Croix at Les Sables d'Olonne, and also on several other
web sites).
PHOTOGRAPHERS' VIEWS
Photographer Michel Lagarde
provides pages of beautiful Vendée pictures; click on the word Vendée on the
index page, and then if you click on an individual picture you will be taken
to a pageful on the same theme.
Roland Gilles provides a wonderful changing selection of images of Jard-sur-Mer. And some
picturesquely old-fashioned scenes can be found on a site full of old
postcard views.
And Antoine Vairet, a resident of
Noirmoutier who is passionate about watersports, shows some lovely images of
Noirmoutier, and of windsurfing and sailing events that he has taken on
Noirmoutier and elsewhere.
HOTELS, B-&-Bs AND
RESTAURANTS
Information on all these can be found on other pages of this site.
Suggestions for hotels,
B&Bs and holiday cottages appear on the Practical Information page; Restaurants have their
own page. Any additional recommendations always welcome...
INDIVIDUAL TOWNS AND VILLAGES
On his Vendeens.com pages, Roland
Oziel gives links to many towns and villages; if you click on the
“randonnées” link on the first page of the site, you will find chronicles of
walks through different areas of the countryside too. Some of these,
including personal web pages, that may be of interest are listed below. Most
are in French; a few offer English versions (some are clearly translated by
software, so the "English" may be a little fractured!).
If you need a little help with the language yourself, you can copy-and-paste
French text into the Alta
Vista translation software. Again, it may come out in slightly dislocated
English, but you should be able to get the gist of the information.
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A-E
Aizenay - what to visit in and
around this busy little town; and click
here for links to its various shops and businesses. If you have visited
the "Sentier du Souvenir" on the edge of Aizenay forest, click on Danny McGahan's
exhaustively-researched page about the US WW2 bomber and its crew, shot
down at this spot in 1944.
Angles - check
out this attractive village, whose Romanesque church has a stone bear on the
roof!
Apremont – at last, a site for this picturesque village that is a
particular hit with British visitors for its ruined Renaissance castle and
its lakeside beach.
Aubigny - everything there is
to know about this small town, with a Romanesque church.
Avrillé, Le Bernard,
St-Hilaire-la-Forêt - views of the CAIRN neolithic
centre, and of some of the megalithic remains in the area. And here are views of Avrillé taken
by Roland Oziel and his friends during a ramble around the village.
Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche -
devoted to art, this pretty village south of Aizenay has plenty of creative
activity, including an attractive
courtyard where you will find an artist, a bookbinder and Antiqvaria -
the the village's antiquarian bookseller and creator of the Beaulieu website.
Beauvoir, Bouin, St-Gervais and St-Urbain -
brief information and some pictures of these villages near the mainland side
of the Noirmoutier causeway.
Bourgneuf-en-Retz (OK -
I know it's not the Vendée, but it's near enough!) - the brilliant local
museum and the whole Pays de Retz area.
La Chaize-le-Vicomte - the
highlights of a small town, east of La Roche-sur-Yon.
Challans - the official site for
this attractive market town has interesting historic information and pictures
if you go to "identité" and then "histoire". And here is
a site that gives a taste of the brilliant old-tyme market, Autrefois Challans..., that
takes place twice in July and twice in August each year.
Chantonnay - a
thriving town on the edge of the plain; good info and pictures if you go to
"tourisme" and then "monuments"... Click on the following
link to visit also the "unofficial"
Chantonnay site.
Cheffois -
enthusiastic walker Roland Oziel and his friends, "the baladins", take
us on a virtual hike around this village of the haut-bocage.
Cholet - Large town on the north-east edge of the Vendée -
actually in Maine-et-Loire. The tourist board's comprehensive site takes in
the town's history (Cholet is famous for handkerchiefs!), and museums
(excellent one on the Vendée Wars).
La Copechagnière -
Roland illustrates a walk around this village of the north Vendée, and visits
the atmospheric Refuge de Grasla, a reconstruction of a hideout used by
villagers during the 18th-century Vendée Wars.
Les Epesses - what
to visit in this attractive hillside town near the Puy-du-Fou.
Les Essarts -
information on this little town that is soon to become an important
crossroads in the Vendée's autoroute system. Good section on restaurants,
with sample prices quoted.
F-L
La Faute-sur-Mer - Dominique Arnaud goes into
fascinating detail about mussel-farming and all sorts of other aspects of
life in La Faute; there is also an official site set up by the resort's Mairie. And yet another site
on La Faute!
Les Herbiers town, and
surrounding area, and an "unofficial" site for Les Herbiers
too.
Jard-sur-Mer -
Roland Gilles' photographs make for a virtual visit of his pretty seaside
village. And here's a new site for the pretty village of St-Vincent-sur-Jard.
Longeville-sur-Mer - look
on this Talmont page for a link to the seaside resort of Longeville.
Luçon - an excellent site on this
pleasant cathedral town in the south-Vendée
M-N
Maché - Jean-Claude Robert
gives a run-down of the restaurants, businesses (including quail- and
ostrich-rearing!) and picturesque corners of this little commune in the lower
bocage.
Machecoul
- the tourism section of the site (all
right, it's another Loire-Atlantique one!) gives a virtual tour of this
attractive town, north of Challans.
Menomblet village.
Mervent - a
virtual ramble through the lovely forest of Mervent with Roland and his
"baladins", plus a site for the Pierre-Brune activity park (day-long
activities for children).
Montaigu - everything you want
to know about this little market town of the northern Vendée. And here's a
link to a site about the Maison
de la Rivière, a little museum that tells you about river life.
Mortagne-sur-Sevre - a fact-filled site about
this attractive little town on the north-east border of the Vendée.
La Mothe-Achard - a small market town, now bypassed by the
La Roche-to-Les Sables highway, but worth a visit for its imposing market-hall
(Friday market), and in summer for the pumpkins and other marrow-related
plants grown at Le Potager Extraordinaire.
Mouilleron-en-Pareds. - A walk
by Roland and his "baladins" from this attractive village up to the
ridge lined with several disused windmills.
Les Moutiers-en-Retz -
Loire-Atlantique again; lots of pictures and information about an attractive
seaside village.
Moutiers-les-Mauxfaits - a
comprehensive, and frequently-updated site for this ancient village,
clustered around a picturesque 18th-century market-hall. The local supermarket
has a large range of “English” products, from Oxo cubes and Paxo stuffing to
Jacobs’ Cream Crackers and golden syrup.
Nalliers -
Roland Oziel's illustrated walk around this village on the edge of the Marais
Poitevin.
Nesmy - Jean-Yves Baudry
introduces his village, which is known for its pottery, its golf course, and
some lovely waterside walks.
Niort - the
capital of the neighbouring county of Deux-Sèvres (79) is famous for
angelica, and has a lovely market hall as well as a sensational legend about
a dragon.
Noirmoutier - The official Noirmoutier
site (very memory-hungry to load!) & a personal
web page on the island both offer plenty of information and pictures of
Le Gois causeway, pretty harbours etc. You can find details of the Bois-de-la-Chaize sailing club, and
the Foulées du Gois site gives
information about the annual running race in June in which athletes set out
on the 4km causeway route with the incoming tide lapping their ankles.
Notre-Dame-de-Monts -
plenty of information about events and entertainment in this popular seaside
resort.
O-S
Olonne-sur-Mer - some
interesting facts and images in the Tourisme section of this web site.
Petosse - a fascinating site about the
underground passages of a strange village, where witches are supposed to have
passed though on their way to their Sabbaths.
Poiroux - look
on this Talmont page for a link to the village of Poiroux. You can also
accompany Roland Oziel and friends on a walk around the Poiroux
area.
Port Bourgenay - a
large selection of photographs showing the resort's seaside golf course.
Pouzauges
- an excellent site by the local council,
that is both informative and easy to use.
Réaumur -
another ramble with Roland and the "baladins" around an village
associated with the 18th-century scientist René-Antoine Ferchaud de Réaumur,
famous for inventing the thermometer.
Rochereau -
Roland and his companions have been out walking with their digital camera
again, this time around a lake just to the east of Chantonnay!
La Roche-sur-Yon -
everything that's going on in the Vendée's county town. Here is a link to the
official site for La Roche,
and to a French site about the
county's archives,which are held in La Roche.
Les Sables-d'Olonne - no
shortage of information on this attractive seaside town, and its interesting museum. The local tourist office has its
own site.
St-Denis-la-Chevasse -
spruce village, memorable for its delightful museum of kitchen utensils.
St-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie - for
the time being you will have to be content with the French version of this
site, which has a few gaps in its content, but a good selection of things to
see and do in the area. Click here for webcam
views across the harbour mouth. The local speciality - the sardine - has
its special website.
St-Hilaire-de-Riez –
tourism information on the seaside village, plus an unofficial site on the
resort.
St-Jean-de-Monts - An excellent
web site telling you (in French only at present) plenty about this popular
seaside resort, and with a webcam so you can check how many people are on the
beach today! Visitors to the nearby open-air farming museum might like to
check out its attractions on the Ecomusée
du Daviaud site.
St-Laurent-sur-Sèvre -
Roland Oziel takes us on a tour of this attractive town, full of religious
institutions.
St-Martin-des-Noyers - the
essential information on this village.
St-Michel-Mont-Mercure -
another of Roland's "balades", this time around the village on the
hilly "bocage" on the eastern side of the département which
is the highest point of the Vendée.
St-Nazaire -
Across the Loire and out of the Vendée, but this shipbuilding town is full of
World War II history.
St-Pierre-du-Chemin -
images and comments about the village's February St-Valentine festival.
St-Vincent-Puy-Maufrais - yet
another of Roland's rambles, with plenty of photographic illustration.
Sallertaine –
information on this pretty village in the heart of the marshes, which is full
of craft shops during the summer months.
Soullans - a page on the history
of this village south of Challans, home of the painter Charles Milcendeau.
T-Z
Talmont-St-Hilaire –
tourist site for this former seaport, dominated by its historic
ruined castle, built by Richard Coeur-de-Lion. Another excellent site
gives plenty of detail about Talmont's motor museum;
and a Port Bourgenay site gives yet more Talmont
information.
Tiffauges – here’s a site about
Bluebeard's castle,
where you can see entertaining demonstrations of medieval siege machinery.
La Tranche-sur-Mer -
seaside resort eternally popular with surfers and windsurfers.
Yeu island - lots
of information about the attractive, unspoilt island, known as the Ile d'Yeu.
And if you need to park your car for a day, or longer, in Fromentine on the
mainland, while you visit the island, then you'll need to check out the site
for Blanchard car
parking.
OTHER USEFUL LINKS
Service Public – The site of the
French Civil Service gives links to the English pages of websites relating to
various French official institutions such as parliament, the law, the armed
forces etc.
French
Tourist Board
Western Loire
Tourist Board - the regional tourist office (known in French as
Pays-de-la-Loire) that includes the Vendée and neighbouring counties of
Loire-Atlantique, Mayenne, Maine-et-Loire and Sarthe. Mail them on infotourisme@crtpdl.com and ask for
the free "Western Loire Holiday Magazine".
Pays-de-la-Loire facilities - important tip: Select
Pays-de-la-Loire rather than typing in "85" or "Vendée". And here is an excellent
site for finding accommodation in the region; click on the Union Jack for
the English version, and click on "Vendée" to fine down your
search.
Distinct France -
good links to a variety of sites dealing with French travel, and the
different areas of western France.
Enhance France is a lively site
created by Alan Biggins - author of the popular books A Normandy Tapestry
and Selling French Dreams. The website has many useful links to tell
drivers about the rules of the road in France and to help find hotel
accommodation.
Budget hotels throughout France, useful if you want a cheap overnight
stop on the way through France, are dealt with on a couple of sites: villages-hotel.com and hotel-bb.com
Conseil Général de la Vendée - the
county council's excellent official site.
Vendée Tourist Board - strong
on French-style romantic descriptions of where to go and what to do, rather
than on hard facts, but some interesting information nonetheless.
Vendée tourist offices
- a complete list
South Vendée - a
what's-on guide, and other information
Vendée Préfecture
- local government offices, in La Roche-sur-Yon.
Vendée postcodes
Vendée picnic spots - here is
a list of all those little wooden tables and benches for your delight...
Antiques
and junk shops - a list of those throughout the Vendée.
Weather reports / forecasts
– the French Met Office.
Health for expats -
a clearly-written guide, in English, to the French healthcare system.
Minitel on-line
telephone directory - "pages blanches" and "pages
jaunes" (white and yellow pages).
Travel insurance - Europ
assistance needs no introduction.
A lively forum, called
"la Mairie" - indispensable for exchanging practical
information. Divided into categories like "renovating property",
"education", "travelling to France", and various regional
groups, it is reached via the website of "Living France" magazine.
If you have any questions about life in France, you are bound to find an
expert here who can advise you!
Michael Julien's links - a
comprehensive list of sites connected with France, including travel,
newspapers, business and other topics.
DEFRA, the
official UK government website about taking pets abroad.
and
In the Vendée – a new
English-language website, with useful links and a forum for exchanging of
information on anything to do with the region.
French Entrée – a website about
buying a house and living in France. It has a good discussion forum full of
information for would-be purchasers.
Total France – a site relating to
all t hings about living in France, with classified ads, a good forum, and
some authoritative articles with vital information for ex-pats, such as
education, or registering a business.
LOCAL PRESS
Le
Journal des Sables - local paper: click on Météo for weather forecasts,
tidetables etc for Les Sables-d'Olonne.[currently under reconstruction]
Ouest-France - regional newspaper.
Most local to the Vendée are the news issues in the pages on La Roche-sur-Yon.
Revue 303 - glossy quarterly French
arts magazine produced by the Pays-de-la-Loire (Western Loire) regional
tourist board. The slightly bizarre title is the sum of the numbers
representing the different counties: 85 for Vendée, 44 for Loire-Atlantique,
49 for Maine-et-Loire, 53 for Mayenne, 72 for Sarthe! (Not a lot of people
know that...)
BRITISH
PUBLICATIONS ON FRANCE
Destination France – a
relaunch of the former Camping in France magazine, this monthly
publication contains well-researched articles on what to visit during your
holiday in France.
French
Property News - home page gives the exchange rate of the day between the
UK pound and the franc.
"France" magazine - interesting
pages and indispensable information from the English-language magazine for
Francophiles.
"Everything France" magazine - monthly mag with a large
section on property for sale.
"Living France" magazine
- lots of sound advice for property-owners and intending property-owners in
this monthly magazine. Also a lively forum available from the magazine's main
website (you have to register if you want to post contributions, but this is
free).
The French Paper - a new monthly
publication that aims to bring news, comment and advice to anglophone readers
on all aspects of living in France. Available from newsagents throughout
France from early June 2009.
CAMPING AND CARAVANNING LINKS
The Camping and
Caravanning Club
Carefree
(travel wing of the Camping and Caravanning Club)
The Caravan Club
Camping France Direct -
Camping France Direct - a well laid-out website from a company that offers a
range of upmarket camping holidays.
The Annuaire Français du
Tourisme has links to sites all over France (type the county code 85 into
the box to find sites in the Vendée).
Vendée-Loisirs-Vacances
- an English welcome to mobile homes and villas at seaside locations near
St-Jean-de-Monts.
uk.rec.caravanning - a newsgroup full
of holiday tips and shared experiences that even non-caravanners will
appreciate.
The website associated
with the above caravanning newsgroup.
Voilà is a French search engine. Type in
vendee, click on "rechercher" and among the pages that come up are
many of the region's campsites.
Return to my Practical
page for links to UK camping tour-operators' sites.
TRAVEL LINKS
Brittany Ferries
P&O
Condor
Irish Ferries
Speedferries
Eurostar (for passenger rail services
from London Waterloo to France and Belgium)
Eurotunnel (for car travel by the
tunnel from Folkestone to Calais)
Eurolines (for coach travel between
London, and Nantes/Niort/La Rochelle)
SNCF (French railways)
Air France/Brit Air - for daily
flights to Nantes
British
Airways/GB Airways - for daily flights to Nantes.
Air miles - for using those hard-won
“miles” to reach France.
Ryanair - for cheap flights to La
Rochelle, Poitiers, or Dinard (near St-Malo).
Carhire4less - a website
comparing rental offers from Hertz, Avis, Alamo and Europcar. Also worth
trying are http://www.leisurecars.com/
and www.affordable-car-hire.com
Route-planning - driving through France.
Mappy - a French site giving town plans or
excellent suggested routes through France. (There's an English version if you
click on the word "English" at the top of the introductory page.)
Bison Futé (or
"Crafty Bison") shows you which days to keep off the roads to avoid
French holiday times.
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