What's on in the Vendee: March events

ANGELA BIRD'S

The
Vendée

March 2013

WHAT'S ON IN THE VENDEE

(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.

Until 16 Mar 2013				Festival Les Hivernales Annual festival of music and entertainment in the area around La Mothe-Achard.			La Mothe-Achard area
Until 17 Mar 2013			Sports d’Hiver a la Mer “Winter sports” by the sea include not skiiing and skating, but rather sand-yachting, roller hockey, “snowshoe” rambles through the dunes and Nordic walking through the forests.			La Barre-de-Monts/Fromentine area
Until 4 May 2013				La mer et l'aventure Photographic exhibition, with 40 images by Yvan Zedda showing the exhilarating sport of ocean yacht racing. Tues & Fri 4-7pm; Wed & Sat 10-12.30 & 2-5.30. Admission free.			Cedetheque de la Gaubretiere, La Gaubretiere
Until 19 May 2013				Félicie de Fauveau (1801-86), l'amazone de la sculpture Exhibition of sculpture by a 19^th-century royalist, catholic feminist. Fauveau supported the Duchesse de Berry’s royalist uprising and later lived in exile in Florence. This first retrospective of her work has been mounted jointly by the Historial de Vendée and the Musée d’Orsay in Paris (where it will be seen from 11 June to 15 Sept). Tues-Sun 10-6 (from 1 Apr until 7) Admission 8 euros, students 5 euros, children free. 1 yr pass 12 euros; Vendee pass 18 euros inc other major sites.			Historial de la Vendée, Les Lucs sur Boulogne.
2, 3 Mar 2013				Randonnées en chiens de traîneau Trips in dog-hauled sledges over the sand dunes in the coastal forest. Sat, Sun 9.30am-noon.			Meet La Grande Cote car park, La Barre de Monts.
9 Mar 2013	La Suisse Vendéenne Cycle trials over the hilly countryside of the east Vendée, via Mouchamps and Chantonnay - an event for top amateur riders. Start 2.15pm, Place de la Mairie.						Start Mortagne sur Sèvre; finish Les Essarts.
10 Mar 2013		Carnival de mi-Carême Famous mid-Lent carnival parade through the village streets. 2pm.			Coëx, near Aizenay
15-17 Mar 2013				Acoustic Festival Guitar-playing singer-songwriters strum their stuff. Performers include Thomas Dutronc and Hugh Coltman.			Salle de l’Idonniere, Le Poiré-sur-Vie, near Aizenay
17 Mar 2013				Cholet Pays de la Loire 35^th edition of this well-known cycle race, with circuits for both men and women.			Cholet area
19-23 Mar 2013				L’opérette déménage Musical by Jacques Raveleau-Duparc Five musicians blend jazz, and traditional music with tunes from Irma La Douce and other well-known musicals. 8.30pm.			19 Mar : Salle de la Pastourelle, Les Brouzils ; 21 Mar : Salle du Vigneau, Mouzeuil-Saint-Martin ; 23 Mar : Salle de Sports, St-Christophe du Ligenron

25 Mar 2013				Sleeping Beauty / La Belle au Bois Dormant Live relay from Covent Garden of the ballet set to Tchaikovsky’s music. 8.30pm. Admission 12 euros.			Cinema Camera 5,21 Avenue de Villebois, Montaigu (tel : 02 51 46 46 15).
26 Mar 2013				Orchestra National des Pays de la Loire Mendelssohn’s Scottish Symphony, plus two pieces with American viola soloist David Carpenter. Part of the prestigious “Spectacles de Vendée” season. 8.30pm.			Salle festive et culturelle, Mareuil-sur-Lay, near Luçon (tel : 02 51 44 79 85)
26 Mar-1 Apr 2013				Mondial des Minimes 41st edition of this annual junior international football competition, held over Easter weekend, with young teams from 12 nations including Germany, Netiehrlands, England, France, Portugal, Turkey, China, Chile. There will also be an exhibition on the main site.			Montaigu Matches aso at : Mouilleron-le-Captif, La Tranche, Treize-Septiers, St-Fulgent, La Tranche, St-Hilaire-de-Loulay.
30, 31 Mar 2013				Galopades Tranchaises Running event, with an evening race on the Sat, and on Sun 8km, 13km and 26km circuits for various age groups. Mass start 10am, on the beach			La Tranche-sur-Mer
31 Mar 2013				EASTER SUNDAY 2013 (public holiday)

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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