TheVendee: What's new since the last book appeared

ANGELA BIRD'S

The
Vendée

With 240km of coastline, the Vendée has several marinas ready to welcome sailors.
The followng are arranged by the same sections as used for the guidebook. Areas 4 and 5 being landlocked do not have any marinas.

Links are mostly to the site PortBooker.com, which carries detailed information in English on the facilities that are to be expected for visiting yachts

1 St-Jean-de-Monts, Challans, St-Gilles, plus islands of Noirmoutier and Yeu ILE DE NOIRMOUTIER (NOIRMOUTIER ISLAND) L’Herbaudière An active fishing-port as well as a marina, L’Herbaudiere is a busy place, with plenty of waterfront restaurants – including the Michelin-starred La Marine. ST-GILLES-CROIX-DE-VIE Port la Vie This marina in the shelter of the river Vie estuary is in the town centre, with easy access to railway station (trains to Nantes and connections for Paris), shops, restaurants and tourist office. ILE D’YEU (YEU ISLAND) Port-Joinville A welcome haven for yachts on this offshore island.
2 Les Sables, Talmont, La Roche-sur-Yon area JARD-SUR-MER A port for small sailing boats, which largely dries out at low tide. PORT BOURGENAY Port Bourgenay marina Near the attractive village of Talmont-St-Hilaire. LES SABLES D’OLONNE/LA CHAUME Port Olona This marina hits the headlines every 4 years as the starrt and finish of the Vendée-Globe round the world yacht race. There’s also visitors’ mooring on Les Sables’ town quay, alongside the restaurants on quai Guiné. Les Sables-d’Olonne railway station, with trains to Nantes and Paris, is within reasonable walking distance.
3 La Tranche, Luçon, Green Venice area LA ROCHELLE (Charente-Maritime) Port de Plaisance des Minimes Just outside the confines of the town. There are also visitors’ moorings in the Vieux-Port basin in the heart of the old town. Railway station, with TGV service to Paris. St MARTIN DE RÉ (ILE DE RÉ) Marina de St-Martin de Ré Extremely attractive port on the north coast of this fashionable island.
4 Fontenay, La Chataigneraie, Pouzauges

5 Clisson, Montaigu, Puy du Fou area

6 Loire-Atlantique: Nantes, Clisson, Muscadet country, and Bay of Bourgneuf

LA BAULE

Pornichet marina

On the eastern side of the wide sweep of La Baule’s beach. Railway station La Baule/Escoublac, with trains to Nantes and Paris.

PORNIC

Pornic marina

At the harbour mouth, in the shadow of Gilles de Rais’ castle. Railway station with service to Nantes and Paris.

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