What's on in November in the Vendee

ANGELA BIRD'S

The
Vendée

November 2009

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 30 Nov	Migration time Ornithologists gather at strategic points to witness the countless birds migrating south in great flocks for the winter. Members of the LPO (Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux) count the numbers at the Pointe de L’Aiguillon. Last year they clocked 600,000 of more than 70 species. The public are welcomed on Sat and Sun afternoons, and will be able to ask questions of the experts gathered there.	Pointe de l’Aiguillon, Aiguillon-sur-Mer.
Until 6 Dec	“2 ou 3 choses que je sais du sel” Exhibition about what it takes to become a salt-maker, or “saunier”. Fifteen of the salt-makers from the Bay ofBourgneuf, nearby, were filmed over three years, and the exhibition includes a lot of interviews with them and scenes of their activity.	Ecomusee du Daviaud, La Barre de Monts, nr St Jean de Monts
Until 17 Jan 2010	Cinq siècles de chasse en Vendée Large exhibition on the history and variety of hunting practised in the area over the centuries. It looks at deer-hunting on horseback, with dogs; at shooting (particularly wildfowling); and has a very interesting short film on falconry, with a member of the Puy du Fou falconry team demonstrating the techniques of hunting rabbits etc with the birds. (All in French, of course.) Not for the squeamish, as it includes plenty of bloodthirsty images of dogs attacking wolves, boar, deer and so on. However, it is full of interesting artefacts from the Vendée’s prominent hunting families such as the Chabots of Parc Soubise and the Baudry-d’Assons from Fonteclose. Mon-Sat 9.30am-6pm, Sun 10am-6pm. Closed 15 Dec & 1 Jan. 6 euros (also admits to house, garden and Vendee Wars trail); under 25s 3 euros; under 18s free.	Logis de la Chabotterie, St-Sulpice-le-Verdon, near Rocheservière (tel : 02 51 42 81 00)
1 Nov	TOUSSAINT (All Saint’s Day, public holiday)
early Nov	Salon Antiquités Brocante Annual antiques fair in the pretty marshland village of Sallertaine. 40 stands. Daily 9am-7pm. 3€.	Salle Polyvalente, Sallertaine, near Challans
early Nov	Salon Brocante et Collections Antiques and collectors’ fair, held in the conference centre adjacent to the seafront tourist office. 9.30am-7pm. 2.50€, children free.	Centre de Congres des Atlantes, Les Sables d’Olonne
11 Nov	ARMISTICE (public holiday)
20 Nov	Visite guidée à Notre-Dame A talk by the church’s organist, Paul Ferbos, who will introduce Notre-Dame’s famous pipe-organ. 5-6pm. 5€, children 3€ (advance booking compulsory).	Eglise Notre-Dame, Niort (tel: 05 49 24 18 79)
21, 22 Nov	Salon des vins et produits du terroir A fair devoted to wine, cheese, chocolates, sweets, foie gras and other produce from all over France.	St Jean de Monts
21, 22 Nov	Arts et decouvertes s'exposent... Crafts for Christmas, with painting, photos, ceramic, ironwork, lace, embroidery and fabulous items made from driftwood. Plus bar, coffee and hot chocolate, and home-made cakes. Sat, Sun 10.30am-6.30pm. Admission free.	Salle polyvalente, La Mainborgère, near Château-Guibert
28, 29 Nov	Marché de Noël Christmas market, in the village centre. Sat 2-6pm; Sun 10am-6pm.	Le Champ-St-Père, nr St Vincent-sur-Graon.

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.

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