What's on in the Vendee: October events

ANGELA BIRD'S

The
Vendée

October 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 18 Oct	Benjamin Rabier, illustrateur Vendéen Exhibition devoted to an artist born in La Roche-sur-Yon who enjoyed great success in the 1930s with his comic-strip characters such as Gédéon, the duck. Rabier was also the creator of the ultra-famous “Vache-qui-rit” (“Laughing Cow”) cheese logo. Tues-Sun 10-7. Admission to museum 8 euros, children free.	Historial de Vendée, Les Lucs sur Boulogne.
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 of Bourgneuf, 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
3, 4 Oct	Festival de la Glisse A weekend on the water, with competitions for such wind- and wave-driven sports as windsurfing, surfing, kite-surfing, wave-ski etc.	Plage des Demoiselles, St Hilaire de Riez, nr St Gilles Croix de Vie.
4 Oct	Fête de la Citrouille Grand pumpkin festival and competition Record-holder is one weighing 553kg. 10.30am-7pm. Admission 3.50€	Le Potager Extraordinaire, La Mothe-Achard, nr Les Sables.
11 Oct	Fête de la Chataîgne Walks and autumn tastings, on the theme of chestnuts..	Maison de la Vie Rurale, La Flocelliere, St-Michel-Mont-Mercure, near Pouzauges (tel: 02 51 57 77 14).
11 Oct	Fête des Vendanges Annual wine fair, with brocante fair attached. 7am-6pm. Admission free.	Pissotte, near Fontenay le Comte
13-19 Oct	Chrono des Nations Annual cycle-fest, with timed trials over routes from 17km to 48km race around the hills and dales of Les Herbiers. Sunday is the main day, with five timed trials, near the railway station, starting 11.30am.	Les Herbiers
15 Oct	Faramondo Opera by Handel, in three acts, with Max-Emmanuel Cencis, Philippe Jaroussky, and Sophie Karthäuser. 8.30pm.	Eglise Ste-Anne, St-Hilaire-de-Riez, near St Gilles-Croix de Vie Spectacles de Vendée booking office (tel : 02 51 xxx
16 Oct	Archives Départementales: Portes Ouvertes An open day at the county archive office gives a chance to see the workings of this office. Guided tours (90 mins) indicate how useful a resource it could be - either for genealogists or for those seeking the history of their house or village. Tours start 10.30am, 2pm and 2.30pm. Admission free, but prior reservation recommended as numbers are limited.	Archives Départementales, 14 Rue Haxo, La Roche-sur-Yon (tel : 02 51 37 71 33).
16 Oct- 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)
17, 18 Oct	Fourchettes en Fête Two days devoted to Challans’ local food specialities, such as Challans duck, Le Garnachoix cheese and so on. Sat: Challans restaurants will be highlighting local specialities in their menus; Sun, Marché de producteurs will be held at the Ferme de la Terrière, with stalls selling quail, oysters, cheeses etc..	Sat, various restaurants ; Sun Ferme de la Terrière, 19 Rue Maurice Fillonneau, Challans (tel : 02 51 58 07 89).
18 Oct	Marche à la Chataîgne A day of rambling, circuits from 9km to 35km. Longer routes (entrance fee 5 euros) start 8am-9.30pm; the 9km walkers (3 euros) start between 10am and 2pm. Under-12s may take part free. Plenty of chestnut-flour crepes and chestnuts to warm up with afterwards.	Breuil-Barret, near La Roche-sur-Yon
24 Oct	Cancer Support Vendée: Autumn Fair Christmas cards, bric-a-brac, tombola, refreshments – and much more. All proceeds to Cancer Support Vendée. The Claranne’s Pantry shop specialising in British foods will be open too (for directions, see the shop’s website). 10am-4pm.	Claranne’s Pantry, La Riviere, St Paul-Mont-Pénit, near Aizenay
25 Oct	Foire aux Marrons Annual chestnut festival, also with mushroom displays and antiques fair – expect delicious smells of grilled chestnuts to waft over the proceedings. 9am-7pm.	La Caillère-St-Hilaire (tel: 02 51 51 59 93).
25 Oct	Vente aux enchères Annual auction sale of works by some of the artists in the Vouvant area.	Vouvant, near Fontenay-le-Comte

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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