What's on in the Vendee: October events

ANGELA BIRD'S

The
Vendée

October 2012

WHAT'S ON IN THE VENDEE

(entries in red indicate new additions)

	PLEASE NOTE This website is 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 Ornitholoigists 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.
Early Oct	Tour de Vendée cycle race
Early Oct	Salon du développement durable Exhibition devoted to sustainable development.	Odyssea, St-Jean-de-Monts
7 Oct 2012	Fête de la Citrouille Grand national pumpkin festival and competition Record-holder is one weighing 553kg; there’s also a competition for the longest gourd. 10.30am-7pm. Admission 7€	Le Potager Extraordinaire, La Mothe-Achard, nr Les Sables.
7 Oct 2012	Fete de l’automne en Pays Mareuillais Enjoy autumn colours in a beautifully-restored garden.	Jardin de Chaligny, Ste-Pexine, near Ste Hermine (tel : 06 08 71 64 99)
7 Oct 2012	Vendée Roller Marathon A day of roller-skating throughout the town, with courses over 40km (for experts), and 20km (for the rest).	Les Herbiers
13 Oct 2012	Le Jour de la nuit A nationwide evening event looking at the stars, at night-time wildlife, and highlighting today’s problems of light pollution. Events will be held at the Maison des Libellules in Chaillé sous les Ormeaux, and, in neighbouring Loire-Atlantique, at Préfailles village centre.	Maison des Libellules, Chaillé-sous-les-Ormeaux, near La Roche-sur-Yon ; Village centre, Préfailles, near Pornic (44)
13 Oct 2012	Concert florilège Concert by Hugo Reyne, director and flutes; Leonor Lepretre, soprano; Jeffrey Thompson, tenor; Aimery Lefevre, bass-baritone, and musicians of the Simphonie du Marais. 8.30pm. Admission 22 euros.	Théatre de Thalie, Montaigu (tel : 02 51 42 19 39)
14 Oct 2012	Fête de la Vendange Annual wine fair, with brocante fair attached. 8am-6pm (grape-pressing starts 2pm). Admission free.	Pissotte, near Fontenay le Comte
15-21 Oct 2012	Semaine du Gout Lots of restaurants propose special menus, and special prices, to enable customers to try their special dishes.	Throughout France
16-22 Oct 2012	Chrono des Nations Timed cycle races on circuits around Les Herbiers.	Les Herbiers
20 Oct-11 Nov 2012	Vendée-Globe “village” Visit the port of Les Sables to see the yachts that are setting out on 10 Nov on their round the world voyages. There is a tented “village” full of stands providing details of the race and the skippers, with a chance to buy merchandise too.	Port Olona, Les Sables-d’Olonne
late Oct	Foire aux Marrons Annual chestnut festival, 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).
27, 28 Oct 2012	Tennis de Table European and Asian table-tennis teams meet in this international competition.	Vendéspace, Mouilleron-le-Captif, near La roche-sur-Yon

MORE EVENTS

The Vendée Tourist Board website has many events listed under
various categories, starting from this page

The Conseil-Général’s website also has a regularly updated
calendar of events on its site, under “Agenda”
(click on “Evenements suivants” for later events, or on the names
of the other months shown)

For Vendée vide-greniers (brocante fairs and car-boot sales),
I have made a selection from  this excellent specialised website.
If you wish to see those in another département, simply change the Vendee code (85) at the end of the link to that of your chosen département: i.e. 44 for Loire-Atlantique; 49 for Maine-et-Loire etc

JAN FEB MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC

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