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Things to do in the Vendee

Sight seeing. A noble tradition amongst holiday makers the world over is to visit the sights, get to grips with the local history and customs, take in the beauty spots and discover as much as one can about local art, archetecture and all manner of other topics related to the area you are visiting. Here in the Vendee you will not be disappointed, its turbulent past has left a legacy rich in historic abbeys,churches and castles, the topagraphy has ensured that there are a variety of landscapes to enjoy whether by walking, cycling,boating or driving.
A full list of places to visit including; chateaux and castles, towns and villages gardens and beaches, museums and markets and much more.

For some people when they visit the Vendée all they want to do is unpack, grab a glass of wine and spend the rest of their holiday relaxing and unwinding next to the pool or sitting quietly on their patio reading a good book. Other people like to get out and about, take in the sights, visit chateaux or gardens or go off to the beach . There are those who wish to spend their holiday pursuing more active tasks such as, cycling, karting and sailing or communicating with nature by walking, horse riding or fishing. The variety of choice here in the Vendée is vast.

Below we have listed some of the things to do in the Vendée and many have further pages devoted to details of these activities.

Sports. Most sports are catered for in the Vendee though obviously missing would be mountaineering (there is limited rock climbing in the Mervent Forest). The following is a list of the more popular holiday sporting activities.

Walking and Hiking. There is no better way to explore the Vendéen countryside, town or village than on foot. One gets to see all of the small details which make up this diverse landscape, one also gets to meet the locals who are very friendly people and of course you get fresh air and exercise.
Every village has marked foot paths and the local tourist office will have brochures which detail the routes, the distance, what to see and a host more information. There are more details on walking in the vendee

Cycling. Another great way to see in more detail what the Vendee has to offer.
There are over 700 kilometres of cycle paths in the Vendee and by 2010 that should be up to 1000 kilometres. Found under the term "les Sentiers Cyclable" are routes that run almost completely around the Department with detours to interesting towns and sites. More details can be found on our pages cycling in the Vendee

Golf. The Vendée has 5 golf courses to choose from plus a few more in the surrounding departments. A list of all the courses along with details of what they have to offer can be found on the golfing in the vendee pages

Fishing. Fishing is a major pastime in the Vendée and most communes have specially made lakes (plan d'eau) specifically for fishing. A permit is required to fish these lakes and the same is true for fishing the canals and rivers. Permits can be purchased from the local Maire, the tabacs and sometimes the local cafe or restaurant. Sea fishing and fishing in the tidal reaches of the river does not require a permit. Get more information on our pages fishing in the Vendée

Karting. Though not necessarily something you would want to do every day, karting can be very exciting, remember Lewis Hamilton started in karting. There are 11 circuits in the Vendee where you can indulge your passion and dream of becoming a world champion. Check out the karting circuits of the Vendee

Surfing. The Vendée is recognized as one of the finest destinations for those who love to ride the waves and a round of the world championships is often held at La Tranche sur Mer. The long fetch of the Atlantic rollers together with gentle sloping beaches, the varied breaks and the long hours of sunshine make the Vendée a surfers’ paradise. Check out more about surfing in the Vendée

Sailing. With the water never far away it is hardly surprising that sailing in all its various forms is very popular here in the Vendée and with the worlds most prestigious single handed yacht race "the Vendée Globe" taking place every 4 years all aspects of the sport are very well catered for. Find out more about sailing in the Vendée.

Horse Riding. To find those hidden treasures, to take in the wide skies and the diverse landscapes of the Vendée trekking on horse back or horse drawn caravan could not be bettered. Check out more on our pages on horse riding in the Vendée

This list is far from complete and if you seek information on a particular sport you are best to ask at the local tourist office.

Wine tasting. Though not possible the first place you think of for wine the Vendee never the less has four area of vineyards where wine of very good quality can be found, marketed under the "Fiefs Vendeens label.
These areas are: Brem-sur-mer on the north coast of the Vendee they are mainly white and quite dry.
                               Mareuil-sur-lay. The largest area of wine growing in the Vendee they produce exceptional wines in, white, rose and reds and there is an extensive wine route which takes you around the area with many places for degustation (tastings)
                               Vix. Just south of Fontenay-le-Comte on a small chalk hill above the Marais there are several vineyards producing wines of outstanding quality.

                              Pissote. Just north of Fontenay-le-Comte an small area where mainly dry white wine is produced.

Night clubs and Discos It would be fair to say that the Vendee is not bursting with either night clubs or discos though in the seaside resort towns during the holiday season there are more than ample to be found, but as the Vendee is mainly rural they are a little more difficult to find as they mainly serve the local population during the whole year. What there are are generally well organised and of good quality. Music nights in bars and restaurants are more common place but tend not to be that well advertised.

Shopping it is one of those pastimes we all love to do and none more so than when holiday. You will not find vast shopping malls full of designer outlets, the more up-market shops are restricted to the larger cities of Nantes and La Rochelle, but the Vendee makes up with a wealth of craft and Artisan outlets, with brocantes (antiques to junk) and markets and even the most decerning shopper will find a lot to browes over.

Family and children's attractions including water parks, fun parks, adventure parks,natural history and educational attractions etc.,are a must for a family on holiday and there are a great many and great selection to choose from.
On our Vendee Attractions page we have cataloged them into groups with more details available on many of them.

Check out places to see in the Vendee

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