Vendée: holiday apartments and holiday homes

Vendée combines a wide variety of landscapes: from plains and bocage countryside to coast, marshland and dunes, as well as forests. Anyone wishing to rent a holiday apartment in Vendée can then continue searching for accommodation.

Nature

The Cité des Oiseaux is a 56-hectare protected bird area with an observatory, viewpoint and walking paths for observing waterbirds and migrating songbirds. The Vendée's Espaces Naturels Sensibles cover 3,000 hectares acquired to protect biodiversity and are accessible for nature walks. Access is free; visitors follow the marked paths for hiking.

In the Marais Poitevin, environmentally friendly activities include boat and canoe trips, cycling, walks, birdwatching and activities by the sea. The Réserve des Huttes is a 146-hectare biological reserve that showcases the preserved life of the marshland in the Marais Poitevin in the 19th century. In addition, there are 320 kilometres of navigable and signposted waterways for boat trips in nature.

Cycling

The Vendée's cycling routes combine nature and culture. The routes from the bocage to the coast pass through hilly or flatter sections and are suitable for different age and ability levels. The Vendée coastal cycle route runs predominantly on dedicated paths; flat, secured sections are suitable for family outings.

The Marais Poitevin has almost 800 kilometres of cycling loops. The individual circular routes range from 4 to 38 kilometres. La Vélodyssée covers 200 kilometres of cycle paths along the coast in the Vendée; more than 60 percent of the route runs on paths reserved for cyclists. La Vélidéale crosses the Vendée for around 60 kilometres through the bocage. Along the route are viewpoints, the Sèvre Nantaise and historic mills.

Visitor businesses awarded the Accueil Vélo label are located no more than 5 kilometres from cycle routes and offer services and equipment designed for cyclists.

Culture

The traditional Batai is a local boatbuilding heritage of the marshland and the predecessor of the boats used today on the waterways of the Marais Poitevin. The water heritage of the Marais Poitevin is also diverse: it includes ports, washhouses, wells, quays, footbridges, locks, pontoons and water-management structures. Visitors can explore these places on foot, by bicycle, on horseback, by boat or by canoe.

The Historial de la Vendée presents 7,000 years of history through modern, entertaining and scholarly museography. Its offerings include a children's museum, exhibitions and activities held year-round. The Château de Tiffauges offers demonstrations and activities at the largest medieval site in the region. It is also home to a conservatory of war machines, described as unique in the world.

The Haras national de la Vendée focuses on the relationship between people and horses. This includes demonstrations, educational workshops and the crafts of the national stud farm. The Abbaye de Maillezais is a Benedictine fortress with thousand-year-old remains in the heart of the Marais Poitevin.

Cuisine

The five wine-growing areas of the Fiefs Vendéens are Brem-sur-Mer, Pissotte, Mareuil-sur-Lay, Vix and Chantonnay. Regional cuisine includes specialities such as Mogette, Préfou, Trouspinette, Tourtisseaux and Gâche. Seafood products are also available, including sardines from Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, oysters from Vendée Atlantique, sole and shellfish.

Places

Other place pages in this selection: Longeville-Sur-Mer, Beauvoir-Sur-Mer, Bretignolles-Sur-Mer, La Faute-Sur-Mer, La Roche-Sur-Yon, La Tranche-Sur-Mer, Les Sables-D'olonne, Saint-Jean-De-Monts, Saint-Vincent-Sur-Jard, Apremont, Bois-De-Cene, Brem-Sur-Mer, Chantonnay, Château-D'olonne, Coëx, Falleron, Givrand, L'aiguillon-Sur-Mer, L'aiguillon-Sur-Vie, L'epine, L'île-D'elle, La Guérinière, Landevieille, Moutiers-Sur-Le-Lay, Notre-Dame-De-Monts, Palluau, Maillé, Saint-Hilaire-De-Riez, Sallertaine, Soullans, Talmont-Saint-Hilaire, Vaire, Vouvant, La Tardiere, Venansault, Olonne-Sur-Mer, Lavaud, Saint-Julien-Des-Landes, La Chaize-Giraud, Château-Guibert, La Chapelle-Palluau, Barbatre, Saint-Georges-De-Montaigu, Saint-Martin-Des-Noyers, Saint-Hilaire-La-Forêt, Nalliers, Draps, Saint-Vincent-Sterlanges, Saint-Symphorien, La Bruffière, Saint-Nicolas, Saint-Martin-De-Fraigneau, Saint-Étienne-Du-Bois, Noirmoutier-En-Lʼîle, Les Herbiers, La Mothe-Achard, Fontenay-Le-Comte, Chambretaud, Challans, La Barre-De-Monts, Saint-Gervais, Saint-Gilles-Croix-De-Vie, Bouin, Tiffauges, Maché, Sainte-Hermine, Angles, Saint-Mathurin, Saint-Hilaire-Le-Vouhis, Triaize, La Flocellière, L'oie, Moreilles, Saint-Hilaire-De-Loulay, La Chapelle-Hermier, Mouilleron-Le-Captif, Le Givre, Le Gué-De-Velluire, Grosbreuil, Poiroux, Sainte-Foy, Sérigné, Montaigu, Velluire, Le Poiré-Sur-Vie, Saint-Paul-Mont-Penit, Saint-Laurent-Sur-Sèvre, La Garnache, Les Brouzils, Le Champ-Saint-Père, Mareuil-Sur-Lay-Dissais, La Caillère-Saint-Hilaire, Boufféré, Sainte-Gemme-La-Plaine, Saint-Michel-En-L'herm, Le Boupère, La Pommeraie-Sur-Sèvre, Curzon, Sainte-Florence, Chavagnes-En-Paillers, Saint-Fulgent, Sainte-Cécile, Jard-Sur-Mer, Les Magnils-Reigniers, Sainte-Flaive-Des-Loups, Aizenay, Les Epesses, La Chapelle-Thémer, La Ferriere, Saint-Cyr-En-Talmondais, Saint-Révérend, Saint-Prouant, Sainte-Radégonde-Des-Noyers, Mesnard-La-Barotière, Le Perrier, Saint-Hilaire-Des-Loges, Mouchamps, La Verrie, La Châtaigneraie, Saint-Pierre-Le-Vieux, Monsireigne, Chaillé-Les-Marais, Pouzauges, Le Fenouiller, Les Lucs-Sur-Boulogne, Luçon, Saint-Philbert-De-Bouaine, Oulmes, Le Langon, Tallud-Sainte-Gemme, Mouilleron-En-Pareds, Saint-Mesmin, Rocheservière, Saint-Malô-Du-Bois, Froidfond, Grand'landes, Moutiers-Les-Mauxfaits, Saint-Maixent-Sur-Vie, Saint-Benoist-Sur-Mer, Saint-Étienne-De-Brillouet, Puyravault, Damvix, Réaumur, Aubigny, Le Tablier, Saint-Sigismond, Loge-Fougereuse, Cugand, Corpe, Saint-Christophe-Du-Ligneron, La Jonchère, Grues, Breuil-Barret, Les Châtelliers-Châteaumur, Le Mazeau, Vendrennes, Fougeré, Longèves, La Gaubretière, La Chaize-Le-Vicomte, La Boissière-De-Montaigu, Les Landes-Genusson, Maillezais, Nieul-Le-Dolent, Bazoges-En-Pareds, Nesmy, Mortagne-Sur-Sèvre, Saint-Germain-l'Aiguiller, Saint-Maurice-des-Noues, Mouzeuil-Saint-Martin, Vix, La Meilleraie-Tillay, Chauché, Chasnais, Foussais-Payré, Sigournais, Chavagnes-les-Redoux, La Boissière-des-Landes, Île d'Yeu, La Jaudonnière, Saint-Laurent-de-la-Salle, Saint-Vincent-sur-Graon, Mervent, Le Bernard, Saint-Denis-du-Payré, L'Orbrie, Thouarsais-Bouildroux, Commequiers, Champagné-les-Marais, Notre-Dame-de-Riez, Saint-Avaugourd-des-Landes, Treize-Vents, Bournezeau, Saint-Juire-Champgillon, Saint-André-Goule-d'Oie, Saint-Mars-la-Réorthe, Saint-Pierre-du-Chemin, Landeronde, Saint-Martin-des-Tilleuls, Les Essarts, Martinet, Saint-Michel-Mont-Mercure, La Réorthe, Bazoges-en-Paillers, Saint-Martin-Lars-en-Sainte-Hermine, Bouillé-Courdault, Treize-Septiers, Chaix, Saint-Paul-en-Pareds, Antigny, Bourneau, L'Île-d'Olonne.

To the general travel overview: Pays De La Loire.