Camping in Vendée

Within the borders of the Vendée, and slightly outside them, lie beautiful coastal towns, white sandy beaches, and rugged islands just waiting to be explored.

La Rochelle
La Rochelle is also known as La Ville Blanche (the White City), thanks to gleaming limestone facades that pepper the town. Although La Rochelle lost its ancient heart in 1628 when Cardinal Richelieu destroyed it, the lovely old harbour remains intact. The towers of La Chaine and St Nicholas used to guard the harbour using a colossal chain and are particularly fascinating.

St-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie
St-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie offers a quainter, more traditional take on a French seaside resort. It still offers boundless beaches, but the fishing port and old town carry an ambience of times gone by. The ancient Church of Saint Gilles is particularly worth a visit.

Les Sables d’Olonne
Les Sables d’Olonne is a bustling seaside resort famed for its seemingly endless beaches and splendid marina. Shake the sand out of your shoes in time for a trip to the stunning 15th century Chateau St Clair or the Vendée War Museum.

Nantes
Nantes is a city of many contrasts, blending modern, high-rise towers with art nouveau squares and canals. Why not stop for a tipple at one of the fine bars that line the port itself? Or if you fancy stepping into a majestic slice of history, visit the magnificent Château des Ducs de Bretagne, which served as residence for Dukes between the 13th and 16th centuries and is now home to the Nantes History Museum.

Île d’Oléron
This charming island is home to pretty towns and villages, coloured fishermen’s huts and mouth-watering markets. No visit is complete without a trip to Le Marais bird sanctuary and a tour around Château d’Oléron.

Île de Ré
Well worth a day trip when staying in the Vendée, the islands chalky cliffs and sand dunes attract a host of birdlife. For those who like life a little less rural, there are charming seaside towns where you can watch the world go by and enjoy a plateful of the famous local oysters.

This coastal region has a unique, and varied history which is centred around its seaside location.

Abbaye De L’ile Chauvet
Abbaye De L’ile Chauvet is a 12th Century Benedictine abbey, nestled on a small island in the midst of ancient salt marshes. You might not think that ruins could be described as ‘attractive’, but get back to us after you’ve visited this fascinating spot.

La Route du Sel
La Route de Sel (or the Salt Road) is one of those unique holiday experiences that will see you paddle your way through Sallertaine’s ancient salt marshes. Canoe hire is available day and night, with a special candlelit diner for visitors who choose to paddle in the evening.

This sparsely populated region is home to wildlife galore. From coastal nature reserves to inland forests, the Vendée has plenty of nature to explore.

Island of Butterflies
L’Ile aux Papillons at Ile de Noirmoutier is a wonderful experience for the whole family, but particularly spellbinding for little ones. They will be absolutely enchanted by the tropical halls that house literally thousands of colourful butterflies.

Beaches
The Vendée’s west coast location makes it an obvious holiday choice if you’re seeking warmer climates and beaches round every bend. Not designed simply for those who want to sit still, there are miles of walking trails surround the beaches to explore and travel further inland to uncover low-slung hills and woods.

Its vast beaches and river trails mean that there are plenty of activities in the Vendée to keep you busy on your camping holiday.

Cycling
Prepare to get in a spin in the Vendée and bike through a network 1,000 km of safe cycle routes across the region. Watch out for a particularly spectacular route that stretches from North to South Vendée and clocks up over 160 km of coastline.

Surfing
Surfing crashes into a league of its own in the Vendée. From St Gilles Croix de Vie all the way to La Tranche sur Mer, the Atlantic waves offer a surfing paradise for beginners through to experts.

Golf
The Vendée offers five superb golf courses ranging from the coastal delights of the Golf des Olonnes and Golf de St Jean de Monts, to the inland splendours of Gold des Fontelles and Golf de la Domangère. Green fees are also very reasonable here.

Watersports
If you’re a dab hand at watersports or you fancy trying something new, you’ll find a host of windsurfing and sailing schools across the Vendée’s Atlantic cost. Take up their expert advice and make the most of activities you might not have heard of, like kite-surfing and sand yachting.