Vendee on hol - what to do?

milese

Hi,

We (my wife and our 5 month old daughter and I) are going here on Thursday:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=La+Gara ... 6&t=m&z=10

Im looking for some advice on things to do in the area?

I've bought a map and it only shows one walking path, so any info on decent walks in the area would be good, we've got a baby backpack so doesnt need to be pram friendly.

I'm also taking my bike, so any specific cycling routes would also be good.

We will be driving down from Roscoff - any idea how much we'll pay in tolls if we go the motorway route, or how much longer it will take to go the more scenic coastal route?

Many thanks!

nevman

viewtopic.php?f=30005&t=12844386&p=17525893&hilit=vendee#p17525893

Have a great time.

LangerDan

Stayed there a couple of years ago - really enjoyable site. Loads to do during the day and then a noise "ban" at night - no shouty parties at 3 in the morning! As well as any local walks there is also the option to travel across the 25(?) km to the coast at Les Sables d'Olonne and do the various wooded / dune walks there.

Compared to some of the other "Les Castels" sites, they weren't great for pre-prepared cycle routes (some of the other have pre-printed A5 route maps for spins up to 80km). The site is in the middle of the countryside so you'll be riding rural roads but traffic is light, even in July. I ended up buying a local map and making up my own spins. The problem is that its sadly lacking in Alps! - you have to head inland towards Les Herbiers to get any decent rolling countryside. You could always head North-West towards Jean de Monts and ride the route of the TdF onto the Ile de Noirmoutier - via the big bridge where Armstrong caught Ullrich in the prologue of the '05 Tour - and then off the island via the Passage du Gois - the tidal passage where they all fell off in 99.

Can't advise you on the tolls - usually we take a couple of days to travel down from Roscoff to the Vendee. We'd typically go cross-country from Morlaix up past the Parc National d'Armorique and over to either Quimper or Lorient and then South over the big bridge at St. Nazaire. If you use the http://www.viamichelin.com website, they usually give you the option of routing via the motorway (calculating the tolls) or sticking to the Routes National so you can compare both.

flasher

The only bit of 'payage' you could possibly use is the bit south out of Nantes to La Roche sur Yon, only a couple of quid from memory, however I'd just go a country route as 1. It's prettier and 2. Doesn't take much longer.

I've been on holiday to that region for the past handful of years and it's lovely, I can thoroughly recommend the seaside areas all the way from Noirmoutier (where Le Tour started last year) down to Les Sable d'Olonne, the beaches are fantastic ranging from wild sand duney ones between Saint Giles and Bretignolles, to amazingly civilised promenades like the one at Saint Jean de Monts.

The road cycling is great if a bit flat, smooth roads and courteous drivers so nothing like the UK, I have no particular routes, just follow your nose (or Garmin ) Great cycle paths along the coast too but more suited to hybrids, there are lots of rental places for basic bikes though.

Whatever you'll have a good time, the food is great as is the local cidre

DrKJM

I can't recall any tolls in that area. I could be wrong as we drive from St Malo. But iirc the only tolls are on the autoroute from Avranches to Cherbourg. It can't be much as my B-i-L drives from Roscoff and he never spends unnecessarily. Might be pennies over the loire at Nantes. Beware crossing the river btw. Theres a speed camera as you come down the bridge and the fines are recoverable in the uk.

alihisgreat

I used to holiday in Les Sables as a kid, there's plenty to do in the area -> used to love going on the fast boat over to L'il d'Yeu, to the Zoo etc.

Didn't do much apart from that and the beach though!

mamba80

The quickest way (by far) is via Rennes and then head south to Nantes and then head to your site - no tolls - and service stations that in this country would qualify for an AONB award !
the coast road is just a dual carriageway over the moors to Quimper to St Nazaire, then D roads to your destination - it ll be slow again no tolls.

Get a local map for cycle routes and find some C class roads - Vineyards and Chateau's

milese

Thanks for all the replies, much appreciated.

I'll check out the places suggested.

The car is packed and ready to go!

Aggieboy

I've been to that area for the last 10 years or so, and stayed in Les Sables'. Lovely area, lovely beaches to relax on. Plenty of country roads to cycle on although I like to go down the coast towards Longeville or for a quick blast throught the pines on the D87 to St Gilles for a coffee at a cafe by the river. If you follow the D87 North out of Les Sables' you will find a place called Les Saline where you can hire a canoe and paddle through the salt marshes. Les Sables', Sauveterre and Longeville are lovely beaches. One night a week during the summer (not sure when it starts) they close off the road along the beach at Les Sables and have street acts etc. People just chill and eat ice cream etc. Definitely go via Nantes. Have a great time.