Endless beaches of soft sand and lapping waves, fringed by pine trees and undulating dunes – perfect!
Camping in the Vendee
153 campsites in France, Vendée
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Camping Le Marais Sauvage is located in Le Mazeau, Vendée, France. It is in the heart of the Marais Poitevin, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its stunning natural beauty. The campsite is surrounded by woodlands and waterways, offering a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. Take advantage of the 57 large touring pitches with electric hook-up points available. Some pitches are shaded, while others are in more direct sun.
On the edge of a pine forest and just a short walk across the dunes from a fine sandy beach, this could be an ideal spot for a seaside holiday. Les Cyprès is a very French campsite with good basic facilities and a pleasant modern pool complex. The 300 pitches are in an arc curving out towards the sea in both directions from reception; the 141 touring pitches of varying shapes and sizes occupy the southern end of the arc. All have access to electricity (10A) and water, though long leads are required in places and some are more suitable for tents because of the trees.
Domaine de l’Oiseliere is ideal for camping and campervan holidays and jsut 35 minutes from the Grand Parc du Puy du Fou. This is a small site with just 45 large pitches to choose from, 30 of which are for touring and are 200m2 and separated by hedges. There is a choice of full sun or shaded pitches with cover provided by oak trees. For families travelling in a caravan, large plots enable you to extend your awning easily. The site is a pedestrian zone; vehicles can drive to and from the pitches upon arrival and before departure. Otherwise, campers must use the adjacent parking area.
This family site is located close to the village of Barbâtre, on the west coast of the island of Noirmoutier. The site has direct access to a fine sandy beach. There are around 400 pitches, of which around 200 are available for touring units (the rest are occupied by an imaginative range of chalets, mobile homes and fully equipped tents, including teepees, many of which are for rent). Touring pitches are mostly equipped with 16A electricity. On-site amenities include two swimming pools and a paddling pool. A wide sunbathing area surrounds these. A children’s beach club is organised in peak season and evening entertainment is also on offer.
Camping Sandaya de la Bosse is located on the idyllic Île de Noirmoutier, off the coast of Vendée, France. On-site, you will find 249 touring pitches with electric hook-up points. Most pitches are on open and flat, sandy areas with little shade.
A site that lives up to its name, Camping Sandaya La Grande Côte, is extensive with 800 pitches, of which 293 are numbered touring pitches in rows spread over undulating dunes with sparse grass under pine, all with 10A electricity and over 287 chalets and mobile homes to rent.
Camping Les P’tites Maisons dans la Prairie is a charming, family-friendly campsite with a unique Wild West theme. Located in the Vendée region, it offers a peaceful countryside setting while remaining within easy reach of the Atlantic coast and local attractions. The site provides a mix of traditional camping pitches, chalets, mobile homes, and themed accommodation, making it ideal for families and groups.
This eight-hectare site should appeal to families with children of all ages. It is very lively in high season but appears to be well managed, with a full programme of activities (it can therefore be noisy, sometimes late at night). The site is only 1 km. from the excellent beach. There are 450 flat, grass and sand pitches, 121 are for touring units with the remainder occupied by tour operators and mobile homes to rent. All touring pitches have 10A electricity (French sockets, long leads may be required) Some are separated by high hedges, others are more open with low bushes between them. There is a good aquatic area – the flume takes you past rocks before plunging into the pool.
A short distance away from the busy coast, Puerta del Sol could suit not only families with teenage children to entertain, but also those seeking a more peaceful and relaxing holiday. Of the 216 pitches, 70 are available for touring units, each with electricity, water and drainage; they are level with dividing hedges and there is plenty of shade from mature trees. The remaining pitches are occupied by mobile homes and wooden chalets, 66 available to rent. A pleasant bar with snack bar, takeaway and small shop overlooks the outdoor pool and terrace and the adjoining indoor pool which has been recently added.
Le Petit Rocher has a seaside location (150 m. from the beach) set in a pine forest, with an air of peace and tranquillity. Although the area is undulating, the 132 good sized touring pitches are flat and arranged in terraces throughout the wooded area. Electricity hook-ups are available (10A Euro plugs) and there are adequate water points. A grassy play area for children is thoughtfully situated in a hollow, but has limited equipment. Various accommodation types are available to rent.
Plein Sud is a small, friendly site, immaculately kept and with a very French ambience. There are 110 grassy pitches separated by hedges, all of a reasonable size. All have electricity and water; most also have drainage. Twenty pitches have site owned mobile homes, cabins or tents for rent, the rest have privately owned mobiles. The touring pitches at the far end of this long, narrow site are particularly peaceful. Only 800 m. away, via another campsite across the road and through a strip of forest, is a long stretch of safe, sandy beach.
Moncalm is owned by the Atlantique Pellerin Vacances group. Most pitches are occupied by mobile homes and chalets, mostly to rent. There are just three touring pitches. The site is 300 m. from the village centre. An impressive range of amenities include a large, heated, covered pool with terrace and solarium, water slide, sauna, spa, massage shower and an excellent children’s outdoor water park, sports ground and internet corner. An entertainment programme is organised in high season, including discos and competitions. Sandy beaches at La Tranche-sur-Mer are 7 km. (free shuttle in high season).
Village Camping Club le Domaine des Guifettes is on the banks of the Lac des Guifettes (42 hectares), in the southern Vendée. On-site amenities here include a very impressive heated, covered swimming pool with a sauna, spa, massage shower, and paddling pool, as well as external water slides, multi-sport area, tennis, mini-golf and internet point. For anglers, the lake is well stocked and very popular. There are just 15 pitches on the two-hectare touring section, all are of a good size and 12 hardstandings are available in the adjacent motorhome service area. All have electrical connections (3/6/10A). A wide selection of mobile homes, chalets and gîtes are available to rent.
Camping Les Flots de l'Océan is located in Talmont-Saint-Hilaire, Vendée, France. The campsite is just 500 meters from the beach, making it the perfect base for a beach holiday. The nearest town, Talmont-Saint-Hilaire, is just a short drive away and offers a variety of shops, restaurants, and bars. On-site, there are 63 touring pitches with 10Amp electric hook-up points available. Pitches are delimited by hedges, with numerous trees providing average shade over the whole plot.
This small, tranquil site is situated down a short tree-lined lane just 600 metres from a small village. It is suitable for people who prefer to be away from the nearby coastal resorts. The pitches are on grass and vary in shape and size (80-100 sq.m). Most are near mature trees giving ample shade and are separated by tall hedges, some flowering, ensuring peace and privacy. The 42 mobile homes are away from the 31 touring pitches, in an open sunny aspect. All pitches have electricity (6A) but long leads may be required on some. Ample water points are situated close to all pitches. The site is not suitable for American motorhomes or twin-axle caravans.
A traditional, family run site, with a good atmosphere, this site has 121 pitches and 37 chalets (some private, some to rent). The 78 grassy touring pitches are reasonably level, there is shade in most areas and electricity (10A) is available. The site is served by one main toilet block and mostly gravel roads. Amenities include a small, covered bar and terrace. Takeaway food and bread are available in July and August. The town has an imposing ruined chateau and an old church, and there is a large motor museum nearby.
The name gives a clue to its location! This well-run site is on the edge of a pine forest and just a 600 m. walk to the sea. The 255 pitches are mainly occupied by mobile homes, with 90 for rent and 50 owned by a small British tour operator, but there are 52 mainly level touring pitches in groups and divided by hedges. Forty have 10A electricity, water and drainage whilst a few are tucked away among the trees and are ideal for smaller tents. Quiet in low season, the site comes to life in July and August with activities arranged for all the family.
Camping La Belle Henriette has an impressive pool complex, a heated outdoor pool with a slide and paddling pool, and an indoor pool with a jacuzzi. The fine sandy beach is accessible 400m away by a magnificent wooden footbridge that spans the Belle Henriette Nature Reserve. The 33 touring pitches, all with 10A electricity (Europlug), are level and grassy; bushes hedge many, and a large variety of trees provide shade in places. Eighty-seven accommodation units are available to rent.
This site is located in a quiet village a short drive from the Vendée’s famous sandy beaches. This is a mature site with 39 grassy and well shaded pitches all with 10A electricity. A number of mobile homes and ecolodges are available to rent, with meal packages for hikers. Leisure amenities include an attractive pool with a separate children’s pool and water slide. There is a bar and snack bar, with many other restaurants in nearby St. Gilles. For anglers, the site’s well stocked fishing pond is sure to prove popular. Various activities are organised in peak season, including a children’s club (5 to 12 years), occasional dance evenings and live concerts.
Camping le Paradis can be found close to the popular seaside resort of Talmont-Saint-Hilaire, between Jard-sur-Mer and the larger resort of Les Sables-d’Olonne. Talmont makes up part of the Côte de Lumière, and its 3.5 km. sandy beach (Le Veillon) has longstanding Blue Flag accreditation. There is a free shuttle bus from the campsite to the beach. Pitches here are of average size with limited shade. A number of mobile homes are available to rent. On-site amenities include a covered, heated pool and an all-weather sports pitch (basketball, volleyball, football). The site becomes more active in peak season with a daily children’s club and frequent activities for all the family (including evening entertainment).
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Vendée
It’s not only the fine beaches that make this holiday region so appealing – quaint fishing harbours, historic ports and charming towns all create a great holiday atmosphere.
This small but perfectly located region is all about the beach. All 200 km of it. That may sound a little over-simplified, but it is undoubtedly a magnet for lovers of sun, sea and sand. Visitors flock to the region to enjoy the exceptionally mild climate with an enviable sunshine record and famously balmy micro-climate (apparently, there are more sunshine hours here than on the French Rivera); it’s easy to see why this is one of the most popular tourist areas of France. The Vendée has a wealth of sleepy fishing harbours, historic ports and charming towns that all create a great holiday experience. Popular resorts in the Vendée include Les Sablesd’Olonne, La Tranche-sur-Mer, and St Jean-de-Monts.
The Vendée was the centre of the counterrevolutionary movement between 1793 and 1799, and a ‘son et lumière’ held at Le Puy-du-Fou tells the whole story. Les Sables-d’Olonne is its main resort, renowned for its excellent sandy beach. The area between the Vendée and Charente, the Marais Poitevin, is one of the most unusual in France – a vast tract of marshland with a thousand or more tree-lined canals and slow-moving streams.
Vendée Blogs
Spotlight on the Vendee
Rob Fearn | 2 Apr 2021 | Read time: 7m 57s
There are four distinct regions to the Vendée département: the Bocage, a rolling, wooded area of low hills; the Plaine with its open countryside and rich arable land, golden with wheat and sunflowers in summer; and two marshy areas - the silent Marais Breton to the north, the lush, verdant slow-moving waters of the Marais Poitevin to the south
Read MoreCAMPING IN THE VENDEE
Camping in the Vendée
The Vendée is a hugely popular region for camping, partly because it’s an easy place to get to from the UK. Campsites in the Vendée are usually of high quality (competition encourages standards to be high) and many have been in business for decades, gradually improving services and facilities. Of course, as is often the rule of thumb, the closer the campsite to the beach, the smaller the pitches are likely to be. That is sometimes the price to pay for convenience. Moreover, campsites near the beach can be more expensive.
And campsites on the beach can be that much more lively in terms of evening entertainment and general hubbub. For this reason, some prefer to enjoy the day on the beach and then retreat to the more secluded campsites slightly inland. But each to their own!
PLACES OF INTEREST
Places of interest
L’Aiguillon-sur-Mer: Famous for its mussels and other shellfish; site of migrating birds between August and November.
Apremont: Pretty village with a Renaissance castle; Vendée’s largest lake with a sandy beach, watersports and boat hire.
Île-d’Yeu: One hour by boat from the coast, a major tourist destination with colourful shops, cafés and restaurants; art galleries and exhibitions; bicycles and cars for hire.
Jard-sur-Mer: Abbey of Lieu-Dieu (financed by Richard the Lionheart); seaside with attractive, colourful houses.
Le Puy-du-Fou: 15/16th-century castle; son-et-lumière production and historical theme park.
BEACHES OF THE VENDEE
Beaches of the Vendée
The Vendée is a great choice for children of all ages. The traditional accessory for every child visiting the Vendée is, without doubt, the bucket and spade - and with good reason. From St. Jean-de-Monts to La Tranche-sur-Mer the coast is virtually unbroken with fragrant pine forests leading down to gently shelving sandy beaches.
These are some of France’s finest beaches, with gently shelving golden sands that are reassuringly safe for toddlers as they paddle and splash in the water. Many beaches offer high season kids’ clubs with organised beach activities as well as watersports on offer like sailing, windsurfing, paddleboards and kayaks. It’s generally easy for teenagers and older children to enjoy a degree of independence in safety.
Île de Noirmoutier: The Le Gois causeway (and a modern bridge) connect this once detached island to the mainland. A handful of scattered villages and miles of often empty beach create a magical environment, very different from the mainstream resorts further south. The Plage des Dames, complete with a boardwalk, wooden pier, soft sand and backed by oak trees, mimosa, eucalyptus and fragrant pine trees is hard to beat.
Les Sables d’Olonne: This is a resort where the beaches are so good they named the town after them. It’s one of the major resorts of the Vendée and has a fine, curved seafront and sandy bay. The marina is always a popular haunt with plenty of flashy boats to gawp at, as well as the usual bustle of a working marina and, naturally, some really good restaurants where you can enjoy fantastically fresh seafood. The 15th century Château St Clair is also a popular excursion as is the zoo with its sanctuary for over forty endangered species.
St-Jean-de-Monts: Though quiet for much of the year, St Jean-de-Monts wakes up with a vengeance during the summer months. This is one of the best-known hotspots, with many excellent family campsites jostling for position along the Cote de Lumière. The vast 8 km long beach is a delight with fine sands and no currents to worry parents of young children. It’s frequented by kite surfers and sand yachts, as well as cyclists and horse riders enjoying the shady pines that fringe the shore.
St-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie: As a change from some of the larger resorts, St Gilles-Croix-de-Vie is an attractive fishing harbour spanning the river Vie. It is home to Beneteau, the world-leading sailing boat manufacturer and it is truly a town of boats, from the brightly painted fishing boats, the little ferries that ply back and forth to the Ile d’Yeu, to the host of small dinghies and sailing boats that bob up and down in the blue waters and whose white sails are sprinkled across the seascape. It’s no surprise the region is known for the Vendée Globe yacht race, one of the most gruelling nautical challenges in the world.
Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez: Not far from its larger neighbour, St Gilles, this pleasant town of small whitewashed houses adorned with jauntily painted shutters is also home to the Atlantic Toboggan waterpark on Merlin-Plage. Here a mind-boggling range of pools awaits, with waterslides, flumes, whirlpools and more. The 250-metre thrills of the twisting Boa and the Kamikaz are inevitable highlights.
The Route du Sel: An excursion with a difference is to follow the Route de Sel (or the Salt Route) through the Marais, inland flat expanses of land reclaimed from the sea. Take to the completely calm waters of the waterways that criss-cross the Sallertaine’s ancient salt marshes and find yourself at eye-level to the surrounding marshland with its windmills and wildlife. A wonderful time to do this is early morning when you might start paddling as the atmospheric morning mists begin to burn off, revealing the magically tranquil landscape around you.
CUISINE OF THE REGION
Cuisine of the region
Not known as a viticultural world-beater, the Vendée does have vineyards around Brem-sur-Mer and Mareuil-sur-Lay, producing light, refreshing wines perfect at the end of a long day in the sun. Excellent duck comes from Challans where the duck market was a key part of the local economy. Locally produced meat and poultry include Charolais beef, salt-marsh lamb and foie gras.
The Brioche de Vendée, the soft, slightly sweet bread served at breakfast is a family favourite. Best of all though is the huge variety of seafood available from the simple but highly prized oyster to the elaborate fish dishes that tempt every passer-by. Seafood includes sole sablaise, cooked with lemon, barbecued sardines from Saint Gilles Croix-de-Vie, baked white tuna and mussels from the Baie de l’Aiguillon cooked in white wine.
Samphire: A herb that grows on the edges of the salt marshes.
Mogette: A signature dish of the region, Slow-cooked baby haricot beans, traditionally served with gammon.
Jambon de Vendee: Local raw-cured ham.