Proud of its culture, its nature and its countryside, the Vendée is a French département on the Atlantic Ocean that’s popular with tourists.
A charming destination with good weather at the heart of the Pays de la Loire region, the Vendée invites you to discover its magnificent beaches, its nature and its heritage for a weekend or on holiday.
Famous for the wars of the Vendée during the French Revolution, its administrative centre, La Roche-sur-Yon, was designed by Napoleon. You can visit its central square there, one of the largest in France, Eglise Saint-Louis and the Abbaye des Fontanelles.
Do you feel the sea spray calling? La Vendée boasts numerous fine sandy beaches, such as those at La Tranche-sur-Mer and the islands of Yeu and Noirmoutier. On your way, stop off at Marais Poitevin, marshland with its network of 390 square miles of canals and nature, symbolically called "Green Venice". La Vendée also offers numerous parks and gardens, such as the Parc Floral et Tropical de la Court d'Aron at Saint-Cyr-en-Talmondais.
A land of fine cuisine, La Vendée offers numerous specialities to tempt your taste buds, including mogette (French bean stew), fish, seafood, a traditional fruitcake called gâche and even préfou, bread garnished with garlic and fresh butter. You can then cycle along the numerous cycle trails of the département that boasts the longest network of cycle routes in France! A maritime region, the Vendée organises the Vendée Globe every 4 years, a solo, non-stop race around the world that starts from Sables d'Olonne. Finally, to please the eye of young and old alike, the Vendée is home to the Puy du Fou theme park, voted the "Best Park in the World" in 2014. This historic theme park offers a number of unique shows, but also night-time performances that will take your breath away. You simply must spend a day and an evening there.
You can easily get to the Vendée thanks to the good road and rail network and to the airports in Nantes and La Rochelle. Once you’ve reached the Vendée, you can get around using public transport, or hire a car for maximum flexibility.