The cottage is ideally located to enjoy the tranquillity of the beautiful Vendee countryside whilst being only about an hours drive from La Rochelle, the lovely Vendee beaches and many other visitor attractions.
La Rochelle in Charente Maritime is without doubt the most fascinating place on the French Atlantic coast. Steeped in history the city features the Old Port with its 3 very different ancient towers guarding the exit to the sea. One of the country’s foremost yachting centres the city is a bustle of activity with numerous shops, museums and its famous Aquarium.
Opposite La Rochelle lies the fashionable Island of Re which is linked by a bridge to the mainland. The island, famous for its salt marshes, has vineyards, farms and whitewashed villages, which all add to its undoubted charm. Numerous blazed cycle-ways allow visitors to crisscross the island discovering the peace and quiet offered by its fantastic beaches, and picnic spots.
The sun shines down on the Vendee for an amazing 2,500 hours a year almost as much as the South of France. There are 140 Kilometres of gorgeous sandy beaches down the coastline of the Vendee many of which are European Blue Flag accredited for their cleanliness and water quality.
Within half an hours drive of the Cottage is Le Puy-du-Fou and Cinescenie. Justifiably regarded as the greatest sound-and-light show in Europe. On summer evenings, the terrace below the rear façade of the chateau, together with the ornamental lake below it, makes a stunning background for this dazzling show, in which the history of the Vendée region comes to life with the help of 800 actors and 50 horsemen, including an impressive array of special effects, fountains, fireworks, laser and other lighting displays. Performances throughout the day include falconry, jousting, magic and music, demonstrations of rural crafts and atmospheric reconstructions of a Norman fort, a medieval town and an 18th-century village.
Another must visit during your stay is ‘La Venise Verte’ (The Green Venice). Now a French regional park, Marais Poitevin , is a system of canals, dykes and slow flowing rivers amongst meadows and poplar trees through which farmers are often seen travelling in flat bottomed punts. Visitors can explore the canals by punt on the peaceful waterways, or via the many miles of well marked cycling tracks.