Extras and Attractions for your Vendee Holiday
Please find below a number of options and additional extras we can provide to further enhance your stay with us in our gites and these can be booked directly from our booking form as well.
Whilst we ask you to leave the accommodation as you find it. An after stay cleaning service is available for 50 euros for your convenience and when booking please confirm if you require this service.
We provide everything you will require for a relaxing stay with us with the exception of beach towels. A cot can be made available for all our younger guests and we can even supply some toys to keep them amused. An additional winter lets fuel/ central heating charge is applicable of 50 euros per week for wood and oil from October through to April.
The pool is open during April till the end of September and if heating is required please request prior to arrival.
Airport or Station collection
We can collect you from the airport or station, please contact us for full details of this service.
Younger guests.
We can also offer a child minding service too if required (booking needs to be made within at least 48 hours notice and a charge of 15 euros per hour is applicable with 5 euros per additional child) to enable parents to have a bit of time to themselves and maybe visit one of the fantastic local restaurants. La Morliere by the lake at Sigournais or the auberge at Bazoges En Pareds by the castle that offers a fantastic an all inclusive lunch for 12 euros are two of the many that might appeal within a short distance of our gite. We can offer a taxi service if required for a small additional charge.
Picnic lunches
We provide picnic sets in the gite amongst many other things and can supply an authentic French picnic lunch with wine for 10 euros per person if required and 24 hours notice is needed for this service.
Evening meals
BBQ evening
Whilst we supply you a bbq for your own exclusive use, you may prefer for us to do the hard work for you and we offer a bbq evening on our own terrace at 18 euros per adult and 10 euros per child to include an aperitif, bbq food, wine and drinks with dessert and coffee.
Gourmet evening meal.
Alternatively we can offer a fully authentic French 4 course gourmet meal with in season local produce prepared by our own French chef and served in your own kitchen whilst you relax in the meantime at 28 euros per person to include 50 cl of red / white wine and a 3 course children's meal at 10 euros per child to include soft drinks.
Wine and cheese tasting evening
A fun evening for the adults in which we will taste 3 local reds and 2 local whites and 2 rose wines and this is accompanied by some delicious french cheeses and french bread. 20 euros per person.
Outings and excursions 
Please find below extra outings and activities available during your stay with us and please confirm any interest upon booking and we will sort things out on your behalf.
Ballooning.
We offer a range of various tailored breaks to include, balloon flights from our land.
Photography.
Photography days can be arranged with an expert in the field if required as there are many unique locations to visit during your stay with us. Details are available upon request.
Steam Railway Journey
Chemin de Fer de la Vendee - Montagne-sur Sevre
Within 45 minutes of our gite
An extraordinary way to travel through the Bocage - a steam locomotive with it's old carriages, railwaymen and the shuntings, just like in the old times. From Montagne-sur-Sevre to Les Herbiers and back, explore the country along a 22 km long picturesque railway, over magnificent viaducts.Or you can choose the restaurant train, the "Orient Express" to travel the region in an ancient atmosphere for lunch or dinner.
Horse Racing Trips .
James has a thorough knowledge of the horse racing industry through many years of involvement in the sport and is more than happy to share his local knowledge.
He can advise on a trip to any of the local hippodromes (horse racing tracks) for you and accompany / transport you at an additional cost if required. Les Sables D'Olonne is great fun June through to September and has a great panoramic viewing restaurant and further information can be found at vendee-courses.com. They have many themed evenings too including a vintage car evening and a beauty pageant.
Le Haras de la Vendee, La Roche Sur Yon
French National Stud is only 45 minutes away in the Vendee capital at La Roche Sur Yon and is well worth a visit for the horse enthusiast.
Built in 1846, under Louis-Philippe, this fascinating complex is a wonderful example of an historic stud farm. It is being restored to become a cultural site dedicated to the horse and a vocational training center in all styles of horseman crafts such as the blacksmith's trade, saddlery and the restoration of horse-drawn cars.
Horse Riding
A fabulous riding stable, the Poney club de menjopolis, is 2 minutes from our gite where all abilities are welcome including children and price start from 10 euros per hour for tuition
Wine Tour Excursions.
 James has made many local contacts in the local wine industry and can either arrange and accompany you on a local tour with lunch on route or point you in the right direction to enable you to get the most out of your visit to the local wine growers. The Vendée produces wines of its own but they are not generally known outside the region. There are a number of vineyards, especially nearby Mareuil sur Lay, upon the "Wine Trail" that are open to visitors. The red wine from the Vendée region tends to slightly lighter than wines from the Loire or Bordeaux regions. The white and the rosé wines are light and crisp and are as good as any others you may find in France. Details about these tours and various options can be made available upon request.
 For more information on one of our regions most premier producers please refer to mourat.com and we can organize chateau lunches at this venue along with a guided tour and tastings. Price available upon request.
Fishing in the Vendee .
We have our own local fishing/picnic lake in close proximity to the gite where carp, roach, tench, perch, bream, pike, eels and trout are all readily available and daily passes can be obtained upon your behalf; also nearby is the stunning Lake De Rochereau which also offers superb fishing in great scenery.
Within 30 minutes drive of Chateau Cottage, a man made fishing complex of 100 hectares of lakes set in a park of 150 hectares of parkland. On offer is Coarse, Carp, Fly and Lure fishing and fishing lessons. All the fishing at Pescalis is no kill. All equipment available for rent on site and there are also restaurant facilities. Fish stocks include Carp ( from 0.5-55kg ), tench, roach, gudgeon, perch, rudd and sturgeon. For further information visit the Pescalis website at www.pescalis.com. For anybody wishing to try sea fishing, with sufficient advance notice trips can be arranged.
Hunting and Shooting in the Vendee.
For those who enjoy shooting we can arrange a superb day with meals and drinks all included on a private 220 hectare estate and prices are available upon request. The estate offers top quality high bird shooting at a fraction of the price within the uk. Alternatively a more informal day can be arranged for the novice with a local chasse who even hunt wild boar. Hunting also can be made available with the Rallye Chouan during your stay with us during the winter months and horses are supplied to proficient riders and information is available upon request.
Golf in the Vendee.
 There are 15 golf courses within a 90 minute drive from our gite, 4 of which are only 45 minutes away. They are all playable by the once a year golfer but still provide a challenge for the low handicap player. The courses themselves are in excellent condition and are generally uncrowded, particularly if played early in the week and please see a small sample below. We can aid with bookings and reservations in advance of your stay.
- La Domangere: par 72 - 6472 mtrs
Host to the 1990 French Championships La Domangere is a very pleasant parkland course with lakes and ponds, most of which are visible from the tee.
-
Petit Chene: par 72 - 6021 mtrs
<
Set in the grounds of a magnificent chateau, this parkland course is a must to play.
-
La Pree La Rochelle: par 72 - 5931 mtrs
Traditional links course that will suit all standards of player. On arrival, from the car park, there is nothing that grabs you about this course - but you're in for a real treat!
-
Niort: par 71 - 5865 mtrs
Another "must play" golf course with a variety of holes to provide a challenge to all standards of golfer - and only 40 minutes from base.
- Chateau des Forges: par 72 - 6500 mtrs
A compilation of three separate 9 hole courses to test your stamina.
-
Les Fontenelles: par 72 - 6195 mtrs
A parkland course which is well worth playing. There are some water hazards to be considered, especially at the 10th hole, where there is a lake in front of the green.
-
Port-Bourgenay: par 72 - 5830 mtrs
Sandwiched between sea and forest, the Port-Bourgenay golf course offers a varied landscape of fields, hedges and pinewoods so that you'll feel there are two different courses.
This location also offers a fantastic par 3 pitch and putt which is quite challenging for the novice golfer but an adequate test of skill for the more experienced golfer too.
Local activities/ mountain biking / markets and areas of interest.
 We endeavour to make your stay with us as enjoyable as possible and the local Saturday morning market at Fontenay is well worth a visit and we can provide you with alternate market days for other destinations if required. We have many leaflets available in our gite promoting various attractions within our area along with local restaurant information etc. Also not forgetting with have a local authentic French bar Au Bar Coin just two minutes walk from the gite at the end of our lane where you can immerse yourself in local life.
Mervent is only a very short drive from the gites and it has a dam and a large reservoir. The area has been developed with tourism in mind. There are large wooded areas ideal for walking and particularly mountain biking. There are places where pedalos and wind surfers can be hired, and wind surfing lessons are offered at reasonable rates. There are also restaurants, a fantastic small parc zoologique with bears and lions as well as a walk through lemur enclosure.
Please also refer to our Vendee page to tell you even more about this most wonderful part of France and hope we can welcome you as our guests in the future.
Vendée Events
We can also offer within the Vendée many other events and cater for individual and corporate groups of all sizes. Please refer to vendeeevents.com
|