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Join our Facebook Group for THE BIG GIVEAWAY

YES! We’re giving away something magical to one of our readers!  In collaboration between inthevendee.com and Chateau de la Preuille we are giving away DRRRUMROLL!! A ROMANTIC WEEKEND STAY AT CHATEAU DE LA PREUILLE !!!!  STAY IN THE BEAUTIFULLY RESTORED MEDIEVAL TOWER “LE DONJON” VALID FOR 2 PEOPLE, INCLUDES BREAKFAST & A BOTTLE OF THE LOCAL VINTAGE! PRIZE DRAWING 16TH JUNE. The winner can redeem the grand prize in the autumn. Would you like to participate? In this space we are issuing the RULES OF ENGAGEMENT. Relax, there are only a few easy steps you need to do to ENTER TO WIN THE PRIZE DRAWING. If you have already done Rule 1 and 2, you can skip straight to Rule 3.  RULE ONE LIKE OUR INTHEVENDEE FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/inthevendee RULE TWO JOIN OUR FACEBOOK GROUP https://www.facebook.com/groups/1912025715513887 RULE THREE HELP US SPREAD THE WORD TO FRIENDS YOU WOULD LOVE TO SEE WIN THIS …

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Château de la Preuille joins the Dakar Rally in 2021

The Dakar Rally, renowned for being the biggest and toughest off-road race in the world, will have one of our very own Vendéen châtelains among its participants in 2021. In just a few day’s time, Paul Las van Bennekom of Château de la Preuille will be joining the Dakar Press Team for the 7600 kilometer race, a dream come true for the Dutch expat! Founded by Thierry Sabine in 1978, the race formerly known as Paris-Dakar is now called “The Dakar”. From 2009 to 2019 it was forced to move to South-America due to security threats. Since 2020 the drivers face the arduous adventure in Saudi Arabia. Is Paul ready for the challenge?Chasing dreams is par for the course in the life of Paul Las van Bennekom and his wife Sandra. Last year they bought the lovely Château de la Preuille in Saint Hilaire de Loulay located in beautiful Montaigu-Vendée …

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Carbonara-Alfredo fusion… with a French twist!

Of legend, World War II & Hollywood In order to tell you how I came up with this dish, I have a confession to make. I can count the number of times I’ve eaten ‘Fettuccini Alfredo’ (a staple on many Italian-American restaurant menus) on one hand, and truly enjoyed it maybe twice. The same is true for Carbonara. The best Carbonara I’ve ever had was in Nantes, on a balmy Friday night outside on a terrace, and the only reason I know it was the best is because that night I had a taste from my husband’s plate. He loves Carbonara. I seldom order it. I’ve never seen him order Fettucini Alfredo. But we do love cream sauces. So, when he asked me one day to make Carbonara, I came up with this recipe quite on a whim. I won’t lie. It is scrumptious. One might say sinful. Writing up …

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Vineyards and wine tasting in the Vendée

Since Roman times there have been attempts at growing grapes and making wine in the Vendée, but it wasn’t until medieval times that the activity became successful. The monks of the many abbeys around here didn’t only manage to turn the ocean into fertile land while creating the Marais, they also had a hand in the proper cultivation of grapes. Historically we owe the production of good wine to them and to the Cardinal Richelieu who In the XVIIth  century donated wine lands to the farmers of Luçon. Another reason for successful viticulture in the Vendée is the region’s temperate oceanic climate, with mild, wet winters and cooler summers. The oceanic climate is warmer than the continental climate but less warm than the Mediterranean climate.Vendee vineyards listed by region1. Brem sur Mer vineyardsCAVE PAJOT LAURENT *AOC. AOC Fief Vendeens Monday to Friday 11:00 – 12:30, 17:00 – 19:00 Saturday 10:00 – 12:30, 16:00 …

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A radical life-choice and a patrimony restoration project

For 15 years we were happy on the east side of Paris. My husband, Paul, with his international career for Disney, and I myself was happy as a full-time mother of our four children. Life was good, stable, and every project in the house was done. But when our children became teenagers, Paul had seen too many airports, and I myself needed new challenges. More and more, we discussed what new adventures we could experience. For both of us it was clear: we wanted a change in life. On our wish list was: living in a sunnier area, closer to the sea, old building with character and a terrain with endless possibilities, close to a big city and a train station nearby. It seemed like searching for a needle in the haystack. In the spring of 2019 we made a road trip that started in Biarritz. In advance we made …