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COVID-19 Vendée
While there are no official changes in the status of the rules, the numbers are going up again just slightly due to new variants and increased travel. Do stay vigilant. Wear a mask when in close proximity to others, wash and disinfect your hands, keep your distance. Unless there are significant changes announced by the government or department, this article will not be updated. We invite you to follow included links for the latest official updates. Have a great summer! Current measures The “vaccination pass” has been suspended Wearing of a mask remains necessary in healthcare facilities, retirement homes, establishments for people with disabilities. when around people who are at high risk of developing serious illness around people who have tested positive and contact cases The mask is no longer compulsory in closed places but remains required in all manner of public passenger transport until May 16th. Use your best …
Market Days in the Vendée
Outdoor markets in France are typically held in the mornings from 8h00 to 13h00. Which isn’t to say that all vendors are up and running by then! Arriving by 9h00 you’ll find the markets in full swing and the locals are out in droves to stock up on fruits and veg for the week. What can you find at the beloved village markets? Anything from cheeses, breads, organic/ bio, artisanal farm products, sausages, fish, multi-cultural and freshly prepared street food, kitchen or other utensils, baskets, flowers, clothing, crafts, and more. (UPDATED JULY 2021)What’s in season? Markets are not only a great way to discover your area in France, there is people watching whilst enjoying a coffee or a carafe of wine on a terrace AND… it’s a perfect time to practice the language. Our list of seasonal fruits and vegetables now include a glossary of their French word beside it. …
Family Fun in the Vendée
Families who like to spend time together immersed in nature and history will find the Vendée to be a rich playground. From water sports to horse riding, to salt mining and a variety of other adventures like a day at world-famous theme park Le Puy du Fou, there is a lot to do. The Vendée is perfect for a holiday filled with adventure and learning, for local travel discovering wildlife, tropical flora, ancient windmills and medieval history, old customs, and endless outdoor activities. Whether you visit or reside permanently, the Vendée is a place the entire family will want to explore year-round. Welcome to our guide to the Vendée with children!Why the Vendée? One can hardly mention the weather without stirring up controversy, but ask any local, native or transplanted soul in the Vendée and he or she will not hesitate to claim the weather here is the best in France. …
Christmas Markets & other Holiday Events
NOTE: INTHEVENDEE.COM IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR EVENT CHANGES OR CANCELATIONSNOVEMBER 2021Saturday 20th November *Sainte-Cécile 85110 Salle Famisol from 10h00 – 20h00 *Sallertaine 85300 RECOMMENDED L’Ile aux Artisans event with some forty artists, craftsmen who present their creations and their new collections in the workshops, at the Romanesque church and at the Buissonnière School. Saturday from 14h00 – to 21h00 website Sunday 21st November *Sainte-Cécile 85110 Salle Famisol from 10h00 – 18h00 *Sallertaine 85300 RECOMMENDED L’Ile aux Artisans event with some forty artists, craftsmen who present their creations and their new collections in the workshops, at the Romanesque church and at the Buissonnière School. Sunday from 11h00 – 19h00 website Friday 26th November *Avrillé 85440 Place des Halles from 16h00 to 22h00 *Chavagnes-en-Paillers 85250 École Nazareth, Rue des Écoles, La Gerbaudière from 18h30 – 23h00 Saturday 27th November *Bellevigny 85170 Salle du Quadrille from …
Abbeys in the Vendée
Stunning in their dimensions, tranquil locations, state of ruin or architectural beauty, the abbeys offer intrigue with a significant glimpse into French history and geography.Build an Itinerary – It would be difficult to see all of the abbeys in one day, but some could be looped together. Fortunately there is enough to find nearby them to venture out, perhaps with a picnic basket or beach toys, and definitely a camera, creating memorable days in the Vendée. In more good news, three of the abbeys are included in the Pass Vendée. Pass Vendée – the Vendée Pass is a cultural pass for €21 that allows you to visit 9 cultural and 2 nature reserves, as many times as you like for a year. It is available online (currently the site link is not secure, be aware of this) or in each of these locations where you can also use it: Historial de la Vendée, Logis de la Chabotterie, Château …
Asparagus for breakfast, lunch & dinner
Before I share these simple meals there are three things you should know: I love an elaborate breakfast, try to limit my meat intake and [un]fortunately I’m the only one in the house who really loves to eat asparagus! Which means I always have a supply of the jarred white as well as green asparagus in the pantry as a quick go-to veg when I want soup or something special with either a hot lunch or a salad. That spring is one of my favourite seasons is no secret, but part of that is because there are fresh asparagus to come by. Buying fresh asparagus is not necessarily cheap though and that’s why I feel compelled to make the most of them! In this recipe post you’ll learn how I split 1 to 2 bundles of white asparagus into 3 portions + 1 jar for 4 meals (this is the …
Ile d’Yeu prefecture’s controversial allowance for the Belgian King & Queen
One February 2nd we noticed the increased traffic to the Île d’Yeu article on our e-magazine website and thought “Wow! People are really shopping around for their summer holiday today.” We hadn’t noticed the news that the Belgian Royal family had requested and received a permit to build an annex to their home on the island, to the protest of some islanders, in particular the local butcher. King Phillipe and Queen Mathilde are, despite rising republicanism of the Flemish population in Belgium, quite a beloved royal pair in their country. They are gentle and kind, and just like his uncle King Baudouin and aunt Queen Fabiola back in the day (Boudewijn died in 1993 and was succeeded by his brother, Phillipe’s father Albert II for 20 years before retiring in 2013), their hearts seem to genuinely beat among the Belgian constituents. But even a hard working king and queen need …
Castles to see in the Vendée
Not all châteaux in the Vendée are open to the public. In fact, most are privately owned, sometimes with holiday accommodations available. The selection of twenty Vendéen castles in this article represent those accessible to view in high-season or year-round, or those which are open for sightseeing, reenactment spectacles, medieval festivals, and adventure parks.Is the Vendée paved with castles? – Yes and no. From medieval, to renaissance or neo-renaissance-style castles, and even some art-nouveau style ones, the number of chateaux in the Vendée is quite astounding. But most of them are private residences tucked away in sleepy villages or seemingly endless forests. You may run into them quite randomly or look for them in the 3rd weekend of September each year, when many have events or an open house in light of the European Heritage days (Journées Patrimoine) It’s all about the medieval – If you know just a little …
Petra of Le Puy Ardouin tests own Tiny House accommodations during lock-down
After a long search for the perfect spot to live in France, Dutch couple Petra and Jan fell for their rustic farmhouse ‘like a ton of bricks’. We can understand why! Among the ancient trees, across a sloping terrain, one can almost touch the sound of silence. Le Puy Ardouin is an earthly place that speaks for itself, that brings you back to simplicity. Sunday, March 15th. We’ve just completed a training course in the Netherlands and plan to drive to France tomorrow morning. We hear that from 18.00 that evening all restaurants in the Netherlands have to close their doors. We’re worried about making it back to our place in France, Le Puy Ardouin, because there’s a threat of a lock-down. That’s why we decide to leave immediately and drive through the night. On Monday morning we’re relieved to be greeted by our dog Lola and our friend Peter, who …
The silver lining of lockdown at B&B Au Passage du Gois
When we asked to find a title or tag line for their blog post, Martine told us that she thought the motto of footballer Johan Cruyff was appropriate to describe their almost 2 months of lockdown. She found a balance in routine, in sunshine and in the wildness of her husband Hemko’s confinement beard.It doesn’t happen often, but for the first time in a long time there was something you couldn’t find on Google. What is a COVID-19 confinement in France, how does it work and when will it be over? But there wasn’t much information initially so, we thought… well, we’ll need to come up with some sort of answer ourselves. We sat around the table and made some kind of a plan of action. We said to each other: we will not be sleeping in, but get up at our normal time and get to work, because time …
Owners of L’Etournerie Gites & Camping Vendée look to the future
We have asked a few Vendéen small business owners to discuss their plans for the future whilst coping through enforced quarantine. In a first installment, allow us to introduce you to Renée, René, Jacky, Emma & Mariecke, a Dutch family who own L’Etournerie Gites and Camping where tranquility, good food, and flowers are central to Dutch-French hospitality in the Vendée!In 15 years, you develop habits. Or maybe a rhythm. At the beginning of the year, you start looking at everything that needs to be done before you can announce that you are ‘open for business’ once again. You tick off all those things and then you put up the sign “OUVERT”. Only this year, a pandemic with the inevitable French government’s announcement of a complete lockdown starting March 17th, threw a spanner in the works. At the beginning, everything was so focused on China that no one in Europe was really …
Le Puy du Fou for Notre Dame Cathedral
Has it been just hours since fire ravaged France’s most majestic cathedral? Did it really happen? In the Vendée we share immense sadness with the rest of France – and the world – for seeing the 855-year old structure so badly damaged. But today we’re also proud! Proud to be native or adopted Vendéens whose local star, historic theme park Le Puy du Fou, has announced a special performance of their evening spectacle La Cinéscénie with all proceeds to benefit the reconstruction of Notre Dame in Paris. DON’T MISS PARTICIPATING IN THIS AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO HELP REBUILD THE CATHEDRAL!! La Cinéscénie, the largest evening spectacle in the world, is sold out a year in advance! WHEN: Friday, June 7, at 22h30 (10:30PM) TICKETS ON SALE AT THE PARK FROM 17TH APRIL OR ONLINE from April 18th A HUGE THANK YOU to Le Puy du Fou for this BRILLIANT idea! Share this …
Regional Cuisine with Mogettes
Recently it was suggested to my mother-in-law that she go through a radical life change to address some health issues: to stop eating things that have a face. Or is derived from them. The diagnosis came right before my parents-in-law would visit us in the Vendée, and so the challenge to find meals a diabetic with heart issues could eat, was on. As a part-time vegetarian myself, I knew it would not be an easy feat in this area. But we found the local white kidney bean, called mogette in French, would serve the purpose of a fiber -and protein rich diet well. Even in restaurants, the ham that is typically served as part of this local delicacy, is traditionally prepared on the side. At the end of August 2018, we attended la fête de l’agriculture de Vendée in La Chataigneraie. Wonderfully, the in-season crops had been grown in an on-site demonstration. About the …