“The party”
The pretty coat of arms of this small town located in the northern part of Pays des Achards en Vendée represents 3 swifts, birds with long wings whose silhouette evokes swallows.
However, the origin of the name would rather be due to a drop hammer activated by hydraulic force from a water mill. It thus evokes the industrial production of past centuries. A little away from the main roads, Swift curls up in a bocage landscape pleasant and has preserved its wooded areas and old paths.
Discover the commune of Martinet
The Jaunay river forms the border with the neighboring commune of La Chapelle-Hermier. Its banks are a place for relaxation and fishing. A few kilometers further, this watercourse becomes the Jaunay Lake, one of the most important natural sites in the territory. THE Coudray Trail and Liège Oaks Trail allow you to discover the surroundings of Swift walk. Several mountain bike routes pass nearby and lead towards the Jaunay Valley.
In the past, Martinet was famous for Sanctuary of La Salette. It is a large park landscaped with statues and a polygonal chapel, dedicated to Notre-Dame de Salette in Isère. Some written testimonies evoke the importance of pilgrimages to this place during the 20e century. Today, the Sanctuary of La Salette is a private place and cannot be visited.
The neo-Romanesque church from 19e century is quite sober, but has the particularity of having Celtic crosses on the exterior faces. Behind the church, a small wash formerly supplied by a tributary of the Jaunay, it was used for washing machines until the 1960s. Near the village, lovers of fishing take advantage of Ouches lake. You can go around it on foot.
The walk is quite short, but pleasant and passes a playground, picnic tables and the city stadium.
![Eglise Village de Martinet]()
Church ![City stade Martinet]()
The City Stadium ![Aire de pique-nique Les Ouches du Jaunay Martinet]()
The Ouches picnic area ![Lavoir commune de Martinet Vendée]()
The wash house ![Plan d'eau des Ouches du Jaunay]()
The Ouches du Jaunay lake
Staying in Martinet
Chalet Hirondelle
Chalet Papillon
GITE LA MARTINIERE
Chalet Genet
Chalet Coccinelle
Chalet Roitelet
Activities in Martinet
“When art comes out of the fire”
Far beyond the Pays des Achards, Martinet is known for his “Fire of Midsummer”, one of the largest in Vendée. Since 2009, a meal and a concert have brought together more than 1000 people for a festive evening. At nightfall, the organizers light a huge pyre constructed from pallets. This wooden structure hides a large sculpture cut from a metal plate, created according to the drawings of Tanguy Craipeau, a local artist. As the wood burns, the fire reveals the sculpture, inspired each year by a different theme. Thus emerged from the flames “King Arthur”, “The Bird”, “The Dancer” and many others.
In 2022, these sculptures were installed on The little path of fires, a hiking trail of approximately 3 km around the town of Martinet. A journey Adventure Lab® allows you to discover this path through an interactive game. Simply download the free app and let yourself be guided through the steps. Use your sense of observation to answer the questions asked!
