“The steep”
Here is a name of town which says a lot… Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche surprises with its location on a rocky stoop. It preserves in the layout of its small streets the memory of a medieval past and a castle which has now disappeared.
In the northwest of the Pays des Achards, Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche is located 15 minutes from La Roche-sur-Yon and 25 minutes from Les Sables d'Olonne in Vendée. This town has a particularly dynamic associative fabric, thanks to its inhabitants called Bellilocains and Bellilocaines.
Discover Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche
In the village, you can observe Saint John the Baptist Church. The first place of worship here dates back to the Middle Ages, probably as a chapel of the old castle. This residence of the lords of Beaulieu was destroyed in the 17the century on the orders of Cardinal Richelieu. However, we can still imagine it going down the Jaunay terraces, gardens arranged in levels and which allow you to reach the small Jaunay river below. Let us note in passing that it is this watercourse which nourishes the Jaunay Lake, exceptional natural space in the Pays des Achards.
🕵️♀️ July 18, 2025 – Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche: the (almost) true truth!
Welcome to Beaulieu-SUR-la-Roche… Yes, SUR, after under. And no, it's not a typo! It was even the starting point of a joyfully wobbly theatrical tour, where the story of Beaulieu took an unexpected turn. With “The true story of Beaulieu-sur-la-Roche” during Heritage Aperitifs, the Colin Muset Company has taken you on a journey through a tale revisited with word games, twisted anecdotes and improbable twists.
Add to that a hushed and jazzy musical atmosphere provided by Blossom Trio, a refreshment bar, good things to nibble on, and a Cour des Arts bathed in summer softness: you have surely obtained a ideal evening to kick off summer with a smile !
Hiking in Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche
Around the town, 11 hiking trails cross the Vendée bocage. Other paths pass by characteristic elements of the Vendée's small-scale heritage. Thus, the Moulins Trail allows you to see a windmill from 19e century.
Restored in 2014, the Guissière washhouse is located in rue du Jaunay along the route de Martinet. THE Washhouse at Plessis aux Moines is visible in the place of the same name a few kilometers northwest of the town and near the Boëre Trail. A third wash is located in the southern part of Nichoir Trail.
Hiking trails
An art village
Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche is a art village which attracts craftsmen and artists for about twenty years. Several of them have joined forces with the municipality and offer courses thanks to Beaulieu School of Art. This place for sharing knowledge is located in the Cour des Arts in the heart of the town. During your walk, stop in the different workshops and shops to discover the varied creative worlds of these enthusiasts.
Staying in Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche
The Three Mills Annex
Accommodation on the GR364
Old house cottage
Casa Bellus Locus Gîte
Bed and Breakfast at Francine Fuentes
Boëre Gîte
Entertainment in Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche
Developing personal embroidery projects / Learning Luneville crochet
👉 Learn more about sporting events in the town
👉 Learn more about Heritage Days in Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche
What to visit
Le Museum of the Magic of Santons near the church surprises with its originality. It brings together 700 authentic Provençal figurines, spread across 8 miniature villages. During a scenographic sound and light tour, each village comes to life to tell a story.
Beaulieu-sous-la-Roche is also known for its Christmas market, one of the oldest in Vendée and with more than 100 exhibitors the largest in the department. Thanks to many committed volunteers, this event has attracted tens of thousands of visitors for more than 30 years.
animated windows extend the end-of-year atmosphere beyond this annual meeting. Every early December, funny people come to life in the windows of the town's old businesses. Little mice in the kitchen, unruly reindeer children on school desks or sick stuffed animals at the Toy Clinic come to life thanks to mechanisms that are both simple and clever.
Crèches installed in the miniature villages of the Magic of the Santons and a superb Playmobil exhibition® at the Atelier de la Déesse complete the magic of Christmas.
