During your stay with us, take the time to discover the many facets of the Côte de Lumière. Depending on the weather and your desires, you can take advantage of the great beaches recognized for the quality of their bathing waters, fill up with oxygen on the wild side or initiate you to walk fishing on the foreshore.
The beaches
With 140 km of beaches, the Vendée coast is full of dune, rocky or wild landscapes. For choose your corner of paradise according to your tastes, here is a selection of our favorite beaches near the Pays des Achards.
Our gem
Veillon beach in Talmont-Saint-Hilaire seduces with its fine sand, its natural aspect and its long dune. With salt marshes, oyster beds et forests around, it forms the Payré estuary, class Large Natural Set.
turquoise lagoon bordered by a pristine beach: no need to book your plane for the end of the world, I'll take you to Vendée! (Gilles Bouleau, presenter of the Journal de 20h de TF1 during a report on the Payré estuary aired June 2, 2021).
the station wagon
Normandelière beach in Brétignolles-sur-Mer is ideal for outings with children. You can also eat at the creperie and have a quiet drink while the little ones have a sandcastle competition!
The panoramic
To take advantage of the view of the Vendée coast, go to Saint-Vincent-sur-Jard and walk along the promenade of the Clemenceau Beach. For swimming, find out about the tide times because at high tide, the beach disappears under the waves.
![Plage panoramique Saint Vincent sur Jard]()
Clemenceau beach ![Plage de Sauveterre Les Sables d'Olonne]()
Sauveterre Beach
The Savages
Sauveterre Beach in Les Sables d'Olonne and Dunes Beach in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie offer superb surrounding vegetation. At Sauveterre Beach, in particular, you can picnic in the shade of the pines before going for a swim.
Urban
The Great Beach of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, the Demoiselles Beach in Saint-Jean-de-Monts and the big one Plage Les Sables d'Olonne is part of the architecture of seaside resorts, combining the pleasure of fine sand with the joys of the city. Three steps and presto, you are at the restaurant or at the bar for the cocktail after the beach!
![Grande plage de Saint Gilles Croix de Vie]()
Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie ![Grande plage et remblai des Sables d'Olonne]()
Les Sables d'Olonne ![Estacade plage de Saint Jean de Monts]()
Saint-Jean-de-Monts
Coastal towns
If you prefer the liveliness of coastal towns to idleness on the beach, our 18 seaside resorts hold out their arms to you. Among the most famous, you will find:
- Les Sables d'Olonne, 15 minutes from our territory, known for its architecture and maritime heritage. It welcomes every four years the Vendée Globe, legendary sailing race around the world.
- Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, famous for its sardines, marina and fishing port,
- Saint-Jean-de-Monts and its many sports and leisure activities,
- La Tranche-sur-Mer with its wide beaches and its large wooden pier.
Of course, all our cities benefit from the generous sunshine of the Côte de Lumière.
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La Tranche-sur-Mer ![Saint Gilles croix de Vie vue aérienne]()
Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie
Our favourite: the salt marshes
Near Les Sables d'Olonne, stop in the salt marshes of the Ile d'Olonne. Nothing like this preserved natural area to observe the work of the salt workers, follow a “discussed walk”, understand how the saltworks work and… bring back a grain of salt at home !
From April to September, during the harvest period, the salt workers welcome you with open arms.
Very nice discovery, the guided tour is very informative and the salt workers are very pedagogical. Passionate and exciting. I recommend to everyone nature lovers!
