ANGELA
BIRD'S
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The |
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August
2012
WHAT'S
ON IN THE VENDEE
(entries
in red indicate new additions)
For Vendée vide-greniers, I have made a
selection from
this excellent specialised
website.
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PLEASE
NOTE This website is really just a supplement
to Angela Bird's guidebook, The
Vendée (left), which gives full details |
The listings on this site are supplied in good faith, gathered by the
author from various Vendée sources. However it is always wise to check details with organisers or tourist
offices before making a special journey. |
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Until 9 Aug 2012 |
“Nuits
Musicales en Vendee Romane” Six
communes in the south-east Vendee hold concerts in romanesque settings. |
Xanton Chassenon,
Faymoreau, Mouchamps
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Until mid Aug |
Musiques
a la Chabotterie Festival of baroque music, under the direction of Hugo
Reyne. Some concerts out of doors; others in the outbuildings of this stately
home. Times
and admission charges vary. |
Logis de la Chabotterie, St
Sulpice-le-Verdon, near Montaigu (tel : 02 51 43 31 01) |
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Until mid Aug |
Les Ricochets Festival of street theatre. Wed & Fri evenings. Admission free. |
Fontenay-le-Comte |
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Until
late Aug |
La
Déferlante A summer packed
with street-theatre and concerts of all sorts, in the main holiday resorts
all along the coast, from St Brevin to La Tranche. |
Various
venues; check website
for
details |
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Until 15 Sept 2012 |
Cinéscénie Spectacular
night-time son-et-lumiere
show, re-telling the history of the Vendee. Usually Sat & Sun
nights, from around 10.30pm. June 10.30pm. 25€, children 16€ For more information, click on banner below |
Puy du Fou, Les Epesses, near Les Herbiers (tel: 02 51 64 11 11). |
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Until 30 Sept 2012 |
Le
Grand Parc New season for the hugely enjoyable “historical
theme park”. High points include the storming of the “donjon médiéval”, the “Vikings”, and a
fabulous falconry show. Among other dazzling entertainments are
chariot-racing, and faithful recreations of medieval, 18th- and 19th-century
villages. Apr,
May open stated days only, 10am-7pm; from 1-30 June Tues &
Thurs-Sun 10am-7pm 27€, children
19 €. Under-5s free. For more information, click on banner above
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Puy du Fou, Les Epesses, nr Les Herbiers |
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early
Aug |
Fête des Peintres Artists set up their easels and work
throughout the village. |
Angles, near La
Tranche |
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early
Aug |
“Nuits Musicales
en Vendee Romane” Six communes in the
south-east Vendee hold concerts in romanesque settings. Thierry
Eliez Trio play jazz.. 9pm. 19 euros, children 15 euros. |
St-Hilaire-des-Loges
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early Aug |
Festival de Noirmoutier-en-l’Ile Season of plays, acted out against the
backdrop of the historic castle.
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Noirmoutier-en-l’Ile, Noirmoutier island
(tel : 02 51 35 87 24). |
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3, 4 Aug 2012 |
Lissac
Classic Races for
classic yachts, such as Dragon and Requin class, with about 50 taking part. |
Plage des Dames, Noirmoutier island |
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4-6 Aug 2012 |
Festival
de l’Histoire de France
Day- and night-time events around the town’s chateau
bring an atmosphere of earlier times. |
Ste-Hermine
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early
Aug |
Fête de la
Vache Annual festival
to do with everything about the cow, from milk production to an ox-roast. |
Falleron,
near Challans |
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early
Aug |
Brocante fair Open-air antiques fair in
the streets of this picturesque village.
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Sallertaine,
near Challans |
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5 Aug 2012 |
Les Médiévales A great day of
medieval entertainment around the ruined castle, including jousting, archery,
children’s games and a medieval market. 10am till firework display at night. 4€, under-12s free. |
Commequiers, nr Challans |
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5 Aug 2012 |
Fête des
Battages Grand
harvest-home event and agricultural fun and games. |
Aire de Loisirs de la Coulée Verte, St-Andre-Treize-Voies, near
Montaigu |
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6 Aug 2011 |
Secrets
de la Commanderie de Coudrie Open-air
performance recalling the history of an ancient small religious building in
the countryside. |
La Coudrie, Froidfond, near Challans (tel : …) |
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6 Aug 2011 |
Musiques à La Chabotterie Nocturnes baroques . . . a la Croix
de Charette Hugo
Reyne, oboe, with band of oboes and percussion in an open-air concert –
part of the annual festival of baroque music at the Logis de la Chabotterie. |
Logis de la Chabotterie, |
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6-8 Aug 2011 |
Festival
de Ste-Hermine Open-air
re-creations of pages from the history of France, covering the period of the
Revolution.
9.30pm. Other activities
near the church, from 2.30pm. 6 euros, children 4 euros. |
Theatroscope, Ste-Hermine (tel 02 51 27 37 37) |
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Next in 2013 |
Maillezais : Lumière du Marais Fabulous sound and light night-time show among the ruins of a
Romanesque abbey. (Takes place in odd-numbered years only) |
Abbaye St-Pierre de Maillezais. |
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During
Aug |
L’Été des 4
Jeudis Four summer Thursdays
of world music, presented in the open-air. 9pm. Admission free. |
Angles., near La
Tranche-sur-Mer (tel : 02 51 97 56 39) |
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7 Aug 2012 |
Le
Devin du Village The
Simphonie du Marais, directed by Hugo Reyne, with a one-act opera about a soothsayer,
by 18th-century writer Jean-Jacques Rousseau. |
Logis de la Chabotterie, |
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9 Aug 2012 |
Autrefois
. . . Challans Wonderful
old-time fair days throughout this pleasant market town, with traditional
activities and a good deal of family fun. Admission free. |
Challans |
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9, 10 Aug 2012 |
Cette nuit
Pierre-Levée Enjoyable son-et-lumière
production, with 200 locals acting out the history of the Olonnes area
against the backdrop of the pretty little Château de Pierre Levée. 10.30pm (food
available from 7.30pm). 16 euros, students 13 euros, children 8 euros.
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Château de Pierre-Levée, (near Olonne golf course), Olonne-sur-Mer
(tel : 02 51 23 71 54). |
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10 Aug 2012 |
La
Nuit des Etoiles Do some
stargazing in the wide skies of the Breton-Vendeen marshes, with guidance
from experts. From
10pm. |
Ecomusée du Daviaud, La Barre de Monts |
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10-12 Aug 2012 |
Régates du Bois de
la Chaise 130
working wooden sailing boats compete in a series of races off the coast of
Noirmoutier. Parade of boats into Noirmoutier town port in the evenings, and
a host of musical and other entertainment around the event. |
Bois de la Chaise and Noirmoutier town, Noirmoutier |
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11 Aug 2012 |
33e
Animation Artisanale A fun
day of old crafts throughout the village, watching the skills of former
times, from making lace to shoeing horses. 10am-7pm. 4€, children free; parking free. |
Aubigny, near La Roche-sur-Yon |
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11 Aug 2012 |
Concert
Pique-Nique with the Octuor de France
Enjoy music by the Romantic composers, and bring a
picnic to enjoy in a Glyndebourne-style garden setting. 6.30pm. 20 euros. |
Jardin de Chaligny, Ste-Pexine,
near Ste Hermine (tel : 06 08 71 64 99) |
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mid Aug |
23e
Foire aux Pinceaux: Peintres dans la Rue Artists spend the day painting
scenes of the village and submit them at 5pm for judging and prize-giving.
Evening meal from 7pm, with enterainment and dancing. From 9am. |
L’Aiguillon-sur-Vie, nr Coëx |
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12 Aug 2012 |
Puces
Lignéronnaises August
edition of the Vendée’s largest open-air flea-market. 9am-7pm. 1€. |
St-Christophe-du-Ligneron, nr Challans. |
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14 Aug 2012 |
Nuit de
la Mogette The
annual festival devoted to the white haricot bean of the Vendée. Old-time
agricultural methods, music, and, of course, a beanfeast. From 3pm.
Admission free. |
Le Poiré-sur-Vie, near Aizenay |
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14 Aug |
Feu
d’Artifice Grand
firework display in the castle courtyard. |
Apremont, near Challans |
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14-16 Aug 2012 |
Cette nuit
Pierre-Levée Enjoyable son-et-lumière
production, with 200 locals acting out the history of the Olonnes area
against the backdrop of the pretty little Château de Pierre Levée. 10.30pm (food
available from 7.30pm). 16 euros, students 13 euros, children 8 euros.
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Château de Pierre-Levée, (near Olonne golf course), Olonne-sur-Mer
(tel : 02 51 23 71 54). |
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15 Aug 2012 |
Fête du Lac Fun and games in, around and on the lake, with
a grand firework finale over the water after dark. |
Rue du Moulin-a-Eau, Maché, near Aizenay |
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15 Aug 2012 |
Fête
de la Brouette Annual
“wheelbarrow day”, famous for its wild fancy-dress wheelbarrow race (starts
3pm). From noon. |
Place du Vieux Cimetiere, Saligny, nr La Roche-sur-Yon |
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15 Aug 2012 |
Fête
du Pain The
village bread-oven will be fired up for baking. There will also be a craft
market, and exhibition of old agricultural machinery. From 2pm. Admission free. |
St-Père-en-Retz, (Loire-Atlantique), near Pornic, at
the Conservatoire des Vieux Métiers. |
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15 Aug 2012 |
Fête
des Pêcheurs The
annual chance for the public to see the centre of the mysterious Lac de Grand
Lieu. Fishermen sell their fish (at 9am), demonstrate fishing with seene nets
(9-11am) and run boat trips into the watery interior. |
Passay, near La Chevroliere |
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16 Aug 2012 |
Autrefois
. . . Challans Wonderful
old-time fair days throughout this pleasant market town, with traditional
activities and a good deal of family fun. |
Challans |
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mid Aug |
Brocante
fair |
Place des Trois Alexandre, Beauvoir-sur-Mer,
near Challans. |
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mid Aug |
Brocante Flea-market
in village centre, all day. |
Longeville sur Mer |
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mid Aug |
Fête du Folklore et du Sanglier An
afternoon of music and dance, plus evening meal of roast wild boar with
accompanying entertainment. From 2.30pm; meal from 7pm. |
St-Avaugourd-des-Landes, near La Mothe-Achard |
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mid Aug |
Brocante
et vide-greniers Flea-market. |
Avenue Wilson, Luçon |
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mid Aug |
Festival de la Comedie Musicale Musical production amid the ruins of
an ancient abbey. 9.30pm. c 19 euros |
Abbaye de l’Ile Chauvet, Bois de
Cene, near Challans (tel : 06 06 48 20 82)
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19 Aug 2012 |
Fête des Traditions Sallertainoises Old-time harvest
happenings in this pretty marshland village. |
Sallertaine, near Challans |
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late Aug |
Festival
Pyrotechnique International International
firework competition, set off over the Plage de l’Océan beach. 10.30pm.
Admission free. |
St-Brévin-les-Pins, near Pornic |
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3rd week of Aug |
Festival
Danses et Musiques du Monde Annual
festival of world music, with colourful teams performing traditional music
and dance on the open-air stage. Line-up this year includes Russia, Ireland, Guinea,
Madagascar and Mexico. 9.30pm. 14€,
children 7€. |
Cugand, near Clisson
(tel: 02 51 36 93 60). |
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25 Aug 2012 |
Nocturne
des Médiévales A night-time
festival with a medieval flavour in the historic centre of Clisson. |
Clisson (Loire-Atlantique) |
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late
Aug |
“Fàete de la
sou”/Fête du Sel Games, concerts
and food market around the theme of sea-salt – still produced in the area.
Visits of a working salt marsh, traditional games, food, dance and music. From 10am,
admission free. |
Centre
socioculturel du Talmondais, 292 Rue du Chai, |
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31 Aug-2 Sept 2012 |
Fête Littéraire Bilingue / Anglo-French
Literary Festival A new
festival offering music, stories, legends, and a chance to meet writers. Speakers
include Orange Prize-winner Helen Dunmore and BBC presenter Roisin McAuley. Full programme
can be dowloaded via above link. |
St-Clementin, near Nueil les Aubiers (Deux-Sevres) |
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MORE EVENTS The Vendée Tourist Board website has many events listed
under The Conseil-Général’s website also has a
regularly updated For Vendée vide-greniers (brocante fairs and car-boot sales), |
JAN FEB MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC
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