Around and About
La Vendée and Beyond …
As La Viollière is situated almost mid-way between the lovely Vendee coast and Poitiers, the capital of the Vienne Department, it is very well placed for wide and varied exploring and the following is just a small sample …
La Viollière, is a small hamlet, about 2k outside the village of Breuil Barret. It has a boulangerie open every morning apart from Wednesday and if you enjoy freshly baked croissants in the morning, it is a pleasant walk through the back lanes. There is also a tennis court in the centre, with free access and two marked walks which take you along tracks through the countryside that you might otherwise miss!
La Châtaigneraie is just 6kms away and is our nearest town with supermarkets, boulangeries, banks, cafés, restaurants and a few small shops. It also has a very good swimming pool, three separate pools (covered out of high season) with a really good slide and attractive grassy area around it.
Vouvant is an attractive, medieval village, only 15 minutes away. There is an old tower at the top of the ramparts and lower down, a lovely walk along the river. The village has a reputation for its artist and there are several galleries plus a selection of shops and café/restaurants with outside seating.
Mervent Forest is only 14kms and hides a host of different activities and walks There is a small, well established zoo which includes a wonderful lemur enclosure which can be walked through. Parc Pierre Brune, a leisure park for children and adults with bumper boats, huge slide, little train, rising swing seat carousel, bouncy castles and trampolines plus much more. On the edge of the lake there is a Nautique Centre which hire canoes, electric boats and paddle boards for exploring the waterways.
The Venise Verte is a fascinating area of waterways, created during the draining of the marshes by the monks many years ago and now a haven to wild life. There are walks and cycle track alongside some of the rivers and at many villages it is possible to hire a Barques or punt, with or without a guide, to explore the waterways. Some of the most popular villages in our area are Maillezais with its lovely old Abbey, Arçais and Coulon - all approximately 40 mins drive and all worth a visit.
The famous Puy du Fou historical theme park tells the history of the area and ancient France in a multitude of spectacular shows and attractions is also just 40 mins drive. One of the most popular attractions in France, the Grand Parc is open daily during the season and the Cinéscénie which tells the history of the Vendée is an evening, week-end show, with hundreds of volunteer participants, horses and fireworks (this must be booked in advance).
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