Le Grand Défi
This is the top recommendation from our park directeur Dave Bentley and family - they have season tickets! Le Grand Défi offers a high impact, high energy day out with tree top trails for all abilities and zip wires across the lake, plus lots more. If you’re looking for a more adventurous way to spend the day, then this is the place for you. For more information, see their website.
Zoo des Sables d’Olonne
Just forty minutes from the park, this zoo is more like a safari and conservation park than a traditional zoo. If you love animals, then this is the place for you with lots of endangered species and exotic animals. Take a look at their website for more information.
Planete Sauvage
This safari park near to Nantes offers an immersive animal experience, exploring the park in a four by four – just like in Africa! There is a wide variety of wildlife divided into five different sections. Visit their website for opening times and prices.
Ile d’Yeu
Take a boat trip from the harbour at St Gilles to the idyllic Ile d’Yeu. This offshore island is a classy retreat with traditional huts and miles of pine forest backing on to superb beaches, ideal for exploring on foot, by bike or bus. Famous for tuna and crayfish, this is a great place to enjoy fresh seafood.
Ile de Noirmoutier
Meaning ‘flower of the sea’, Ile de Noirmoutier is a beautiful island less than an hour’s drive from Le Pas Opton. Connected to the mainland by a bridge and a cobbled causeway (which floods dramatically at high tide), it has a rich heritage and is a well-loved tourist attraction. Make sure you time your visits with the tides if you plan to take the causeway route!
Puy du Fou
This historical theme park has been voted the world’s number one theme park. Watch a Viking longboat emerge from under water or Roman gladiators do battle in a full size amphitheatre, with each attraction a full theatrical spectacle.
For a truly amazing experience, stay for the evening Cinéscenie. Using a cast of over 1,000 people, the show portrays the story of a Vendéen family through the generations from the Revolution to the present day. An experience not to be missed!
Visit Puy du Fou’s website for more details.
Nantes
The capital of the Pays de la Loire region and the sixth largest city in France, Nantes is full of history. Visit the museum at the castle, the cathedral, the giant mechanical elephant or take a boat trip down the Loire and see the city from a different perspective. There are also many events held in the city throughout the year such as concerts and festivals.
Coastal towns
About an hour's drive south is Les Sables d'Olonne, a lively and fashionable seaside town that attracts visitors from far and wide. The Vendée Globe round-the-world solo yacht race starts and finishes here. Shopaholics will love the many streets designed for retail therapy offering everything from cheap souvenirs to high-end fashion.
The ancient port town of La Rochelle is two hours drive south, but well worth the trip for its medieval architecture, old harbour and countless ice cream parlours! Take a short boat trip narrated by a local guide or climb the three towers built to defend the port.
For more suggestions of places to visit, feel free to ask the on-site Reception team.