GREAT DESTINATIONS ❘ LA VENDÉE 12 ISLAND HIGHLIGHTS Twelve outstanding experiences not to miss on the Île de Noirmoutier
For more places to visit on Noirmoutier go to www. ile-noirmoutier .com
CHÂTEAU DE NOIRMOUTIER Dominating the skyline of
Noirmoutier-en-l’Île is the 20-metre- high keep of this magnificent 12th- century castle. It was a military prison during the French Revolution, but
today serves as the island’s museum, and offers great views over the town.
www.ville-noirmoutier.fr/le-chateau
L’ATELIER DE LA SARDINE Opened in 2018, La Perle des Dieux’s Atelier de la Sardine museum takes
you back in time to meet the men and women who have made the humble sardine a local symbol of excellence, with memorabilia from the 17th century right up to the present day.
www.laperledesdieux.com/le-musee
DOMAINE ÉRIC SAGE There is no better way to get an appreciation for the working life of this rather special vineyard than in a carriage pulled by a rare local breed of horse. Bolero, Petra Wise’s beloved steed, will take you on a relaxing ride through the vines.
https://ericsage.wixsite.com/website
L’ESTACADE,
SAINT-JEAN-DE-MONTS Stretching 400m out into the Atlantic, this magnificent wooden pier has become a favourite for fishermen
keen to keep their feet firmly on the ground, and they are always happy to talk about their catches.
www.paysdesaintjeandemonts.fr
LES BALADES DE CHLOÉ Aquatic marching, paddleboarding and paddlefitness all feature on the timetable at this one woman fitness school. Immensely popular, and catering for all levels of experience,
you can expect to come away with a stronger core and better balance. Facebook @lesbaladesdechloe
OYSTER TASTING
Oyster farms are scattered around the island and are easily visible at low tide. There are also a number of oyster tasting huts. If the urge takes you out of hours, La Godaille Huîtres at Port du Bonhomme operates a 24/7 oyster vending machine.
www.lagodaille.com
GOLF CLUB DE
SAINT-JEAN-DE-MONTS Set amid 50 hectares of coastal dune fields and forests of pine and oak, with the sound of the waves crashing down on the shoreline beside you, this 5,912m long, par 72 golf course is hard to beat.
www.golfsaintjeandemonts.fr
L’HÔTEL JACOBSEN
Recently renovated under the eye of heritage architect Stéphane Barbotin- Larrieu, and reopened as a museum in the spring of 2019, this 18th-century hotel tells the story of the Empire and the influence of the sea on the island of Noirmoutier.
www.ile-noirmoutier.com
BIOTOPIA
A fantastic educational and discovery experience that won’t feel like a school excursion, this interactive
environmental centre lifts the lid on the secrets of the shoreline and forest, and shows you just what you might have missed.
www.biotopia.fr 42 ❘ FRANCE TODAY Apr/May 2020
LA MAISON DU PÊCHEUR Learn how sailors used to live, in this
museum set in a painstakingly restored traditional fisherman’s cottage
featuring a wealth of local artefacts and tales. Be sure to find out just what was found in that 150-litre barrel washed up on the shore in 1912.
www.payssaintgilles-tourisme.fr
LA BASE NAUTIQUE
Surfing, kayaking, paddleboarding, kitesurfing… It all happens here at this state of the art watersports school on the beach at Saint-Jean-de-Monts. Go along even if you don’t want to take part, as the various activities make for fantastic spectator sport.
www.labasenautique.fr
PASSAGE DE GOIS
There is something quite special about taking the traditional road from the mainland over to L’Île de Noirmoutier. Crossing a very unusual habitat that bustles with activity at low tide, it is worth leaving plenty of time to complete the 4.1km drive.
www.passagedugois.com
❯❯
IMAGES © JEAN-SÉBASTIEN EVRARD, FLORIAN PÉROUD, OT NOIRMOUTIER
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148
