The Vendee and Deux Sevres areas offer so much to do and see you will be spoilt for choice. The pretty towns of Vouvant (pictured) and Mervent are 25 minutes drive south where you will find shops, restaurants and water sport activities as well as the wonderful old buildings and surrounding woodland walks.
To get the ultimate view of the magnificent scenery why not have a trip in a hot air balloon located close by near Cerizay? Or if you fancy a canter through the bocage there are three horse riding schools within ten minutes of the house. For fairways and greens try Bressuire or Mazieres-en-GatineBressuire. Anglers will love the Pescalis Angling Centre with several lakes and every type of fishing you may want, an aquarium and a very pleasant restaurant only 5 minutes away.
The French have kept strangely quiet about an amazing global award winning theme park which attracts over 2 million visitors a year. Puy du Fou is forty minutes away and is an absolute must. Don’t expect rollercoasters, this is a historic themed park which is worth a two day pass. They even have doggy day care.
It would be almost rude not to mention wine – if the Loire valley an hour or so north and the Bordeaux region two hours south seem a little too far, don’t fret, the closest vinyard is about half an hour away with many more within an hour in the Fontenay-le-Comte and Lucon area.
If you fancy exploring further afield and like the sea, the port of La Rochelle is less than 1.5 hours drive as are the dramatic sandy beaches of the Atlantic coast, such as Les Sables d’Olonne.
Les Rochers 