BOATING

 

 

The South West Vendee is a beautiful part of France with its lush green countryside, its wonderful sandy beaches and miles of canals, rivers and waterways.  You really cannot travel far without seeing a boat of some description or the other.

 

 

You can go to the beaches of La Sable, La Tranche, La Faute or Aiguillon and hire different types of small boats or windsurfers for a great day out at sea and to help with that essential french tan.

 

But for a really gentle days outing you really

cannot do better than a days boating on the

Marais Poitevin or Venis Vert.   You can hire

one of the traditional flat bottomed boats in

many villages and then paddle along  the

network of small canals criss crossing this

part of the Vendee.  The canals are tranquil

and usually lined with Poplar and Willow

trees to give shade when stopping for lunch or a picnic at the bankside.  The canals and villages on route are really wonderful. 

 

 

 

               At Marran you can take out a little boat

               for three or four people with a small

            engine atached and just relax while

            taking in the beauty of the canals without

            having to paddle.

            Also there are  a few places hiring kayaks

            and canoes.  

 
                   

 

 

In Lucon there is a huge municipal lake

which is designated for windsurfing,

kayaking, canoeing and sailing.

I believe that all the necessary equipment

is also for hire and some instruction

available.

 
 
    

 

 

For sea trips out touring the islands and sights then the historic french port of LaRochelle is the place to go for the day.   Guided tours of the Ile de Aix,  Ile de Ré and Fort Boyard all leave from here.

 

 

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