Vendee advice please.

[Happyeater]

Hi everyone. This is my first post on here, I'm delighted I've found this site. Spent the past couple of hours trawling through the many various posts and its mind-blowing.

Anyway, my wife and I fancy a second home in the Vendee (weather and access the main reasons). We live in NE England and the idea of long week ends and nice breaks really appeal. We plan to visit the Vendee soon to see what its about and look at areas which will be a good base and safe. This leads me to ask, where are the 'better' areas to look with security and access being as important as having nice local shops etc? I do worry about leaving a house empty and wonder if the place is likely to be still intact when we return.

For information, we have three children (14, 12 and 8yrs) who would love to fish, horse ride, quad bike, walk in beautiful country etc. We have a dog too. Ideally we would either drive down or fly in to a local airfield (hope to have my PPL soon).

Thank you for any help, advice is gratefully recieved.

[ChezShells]

Hi

Welcome to the site.

The Vendee is one of my favorite regions of France although its hard to pick between them, plenty of lakes and pretty village sscattered about .
Not sure on the security issue but I would be careful who you tell, have heard of robberies especially from empty houses.
Pick your location carefully, a house in the middle of nowhere sounds good but should the wrong person know its empty, its easy for them.

Have a look on www.the-vendee.co.uk could give you a little more info, but i'm sure there are one or two on here that will help.

Good luck.

[Happyeater]

Thank you for the reply. A year ago we bought a 2 bedroom apartment over looking the Black Sea in Bulgaria. That one is in an apartment block with 24 hr security, alarmed and connected to the Police. Even still, I worry a bit because its empty for 9 months a year, we bought it as an investment and will look to sell in a couple of years to buy somewhere else. The security in France too is an important issue as we'd have to leave a lot of stuff there. Perhaps a property with an attached, smaller Gite to rent full time would be an idea? Someone on site permanently may be ideal? 

We ordered a book called 'The Vendee' off Amazon and it arrived a week or so ago. I haven't seen it yet as my wife won't let go of it. Just before this last week end I was sent to WH Smith to buy a large A-Z of France Atlas so my Mrs could see where everything in the book is!! One of these days, I'll get to see what's in it.

[Barrym]

Angela Bird's book is the best book on the Vendee. 

The Vendee has everything to offer from the beautiful sandy beaches, historic towns and villages, the marshes at top and bottom, rolling countryside and an active (and growing - in numer) population.

I suggest you come and see us.

[Macker]

My advice would be to move inland to the eastern or southern Vendee. The coast is beautiful but very crowded, touristy and traffic jammed in the summer. The coastal plain is flat and pretty boring but the 'bocage' (which means the rolling hilly landscape) is really lovely, hiding all sorts of delights in its deceptively enveloping greenery. The pretty town of Chantonnay, 30kms east of La Roche sur Yon, is often described as 'the gateway to the Bocage' and from there on you will come across numerous delightful villages such as Sigournais, Vouvant and Bazoges en Pareds with their jaunty castles and, further south, lovely villages such as Xanton Chassenon and Mallezais with its beautiful ruined cathedral. In the north the bocage reaches its highest point near the pretty town of Pouzages and close to the world famous 'Puy du Fou' with its spectacular night shows. If you're flying you might want to relocate near to the ancient capital of the Vendée, Fontenay le Comte, itself a beautiful town, where there is an airstrip which I believe is very cheap to land at and has a good sociable crowd attached! However, if you did want to stay near the coast, there is a purpose built airstrip at Chasnais to the west of Lucon where you can buy a house in the grounds of a chateau, land your plane on the private airstrip and taxi it up to your own garage attached to your house and step straight into your own kitchen!. It's called the Atlantic Airpark.

East or west, north or south, I'm sure you'll find the Vendée suits you, I haven't met anyone yet who dislikes it. Good luck with your house hunting, if you need any more info please feel free to PM me.

[Happyeater]

Again, thanks for all of the advice. My wife is already studying the maps and looking up the suggestions. I suppose the only way is to get across and have a good look around. We will look to try and visit quite soon.

Any recommendations on estate agents? We've found a few on line and the houses do look decent value for money.

[chris pp]

Nothing to do with the Vendée, but need to correct the use of the word "bocage" in the interests of accuracy.  Bocage translates to "small fields with hedgerows". This is typically pasture or grazing for cattle or sheep with natural hedges (which would often be found in the rolling landscapes mentioned).  Débocage - removing the hedgerows, often to create large cereal fields. Rebocage - replacing hedgerows or planting new ones.

 

Chris

[The Riff-Raff Element]

[quote user="chris pp"]

Nothing to do with the Vendée, but need to

correct the use of the word "bocage" in the interests of

accuracy.  Bocage translates to "small fields with hedgerows".

This is typically pasture or grazing for cattle or sheep with natural

hedges (which would often be found in the rolling landscapes

mentioned).  Débocage - removing the hedgerows, often to create

large cereal fields. Rebocage - replacing hedgerows or planting new

ones.

 

Chris

[/quote]

Ah - but we do definately have one Chris: I got lost in it last summer in an agreeable sort of clueless way [8-)]. Lots of hedges. Lots of cows. Definately bocage.

[chris pp]

I must learn to express myself better!  Bad boy!

Forget the "Nothing to do with the Vendée",  what I meant was,    never mind, doesn't matter, I've had a hard day.

Chris

 

[Loiseau]

If you're going to buy a holiday home that - by definition - will be empty for much of the year, then don't buy it in an out-of-the-way spot.  I know of several people whose isolated houses have been broken into during their absences.

Far better to find one in a friendly hamlet, with suitably nosy neighbours who will give anybody they don't recognise the once-over.  Plus that's far better for integration, mutual help (one of our farmer neighbours jump-started our BMW with leads conected to his battered tractor; another - a retired policeman - regularly patrols the garden in my absence), support, invitations to aperitifs etc etc.

Many of the prettiest villages in the Vendee are now rather top-heavy with British residents. Consider looking for somewhere slightly less obvious than Vouvant, Bazoges or Apremont.

It depends also, of course, on how near the sea you want to be. About 30km max if you want to go there a lot, I would say.

Talking of "air parks", there's a well-established one near Talmont-St-Hilaire called Vendée Air Park. There's also an aerodrome called Les Ajoncs, NE of La Roche-sur-Yon.

Angela

www.the-vendee.co.uk

[Happyeater]

Thank you Angela. My wife can't put your book down!!!

Good advice, much appreciated. With us getting a little older now (42yrs old) we're really looking forward and thinking, "Where do we want to spend our time, when we have more to spend". The kids are 13, 12 and 8. Famly holidays will only happen for the next 4-5 years before the big ones don't really want to spend time with mum and dad. We'd like somewhere close 'ish' to be able to go and 'chill out' for a while. The Vendee seems ideal and is commutable by air.

I love to fish but the fishable days in the NE are fairly few without thermal gear, we had half a dozen BBQ's last 'summer' and days where we sat in the garden could again be counted on one hand. The beach isn't too important, nice river or forest walks or even around lakes are great. Spending time in France would also bring challenges, like learning French!

Again, thank you all for the advice on questions you've all probably been asked many times.  

[Bunny]

[quote user="Happyeater"]

I love to fish but the fishable days in the NE are fairly few without thermal gear, we had half a dozen BBQ's last 'summer' and days where we sat in the garden could again be counted on one hand. The beach isn't too important, nice river or forest walks or even around lakes are great. Spending time in France would also bring challenges, like learning French!

[/quote]

How right you are about the NE uk and suitable fishing days!! My other half went out this morning with warm clothing,  a flotation suit, thermal boots and his fishing gear plus copious amounts of hot coffee in thermos flasks.

I, however chose to spend the day lazing around the house where it's warm and peaceful instead of going along with him as I usually would (I'm getting quite good at fishing)

We long to leave the NE and live in France and hopefully will do one day.

 

[Happyeater]

My wife is far better than me at fishing too. Drives me mad, not fair either. Something about pheromones or something. I knew it would be something that had a 'moan' in it anyway.

I don't mean it if you're reading this, dear.....honest.

Hope you get moved one day soon, Bunny. Also hope hubbies frostbite isnt too serious.

[Teamedup]

Give me a break I was in the NE from the beginning of Sept to the end of Jan. It was a darned site warmer there for most of that time than it was in France on my odd excursions back and from what friends in France told me over the phone when I was in England. We hardly had any rain either, not that from the sound of it they had much in any of the UK during that period either.

 

 

 

 

[The Riff-Raff Element]

[quote user="Teamedup"]

Give me a break I was in the NE from the

beginning of Sept to the end of Jan. It was a darned site warmer there

for most of that time than it was in France on my odd excursions back

and from what friends in France told me over the phone when I was in

England. We hardly had any rain either, not that from the sound of it

they had much in any of the UK during that period either.

 

 [/quote]

But then you don't live in the Vendée, do you. Big country, France, lots of different climatic bits.

[Teamedup]

No I don't. But what I do know is that most of France has cold weather in winter. In fact some of it is decidedly glacial in winter and autumn. There are very few places that are 'always' warm. Granted summers are hotter but we are further south. I must say that I have been quite shocked over the years as to how cold other regions of France can be.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

[quote user="Teamedup"]

No I don't. But what I do know is that most

of France has cold weather in winter. In fact some of it is decidedly

glacial in winter and autumn. There are very few places that are

'always' warm. Granted summers are hotter but we are further south. I

must say that I have been quite shocked over the years as to how cold

other regions of France can be.

[/quote]

We are blessed with a very clement climate here - something to do with

being next to the bay of biscay but behind the Ille de Ré. Something

techinical, anyway. Snow is very rare as are temperatures below about

minus 5 (not unheard of, but unusual). I'm always surprised how cold

some places further south get - Madrid and Milan come to mind.

[Loiseau]

Ah, at last I have found the map I wanted to post. But I can't find how to stick it in a reply, so will have to give you the website to go to and see how the sun (allegedly) does favour the Vendee.

http://www.french-holiday-property.com/regional.htm

 

Angela

[Loopy Lou]

Angela,

How has the rainfall been in the Vendee over the past year or so?  I see that Deux Sevres still has a complete hosepipe ban and wonder what the implications will be this year for property owners in the whole Poitou Charentes region.

I suppose the amount of sunshine hours reflects a conomitant lack of rain - something to consider for overall enjoyment of one's property.

Lou

[The Riff-Raff Element]

[quote user="Loopy Lou"]

Angela,

How has the rainfall been in the Vendee over the past year or

so?  I see that Deux Sevres still has a complete

hosepipe ban and wonder what the implications will be this year for

property owners in the whole Poitou Charentes region.

I suppose the amount of sunshine hours reflects a conomitant lack of

rain - something to consider for overall enjoyment of one's property.

Lou

[/quote]

Angela probably has better general data than I, but everyone around

this commue (farming, you see) is somewhat obsessive about the weather,

and it rather rubs off on the rest of us...for the South Vendée some

figures:

For the year October 2004 to September 2005 we got 550mm of rain

against the normal of around 800mm for the region - the period from Nov 04 to Feb 05 was

spectacularly dry with only 120mm instead of 375mm expected, and it was

this that really messed up the supplies for the summer.

This winter has been better: Oct 05 to Jan 06 we've had 230mm vs 355mm

average, so things are looking somewhat better. February has been

fairly wet - no final figures as yet, but almost certainly more than

the average 75mm (Feb 05 we got 20mm...)

Farmers around here are planning to move (those that have the

flexibility - we have a few monoculturist subsidy fiends) as far as

they can away from maize and into winter wheat, sunflower and rapeseed,

all of which are far less thristy in late summer than maize, and would

not normally need irrigation, so there is a fair amount of optimism

that 2006 should be far less subject to restrictions on domestic use

than 2005.

That anorak in the hall cupboard ain't there to keep me dry, you know! [8-|]

[Loiseau]

Wonderful reply, jond! 
I have been silent as (a) have just had a few days away in Northern France, and (b) don't live full-time in the Vendee so am not v well qualified to answer Lou's question.

From my last trip to the Vendee (last month) I feel people are still pretty worried about lack of water; and the level in the lake at Maché/Apremont is very low.

Angela

[The Riff-Raff Element]

[quote user="Loiseau"]

Wonderful reply, jond! 

I have been

silent as (a) have just had a few days away in Northern France, and (b)

don't live full-time in the Vendee so am not v well qualified to answer

Lou's question.

From my last trip to the Vendee (last month) I feel people are still

pretty worried about lack of water; and the level in the lake at

Maché/Apremont is very low.

Angela

[/quote]

Ah, well you are missing a veritable monsoon here: we have had rain on

no less than three consecutive days, the canals out on the marais are

full (though I've not been up to Mervant for a while) and the normally

languid Vendée is in full spate i.e. it is actually being seen to move.

People are still a little worried, but very encouraged by the rain and

no-one is complaining that it is the wrong sort or anything. We shall

see.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

I realise that I might be going on a bit here, but the following is an

assessment of the state of water resources as at 22 Feb. Since then,

rainfall has continued to be heavy and the barrages are now over 80%

filled. I've no idea what is happening in 79, 86, 16 and 17. Chris ?

Anyone ?

Quote:

Le point sur les réserves en eau – 22 février 2006

La forte pluviométrie du mois de février a enfin permis d’amorcer la remontée de nos réserves en eau.

Entre

novembre 2004 et février 2006, le déficit de pluie par rapport aux

normales observées sur la même période va de 22% à 41%, soit 35% en

moyenne sur le département. Sur la période comprise entre septembre

2005 et février 2006 (période habituelle de remplissage des nappes), le

déficit moyen est de 25%. La baisse du déficit est due aux

précipitations importantes d’octobre et de février, en effet, au 21 du

mois, la pluie tombée dépasse déjà les hauteurs observées d’habitude en

février. (sources : Météo France)

Les débits des cours d’eau

étaient bien faibles, bien que non exceptionnels jusqu’au 12 février

dernier. Mais à partir du 15, l’effet des pluies a été remarquable.

Ainsi, au 20 février, les débits sont repassés au-dessus des moyennes

interannuelles : 7 m3 par seconde sur le Loing à Chantonnay (moyenne

interannuelle : 3 m3/s), ou encore 45 m3/s sur le Lay à Mareuil (au

lieu de 25 m3/s). (sources : DIREN).

Au 19 février, les barrages

vendéens étaient remplis en moyenne à 76%. Hormis les retenues de

Moulin Albert et Pierre Brune (41% et 46%), les taux de remplissage

sont très satisfaisants : de 67% à 90%. L’objectif d’un taux de

remplissage proche de 100 % début mai peut aujourd’hui s’envisager avec

plus de sérénité. (sources : Vendée Eau et gestionnaires de barrages)

Les

pluies de février ont engendré une petite remontée des niveaux des

nappes, y compris la nappe de socle, dont le temps de réaction est le

plus long. Cependant, le niveau de cette nappe de socle reste en deçà

des valeurs les plus faibles enregistrées depuis 13 ans sur le

piézomètre de la Roche-sur-Yon (valeurs inférieures à celles de l’année

2005, année déjà exceptionnelle).

Par ailleurs, les nappes du Sud

Vendée, bien que repassées au-dessus des minima, présentent des niveaux

inférieurs aux moyennes généralement constatées à cette période de

l'année. (sources : Conseil Général – DEA – Service Eau)

[Loiseau]

Interesting chart!  So Les Landes-Genusson is not the best place to spend one's summer hols then?  Looks like it has to be La Mothe-Achard! [;)]

Angela

[The Riff-Raff Element]

[quote user="Loiseau"]

Interesting chart!  So Les

Landes-Genusson is not the best place to spend one's summer hols

then?  Looks like it has to be La Mothe-Achard! [;)]

Angela

[/quote]

As a provider of people's holidays, Angela, I feel it would be

inappropriate (or even possibly unprofessional) for me to comment

further on this! [;)]

Joking apart, I feel a sense of some relief. Last year we were spared

the restriction on pool filling (until the very end) only because we

could wave a SIRET number in the general direction of the authorities.

I know that that is a selfish view and the issues are far wider than

just tourism, but it was a concern coming into this winter. We're not

out of the woods yet, of course.