5 minute read
Island Escapes off the Vendée Coast
When you feel the need to take a complete break from the daily routine then perhaps it’s time for a little island escapism. Fortunately, turning that dream into reality is more easily accomplished than you might imagine, with some interesting options off the Atlantic coast. In previous issues of LIVING we’ve got to know both the Île de Ré and Île d’Oléron rather well, but until now two attractive islands a little further up the coast have somehow remained something of a mystery. The larger and better known is Noirmoutier, which you can reach from the modest port of Fromentine (85) via an elegant 700m-long road bridge which opened in 1971. Prior to that, island access required a bit of advance planning, since avoiding often violent tidal currents meant taking the nearby Passage de Gois, a slender 4.3km long causeway practicable only at times of low tide. Perhaps not surprisingly, the name derives from ‘goiser’, a local dialect expression meaning ‘to wade’, so check tide tables carefully if you’re thinking of joining those who still choose to reach the island via the classic approach.
Once across, you’ll discover that the island packs a surprising amount into its compact, low-lying landmass. Much of it is sheltered from Atlantic storms by sand dunes overlooking long stretches of magnificent sandy beaches. When arriving on the southern tip of the island you’ll find the local beaches on the western coastline, while the landward side’s light, fertile soils are devoted to producing the celebrated Noirmoutier new potatoes. Around half a dozen or so varieties are grown, the most notable being La Sirtéma, picked between 15 March and 25 April and proud possessor of the prestigious Label Rouge status.
12th century Chateau de Noirmoutier
Noirmoutier retains over twenty windmills
Most of the remainder of the southern sector has seen residential development, typically in the form of cheerful whitewashed villas with blue shutters. To soak up the island vibe (and access local beaches and campsites) ignore the modern dual carriageway which heads north and instead follow the D95, which will take you through a succession of unassuming small villages towards the shops and services of Barbâtre. Nearby on the eastern shore you’ll find the Sébastopol Polder Nature Reserve, some 132 hectares reclaimed during the 19th century and now managed as a wetland nature reserve by the island’s Communauté de Communes.
Traditional salt farming is still part of the island economy
Beyond Barbâtre you’ll reach the narrowest part of the island, just 500m wide. Here you can continue ignoring the dual carriageway and skirt the bay of La Guérinière, home to over twenty windmills, some of which overlook beaches and once served as day marks for fishermen and other coastal navigators. The area also has some great cycle routes and footpaths, including routes through the maritime pines of the Bois des Éloux, planted during the 19th century to halt the sea’s advance by stabilising the dunes.
There are more coastal forests around the north of the island, including the 110-hectare Bois de la Chaise, where maritime pines are joined by evergreen oaks, arbutus and mimosa. Just inland lies Noirmoutier-en-l’île, the island’s capital town, which in 2022 became a ‘Petite Cité de Charactère’. The historic heart is best explored on foot, the narrow streets around the 12th-century Château de Noirmoutier (which has exhibitions and a museum dedicated to the history of the island) being particularly atmospheric.
After visiting the town, you’ll find that the northern coastline possesses further stretches of fine sandy beaches, several campsites plus the colourful village of Le Vieil, whose laid-back island style makes it a magnet for summer visitors. Not far away, on the northwest tip of the island, is L’Herbaudière, whose port once had a sardine fleet and remains a busy coastal fishing port. Today it has a large marina for company with 574 deep water berths, making it a highly attractive facility for leisure sailors.
Below L’Herbaudière much of the landscape is occupied by productive clay-lined salt pans fed by a network of canals, perpetuating an island tradition founded by Benedictine monks during the 5th century. The results of continuous evaporation beneath the island sun include the renowned fleur de sel – natural, unprocessed sea salt rich in magnesium, potassium and other minerals, plus trace elements like manganese, iron and zinc. Widely appreciated for their culinary properties and health benefits, Noirmoutier sea salts are for many visitors perfect souvenir purchases. You’ll find lots more island inspiration at www.ile-noirmoutier.com.
Meanwhile, a little further down the Vendée coast and around 17km offshore lies island escapism of a subtly different kind, courtesy of the Île d’Yeu. Despite having a surface area of just 23km2, the landscapes are remarkably varied, more exposed sections of the northern and western shores defying the Atlantic with their own rugged Côte Sauvage, while their eastern and southern counterparts have a succession of fine sandy beaches sheltered by dunes and tracts of maritime pines and evergreen oaks.
