We have stayed at six campsites across the Vendée now, from the sand right outside Camping Bel in La Tranche-sur-Mer to the quiet lanes near Saint-Julien-des-Landes at La Garangeoire. It is one of the easiest parts of France to fill a week with kids, flat cycle paths, long beaches and Puy du Fou within range of almost every site. For the full rundown of where we have stayed and what each one is really like, see our Vendée campsite guide.
This page is the “what to actually do while you’re there” list. Some of it is straight from our own trips, the rest is well-known Vendée attractions we have checked against official sources so you are not relying on a random blog. Here is what we would put on your list.
Our favourite days out in the Vendée with kids
- Puy du Fou, the big one
- La Tranche-sur-Mer, beach and market town
- Le Grand Défi treetop adventure park
- Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie
- O’Gliss Park, O’Fun Park and Atlantic Toboggan
- Planète Sauvage safari park
- Les Sables d’Olonne
- Nantes and the mechanical elephant
- Île de Noirmoutier
- Rainy day ideas
Puy du Fou, the big one
Suits ages 5 and up really, younger children can struggle to sit through a full show. Puy du Fou isn’t a rides theme park, it’s built around huge live shows with fire, horses, stunts and dramatic staging, taking you through different periods of French history. We’ve been in heavy rain more than once, from La Garangeoire and from Domaine du Clarys, and it genuinely didn’t put a dent in it. The shows carry on in all weather and you can buy ponchos on site. Our tip: you won’t manage every show in a day, so plan ahead and prioritise the Viking and Roman Arena shows if you only get to two.
La Tranche-sur-Mer, beach and market town
Suits all ages, it’s flat and easy with a pushchair. We stayed at Camping Bel for May half term and never once touched the car, the beach is around 300m from the entrance and the town is an easy flat walk for seafood, gift shops, crêperies and ice cream. There are food markets in the town centre on Tuesday and Saturday mornings all year, in Place de la Liberté and under Les Halles, with extra markets and evening markets added in summer. Our girls also loved the water fountains in town, a good cool-off between beach and campsite pool on a hot day.
Le Grand Défi treetop adventure park
Suits toddlers through teens, there are low courses for little ones and high ropes for older kids. This treetop and outdoor activity park, with zip-lining, paintball and disc golf, was our five year old’s favourite day out in the whole Vendée, and on another visit our just-turned-two-year-old managed loads of the toddler courses while our five year old flew through the high ropes. It’s rated well-suited to energetic families, and they allow two year olds on some of the rope courses. Pack sturdy shoes, and check the park’s own site for opening times before you go.
Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie
Suits all ages, a gentle one for a lunch stop rather than a full day of entertainment. We visited this seaside fishing town near Brem-sur-Mer and it’s perfect for a day at the beach with seafood restaurants, tapas spots and an ice cream. It’s a relaxed little seaside town, nice for a wander even if your children aren’t fussed about beaches and boats. If the beach near your own campsite isn’t great, this is also worth the drive for a swap.
O’Gliss Park, O’Fun Park and Atlantic Toboggan
Check the height limits on the bigger slides, and stick to the splash areas with little ones. O’Gliss Park in Le Bernard, near La Tranche-sur-Mer, is a large water park with slides, wild rivers and a wave pool. O’Fun Park, run by the same group, is an activity park the local tourist office describes as the largest attraction park in the Vendée. Atlantic Toboggan, in Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez just south of Saint-Jean-de-Monts, has heated pools, a wave pool and a lazy river. We haven’t made it to any of these ourselves yet as they’re seasonal, so check opening times before you go, but they’d suit a much bigger water day than a campsite pool.
Planète Sauvage safari park
Suits all ages, especially animal-mad kids. This is a drive-through safari park at Port-Saint-Père near Nantes, just over the border in Loire-Atlantique rather than the Vendée, you stay in your own car for the safari section and get out for walk-through enclosures with lions, giraffes and more. It’s a good one for a family that wants a full day out without too much walking in the heat. Check opening times before you go as hours shift with the season.
Les Sables d’Olonne
Suits all ages, there’s a promenade for scooters and buggies. This seaside resort town has a wide sandy beach, a lively seafront promenade and a harbour with boutiques, cafés and seafood restaurants tucked down the side streets. It’s known locally as a family-friendly stop thanks to the flat access and the long stretch of sand, good for a relaxed beach day or just a wander with ice creams.
Nantes and the mechanical elephant
Suits all ages, it’s a full city day so pack snacks and a pushchair for the walking. Les Machines de l’Île in Nantes is home to the Grand Éléphant, a 12m mechanical elephant that actually walks around and can carry 50 passengers. Beyond the elephant there’s a historic quarter with medieval architecture and the Château des Ducs de Bretagne nearby. It’s a good one if your family wants a city day that’s a bit different from beaches and campsite pools, and Nantes is within reach of most of the Vendée sites we’ve stayed at.
Île de Noirmoutier
Suits all ages for the island itself, the causeway crossing needs a bit of planning. Noirmoutier is reachable by bridge or, at low tide only, by the Passage du Gois, a 4km tidal causeway that floods twice a day, so check the tide tables before you try crossing it on foot or by car. Once there you get beaches, quiet villages and local seafood, a slower-paced day out than the bigger attractions. We’d treat it as a full day trip rather than a quick add-on given the drive and the tide timing involved.
Rainy day ideas
Puy du Fou still runs in the rain and ponchos are sold on site. We’ve also gone bowling in Aizenay and done a shop at the Hyper U there on a wet day near La Garangeoire. Camping Bel has an indoor soft play with ball pits near the entrance, our girls loved it and it was perfect for getting them out of the weather for an hour. Vendée Miniature in Brétignolles-sur-Mer, and the museums in Nantes, are worth keeping in your back pocket for a total washout day too.
Where to stay
- Camping Bel (La Tranche-sur-Mer), small and calm with the beach 300m away. Read our review or check prices.
- La Garangeoire (Saint-Julien-des-Landes), our forever favourite, quaint and relaxing and a 7km lake walk. Read our review or check prices.
- Coeur de Vendée (rural, near Puy du Fou, now Homair), the most rural of the six and the easiest base for a Puy du Fou day trip. Read our review.
- Le Pin Parasol (Lac du Jaunay), two pool complexes in one and go karts, a pump track and a BMX field for older kids. Read our review or check prices.
- Domaine du Clarys (Saint-Jean-de-Monts), a lazy river and a back gate that gets you to the beach in a short walk. Read our review or check prices.
- Camping l’Océan (Brem-sur-Mer), great indoor pool area for a cooler week, and the beach is about 600m away over the dunes (bring a carrier, not a pushchair). Read our review or check prices.
FAQs
What is there to do in the Vendée with toddlers?
Beaches are the easiest win, La Tranche-sur-Mer and the sand near Domaine du Clarys are both flat and sandy. Le Grand Défi has low toddler-height treetop courses, and several campsites, including Camping Bel, have indoor soft play for a rainy afternoon.
Is Puy du Fou worth it with young kids?
We think so from age 5 up, younger than that depends on the child. It’s all live shows rather than rides, so children need to sit and watch for a while. We’ve been in heavy rain more than once and the shows still ran, ponchos are sold on site, so it’s a solid rainy day option as well as a sunny one.
Do you need a car in the Vendée?
It depends on your campsite. Camping Bel and Domaine du Clarys are walkable to a beach and supermarket, but you’ll still want a car for Puy du Fou, the water parks and Nantes. La Garangeoire, Coeur de Vendée, Le Pin Parasol and Camping l’Océan are all more rural, so we’d always hire a car for those.
What can you do in the Vendée on a rainy day?
Puy du Fou still runs its full show programme in the rain. Indoor soft play at Camping Bel, bowling and a Hyper U shop in Aizenay near La Garangeoire, Vendée Miniature in Brétignolles-sur-Mer and the museums in Nantes are all decent backup plans when the weather turns.
How far is Puy du Fou from the Vendée coast?
From the coastal campsites like Camping Bel it’s around 95km, so plan it as a full day out rather than a quick trip. Coeur de Vendée is inland and much closer, making it the easiest base of the six if Puy du Fou is the main thing on your list.
Not sure which of these would suit your family, or want to check current prices before you book? Try our find your campsite quiz, and if you’re looking at dates soon, have a look at our Eurocamp May deals first.
Camping somewhere else in France? We’ve also got guides to Brittany, the Landes and Hossegor, the Gironde and the Dordogne.
