3 Oct to 30 Nov       Les Vendeens et la Mer/Exposition      Hotel du Dept/La Roche sur yon

 

Until 14 Oct

Vivre en Mer: l’Ile d’Yeu 1850-1950 Life on the island of Yeu, and its sea-going heritage. See a tuna boat, women working at canning sardine and tuna, and the growth of tourism.

Logis de la Chabotterie,
St-Sulpice le Verdon, near Rocheserviere

 

Until 19 Oct

Joël Robuchon, photographe Exhibition of images by the 19th-century photographer who depicted town and village life throughout the Vendee and neighbouring regions.
 

Logis de la Chabotterie,
St-Sulpice-le-Verdon.

 

5 Oct

Fête de la Citrouille Grand pumpkin festival and competition Record-holder is one weighing 553kg. Admission 3.50€

Le Potager Extraordinaire, La Mothe-Achard, nr Les Sables.

 

6-12 Oct

Festival du Conte: “Raconte ta vie” Festival of story-telling (good French needed !).
 

Le Poiré sur Vie

 

12 Oct

Fête de la Châtaigne Festival devoted to chestnuts – expect delicious smells of grilled chestnuts to waft over the proceedings.

La Cailliere St-Hilaire

 

mid Oct

Bird migration As part of the Fête de la Science, guided visits to see the bird migration at the Pointe de l’Aiguillon. 8am-6pm.

LPO office, Pointe de l’Aiguillon, L’Aiguillon-sur-Mer, near La Tranche (tel: 02 51 46 21 91).

 

18 Oct-
9 Nov

Vendée-Globe Village Visit the marquees and the pontoons to see the boats and skippers preparing to set off on the 2008/09 Vendée-Globe solo circumnavigation.

Port Olona,
Les Sables-d’Olonne.

 

18, 19 Oct

Festival de la Glisse Festival of extreme watersports

St-Hilaire-de-Riez

 

19 Oct

Braderie d’automne de la peinture Show and sale of paintings.

Vouvant

late Oct

Foire aux Marrons Annual chestnut festival, also with mushroom displays and antiques fair. 9am-7pm.

La Caillère-St-Hilaire (tel: 02 51 51 59 93)

20 Oct    20:00                  William Christie        Mareuil sur Lay/Eglise St Sauverur

 

22 Oct-late Feb 2009

Le Bénin et ses royaumes Large exhibition on the west-African country of Benin, which has close links with the Vendée.

Historial de la Vendée,
Les Lucs-sur-Boulogne.

 

Late Oct to
9 Nov

Vendée-Globe preview During the last few weeks before the round-the-world yacht race sets off (9 Nov), you can walk the pontoons of Port Olona and take a close look at the yachts of your favourite skippers.

Port Olona,
La Chaume, near Les Sables-d’Olonne.

 

late Oct

Salon des Antiquaires Annual antiques fair in this pretty marshland village.

Sallertaine, near Challans