Execdrive Inc © All rights reserved Privacy Policy | Terms of Use

After Mareuil drive down to Lavaud, take a stop in the little café bar by the river, discover the iron bridge that crosses the Lay, “ The Pont Eiffel.” Yes, it was built by Gustav Eiffel; he who built the tower in Paris; but our piece of engineering is much more practical and every bit as important to the community. Perhaps the lure of the river Lay got to him as well.

Walk a few hundred metres up the road and look at the little monument commemorating the first arms drop by the RAF in the Vendee prior to d-day. I will leave you to discover the poignant message first broadcast by the BBC.

After all that exertion walk back to the bar and just watch the river, by now I know you will agree with me; the Lay is a magic river

To complete your mini tour why not make your way to the tiny village of Rosnay, the heart of the wine making industry in this area.  Follow the signs for the “ Route de Vin” and stop off for a degustation at any of the small vineyards along the way, you will be welcome and there will be no high- powered sales pitch either.

There is something about visiting a vineyard in our area. There is no pretension, no formality. The cave is usually the cellar of the house or the barn next door, the tasting room a hastily crafted table, with four mis-matched chairs or perhaps a home made bench upon which to rest. But be aware, tasting wine, talking wine, discovering wine, is not a process to be rushed. I hear tales of families on holiday who will boast of their prowess in visiting a dozen vineyards in a day! Alas they miss the point of the whole experience.

The tasting and ultimately the buying of the wine is almost of secondary importance, it is the social grace which must be mastered, the slow conversation, the reminiscences, the enquiries made and answered of friends long lost and of course the comparisons, one wine to another.  

You will soon get the hang of life Vendeen style