Sports and activities

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Challenges for all

The Vendée: a focus on sport

There are plenty of activities among the Vendée’s varied terrain for everyone, from devotees of the most extreme sports to sedate golfers.

What offshore water sports are available?
Blessed with a plentiful supply of sunshine and sea breezes, the Vendée coast is the perfect place to enjoy water sports of all kinds. The Vendée’s major resorts offer wide, flat expanses of sand, often stretching several kilometres, that afford perfect conditions for sand-yachting and speed-sailing at low tide. Depending on the wind conditions, why not have a go at dinghy or catamaran sailing, surfing, windsurfing, kite surfing, wave skiing, sand yachting or speed sailing ? The sea is a permanent playground for surfers, who find the best “spots” between St Gilles Croix de Vie and La Tranche sur Mer.
You can try out all these and more, either on your own or in the company of professionals. For beginners, several schools are on hand to provide instruction in the basic techniques, while for the more experienced amongst you there is a wide choice of equipment available for hire.
Among surfing competitions, a round of the AQS World Qualifying Series is held at Brétignolles sur Mer in April, and the annual Bud Bud Contest at Longeville sur Mer in September. In October, all these wind- and water-driven sports are brought together for the Festival de la Glisse at Saint Hilaire de Riez.
Alternatively, head out to sea on board a tall ship, or explore the world beneath the waves on a diving club adventure.

Five golf courses
Golfers are spoilt for choice in the Vendée, simply trying to decide which to play first of its five 18-hole, par-72 courses. Typically relaxed, with uncrowded fairways, these vary in character – ranging from the relatively straightforward design of the Golf des Olonnes to the more demanding terrain at the Golf de Saint Jean de Monts, with its first nine holes laid out through pine woods and the last nine lying along the coast like a Scottish links course. Also overlooking the sea, in a clifftop position, is the Golf de Port Bourgenay. The inland courses of the Golf de la Domangère and Golf des Fontelles enjoy parkland settings, with some challenging water hazards. Green-fees rarely top the 50€ mark, and the courses all have restaurants, open to all, in which players can round off the morning or evening with a delicious meal.