Maud Vinatier

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I would like to welcome you all on this space, I’m very glad to "represent" la Vendée, where I was born and where I now live. I spent my youth in le bocage, the hilly, green area that forms the western part of the département. I’m now enjoying another beautiful aera, the coastline and marshlands. Having lived in these very different landscapes, I can tell you that la Vendée has a lot to offer! While famous for its long sandy beaches, it is much more than that. The cultural and architectural heritage is wide... Ideally located between Brittany and Bordeaux, it’s easily reached from England, by ferry, eurostar or plane; I hope you’ll enjoy reading about that my tips and experiences.
A bientôt in la Vendée!

Maud Vinatier

Hi!
My name is Maud Vinatier, I live in Soullans, a pleasant village located in the north west part of La Vendée; although I’m from this aera, I’ve only been "back" here for three years... At 39, I’m a cook, a taxi driver, a story teller, well, in other words a mum! mainly but not only... with the bit of time left on my hands, I write in the local newspaper, Ouest-France. All of our three children were born in Guildford, Surrey and their first words were english ones: " mum, car or look!".

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How did it all start? Well, we have to go back to the 30th of August 1997 (not a happy day for you and the royal family, I know); on that day, I got married to Vincent, French and "Vendéen" like me. Earlier that year, Vincent had found a job with Cazenove & Co in the City of London and I had decided to follow him there. "What was a trainee spanish teacher like me going to do over there?" I often heard...

Anyway, young ex-students, broke but full of energy, we set foot in the perfide albion. One of my first memories of London was the millions of flowers laid around Buckingham Palace in memory of Princess Diana. Incredible sight for a foreigner like me! We also soon found out, naive as we were?, that house rents quoted on estate agents’ windows were not per month, but per week! Yet, we fell in love with a charming town on the outskirts of London, Guildford, its caste grounds, the paved high street, the river Wey. A taste of the countryside but still on the commuting belt for Vincent. Then, while my other half was working very hard, I ran for a few years a shop called " Leaping Lizards", selling furniture ans gifts from Indonesia and Africa... and from two we became five!
During all these years, we discovered the pleasures of Sunday lunch at our local pub, we went to parties with English, Italian, Swedish, Spanish people... and time flew by.

Until one day of January 2008 the urge to come back to my country and family was too strong. So, the decision was taken, the house sold and the ferry booked. One way this time! We put the children’s names down to a local school (no waiting list!) and came back in la Vendée in June 2008, for a life not far from the sea. All these years in England gave me a taste for old houses so, guess what we found in 2010? An XVIIIth century logis, old enough and with all the features we were after! And obviously in need of lots of TLC... We spent most of the last year in dirty clothes, smashing old mushy bathrooms, laying up tiles, painting, tidying up the jungle/garden. And the dream gradually came true.

The idea behind this purchase was also to open chambres d’hôtes, a B&B, so I could work from home and keep an eye on the children’s homework. I also knew, at the back of my mind, that it would be a way to keep a link with this "other life" and that british tourists would keep us in touch with the UK. With the house nearly finshed, and the guest rooms now opened, I can now say I live the life I imagined we could have back in France: an old house in the countryside, with children and a dog all running wild in the garden, chocolate around their mouth.

Skipper Samantha Davies - 3 May 2012

Skipper Samantha Davies was in St Gilles last week-end. She came to show her new sailing boat, Savéol. The boat will compete for the next ’Vendée Globe’. She finished 4th last time, in 2008. Back then, it (...)Give your opinion


23rd of March, a taste of summer - 4 April 2012

We’re enjoying fine summer weather at the moment, terraces are crowded, T-shirts and skirts are out again, and smiles are back on our faces...And last Sunday, with friends, we tried to ignore our watches (...)Give your opinion


Puy du Fou, you will love its craziness... - 20 March 2012

As far as I can remember, (I was 5 when it started), Puy du Fou has always been part of my environment and was often part of family conversations; everybody in la Vendée knows someone who was or is involved (...)Give your opinion


Gallery of painters... - 10 February 2012

In la Vendée, and even a few minutes from home, I recently came accross the work of great painters. One of my favourite walk from the house is to the Musée Charles Milcendeau, (1872-1919), a nice and quiet (...)Give your opinion


Galette des Rois - 23 January 2012

Our stomachs have just recovered from substantial meals for Christmas and New Year’s eve that....we start again on the 6th of January for l’Epiphanie,( and many days after as well...) for the traditional (...)Give your opinion


Historial de la Vendée - 12 October 2011

Part of the "Musée de France", the Historial is an original, audacious contemporary building, whose roof is covered with vegetation; it’s situated in the Lucs sur Boulogne, famous for a terrible episode of (...)Give your opinion


Des pots de confiture - 3 August 2011

They used to be called "studio" or "souillarde" (an old name for utility areas). I had never seen cobwebs as big as those, spiders had been the main residents in the last 15 years! Ivy was growing through (...)Give your opinion


Le vert et le noir.... - 5 July 2011

Green like the forest nearby. Green like the outside front wall that welcomes you to the leisure complex "201 Forest Avenue" in Sion, near Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez. Green like the "mur végétalisé".... Green (...)Give your opinion


Surprises to come - 13 May 2011

Do you like surprises? So many things on offer, I haven’t made my mind yet, so wait and see!!Give your opinion


My chambre d’hôtes in Soullans - 13 May 2011

I’ve already mentioned that I can welcome people in our new chambres d’ hôtes in Soullans. Coming soon: a guided and personal tour of our bedrooms, full of French (...)Give your opinion


Jardin Florigelium - 13 May 2011

A passionate couple, Sophie et Jean-Yves Poiroux, have opened a nursery 25 years ago in Olonne sur Mer. Part of it, Jardin Florilegium is opened to the public. I’ll go and meet (...)Give your opinion


Vouvant - one of the nicest village in la Vendée - 13 May 2011

Vouvant is one of the nicest village in la Vendée, probably why so many English people have bought a house there. It’s also known as an "artists’ village", with events and exhibitions planned throughout the (...)Give your opinion


Evening out in family - 13 May 2011

For the perfect evening out in family, I’ll take you to 201 Forest Avenue for a bowling game in Sion, near Saint-Hilaire-de Riez; its new, trendy and it faces the (...)Give your opinion


Surfing lessons - 13 May 2011

Between maths and French lessons, the pupils of the secondary school, le collège des Epinettes in St Gilles, have surfing lessons. Indeed they are lucky to live in one of the best place in France for this (...)Give your opinion


Autrefois Challans - 13 May 2011

We’ll go back in time in Autrefois Challans! The second largest town of la Vendée, Challans, (famous for its ducks and chickens), recreate the life in 1910. More than 1500 volunteers take part in ths big (...)Give your opinion


Hollyhocks and thatched roofs - 9 May 2011

There are many places that I like in la Vendée. For the time being, I will talk about the place I now call home: St Gilles-Croix-de-Vie and its surroundings. Once I’ve dropped the children at school, (yes, (...)Give your opinion


Crème anglaise versus custard - 9 May 2011

It’s a well-known fact that when, we, French, don’t talk about food, well it means we’re eating! La cuisine, which refers both to the room and the act of cooking, faire la cuisine, is a very important aspect (...)Give your opinion