MSC Construction - the Vendee, France

The Poitevin Marshes, fringed with forests, medieval Abbeys and extends over more than 90,000 hectares of waterways and natural greenery.

In the heart of the countryside you will find one of the biggest and best loved theme parks in France. the whole history of the Vendée is explained ina brilliant son et lumiere display.

The Vendée globe takes place every four years and is above all human adventure. The race starts from, and returns to les Sables D’Olonne, with the competitors sailing single handed round-the-world. The record was broken in 2008/9 - all eyes will now be on the next race in 2012.

And just beyond the borders you shouldn't miss La Rochelle, Niort, Poitiers (with the Futurescope theme park), Nantes and much more

Want to know more?

Don't forget Angela's Bird's excellent Vendée guide and her website www.the-vendee.co.uk

The Vendée

The Vendée is located in mid-western France, an area with an average of over 280 days of sunshine a year - rivalled only by the south of the country.

Only an hour from 3 international airports (La Rochelle, Nantes and Poitiers - served by Ryan Air, Easyjet, FlyBe, BA and AerAraan), the sud vendée is in a superb location for easy access from the UK.

In addition, the channel ports in Normandy (3 hours drive north) provide good access if driving.

From the marshes of Brittany to St-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, from St-Jean-de-Monts to Les Sables d'Olonne and beyond, the 140 miles of sandy beaches are a delight. There are dunes, pine forests, farmlands and vineyards - as many different landscapes as you could wish for.

And that's just the coast: inland is a haven of treasures just waiting to be explored where the pace of life slows down. Seaside resorts are replaced with beautiful countryside, sleepy hamlets and small Romanesque churches.