Day 3: Gardens, stories and music…

We have classified this day in the “visits and excursions” section and we hope it will surprise you. Once again, we will offer you an experience that will take you off the beaten track. To live this experience until the end of the night, you will have to set a Wednesday or a Friday.

Direction Thiré and the gardens of William Christie…

It takes about 20 minutes from the campsite to get to this exceptional place.

We owe this work to William Christie, a famous American conductor who fell under the spell of our region. In 1985, he discovered an estate in Thiré and fell madly in love with it. He then put his creativity at the service of nature and began to create a garden.

Today, it is listed as a historical monument and was awarded the precious sesame, the label of “remarkable garden” in 2004.

In addition to the succession of gardens which will mark your memories, where you will have only one imperative, to take your time, you will also discover the splendid house of the Master and its appendices.

Good to know: Every year from August 20 to 27, a festival of baroque music called “Les Rencontres Musicales” takes place. Discovering the beauty of gardens with careful notes is an experience that should delight you.

On the way to Vouvant, one of the favorite villages of the French…

After this wonderful appetizer, we suggest you take the road again (about 20 km) in the direction of Vouvant, a small medieval city classified among the Most Beautiful Villages of France.

This city, protected for centuries by its ramparts, will impress you by the beauty of its landscapes and by its remarkable conservation. In this artists’ village where many painters have settled and exhibit their works, you will appreciate the sweetness of life and the zenitude that inspires this place.

To know: In 2014, Vouvant was elected 8th Favorite Village of the French out of 22 villages selected for the show presented by Stéphane Bern.

To see: A remarkable Romanesque church, the Poterne gate and the keep called the Mélusine tower, remarkable views, the moat laid out as a path…

The good plan to make the tour of Vouvant:

To visit Vouvant, we invite you to take the pedestrian circuit of the “ramparts”. This is a very nice family walk that will offer you a complete panorama of the village.

Walking tour – The ramparts

Departure: café Mélusine, place du Bail
Marking: blue
Distance: 3,1 km
Duration: 1 hour

In the late afternoon, go to Fontenay-le-Comte, the architectural pearl of the Vendée…

Fontenay-le-Comte, a city of art and history located about ten kilometers from Vouvant, is definitely worth a visit. The city is strongly marked by the seal of the Renaissance. It is a period when it shines, when it sees its most beautiful buildings going up, the castle of Terre Neuve in particular and several private mansions (the Billaud House, the Sénéchaussée hotel, the Grimouard hotel…).

Park at the Place Viète and walk to the historic center.

Walking around Fontenay-le-Comte always gives us the impression of going back in time… The arcaded houses of the Place Belliard, the sardine bridge, the rue de la Loge, the prestigious mansions, the fountain of the Quatre Tias, all these monuments remind us of the splendor of the sleeping beauty.

You can contact the tourist office if you wish to take a guided tour of the city or to obtain a precise map.

In the evening, place for the artists…

As you will be passing through the city of “beautiful minds”, find out about the program of cultural events. Indeed, within the framework of the “Ricochets” the city proposes a heterogeneous, poetic and burlesque program. Street arts and music invade the historic heart of Fontenay-le-Comte for our greatest pleasure.

So, instead of going straight back to the campsite, enjoy an unforgettable evening with your family.