Tourist Information, Vendee History, Accommodation, Photos, Reviews, Maps,
Sailing in the Vendée
Sailing in the Vendée.
The Vendée has 146 kilometres of coastline and many inland lakes and
rivers, and it offers a wide range of conditions for the many differing
forms of sailing. Whether one is an exponent of wind surfing, dingy
sailing, sand yachting, kite surfing or someone who just likes to sit
around and watch others, the Vendée will not be a disappointment. It is
no coincidence that the Vendée is home not only to the world’s most
prodigious single handed yacht race, the Vendée Globe,
but also to France’s two largest yacht manufacturers. Little did
Benjamin Beneteau know back in 1884 when he first started manufacturing
fishing boats, that one day his firm would be the world’s leader in the
manufacture of sailing boats. Today there are 5 factories in the Vendée
producing his boats. The second largest manufacturers of yachts are
Jenneau, and their boatbuilding is centred on Les Herberies &
Cholet. All along the Vendée coast there are harbours and most have
marinas full of all manner of craft, showing the scale and diversity of
the Vendéen sailing heritage.
The 7th Vendée Globe starts 10th November 2012.
Bruno
Retailleau, President of the Vendée Council officially launched the
seventh Vendée Globe at a press conference organised on Wednesday at the
Paris Boat Show. The Vendée Globe 2012/2013 will set sail from les
Sables d’Olonne on Saturday 10th November 2012 at 1400hrs GMT and
already looks like being a vintage edition. With two years to go to the
start, twelve sailors have already announced their intention of taking
part.
Dinghy Sailing.
From Optimist dinghies to Hobie catamarans, wherever there is water one
will find dinghies, and there are several places where they can be
hired. Of course if you are able to bring your own dinghy you will be
overwhelmed with places to sail and the extra cost of transporting the
boat may well be offset by not having the expense of hiring a dinghy. We
know of nowhere where a launching fee is charged. Apart from the sea
where there are endless places to launch your dingy there are many lakes where you can sail.
Hiring and or lessons for Dingies, Catamarans and sailboards are available at.
Club Nautique de St.Hilaire de Riez.Base des Vallees. Tel 02 28 10 88 02
Sailing School Sion sur l'Ocean, Point plage. 02 51 55 13 12.
Centre de les Sables d'Olonne,1,Promenade kennedy. Tel. 02 51 95 15 66
Sports Nautique Sablais.125, place Jean-David Nau. Tel.02 51 21 63 00
Semvie Nautisme. Bd.de l'Egalite. St.Gilles Tel. 02 51 60 11 11
Plage de Normandeliere. Bretignolles. Tel.02 51 20 81 45
Assoc.Nautique de Bourgenay. Port de Plaisance. Tel.02 51 22 02 57
Plage de Bouil. Longeville-sur-Mer. Tel. 02 51 33 42 46.
Centre Loisirs NautiqueVie, Plage du Lac, Apremont. Tel. 02 51 55 23 85.
Club Sport et Nature, Ave de l'Ocean, Barbatre. Tel. 02 51 39 80 91.
Base de Voile Camping, Le Lac Rochereau. Tel. 02 51 40 40 97.
Ecole de Voile les CatMarins. 9, Impasse Blois, L'Epine. Tel 02 51 39 11 12.
Ecole de Voile les Perles, 1,rue Louis Brien, l'Epine Tel. 02 51 39 71 99.
Base Nautique, Base de Loisirs, Lucon. Tel.02 51 29 04 18.
Centre de Voile. 24, Rue Cloucq de Vieil, Noirmoutire-en-Ile. Tel 02 51 39 13 83.
Ecole de Voile,27 Ave G Clemenceau, Noirmoutier-en-l'Ile. Tel.02 51 39 32 62.
Cercle Nautique, Boulevard de l'Egality, St.Gilles-Croix-vie Tel.02 51 54 09 31.
Ecole de Voile. Plage de Boisvinet, St.Gilles-Croix-de-Vie. Tel.02 51 54 89 00.
Station Bleues Atlantiques, Bouv Egality, St.Gilles. Tel 02 51 26 81 50.
Sports Nautiques Montois. Ave Estacade, St.Jean-de-Monts. Tel. 02 51 58 01 80
Ecole de Voile, Ave Estacade St.Jean-de-Monts. Tel. 02 51 58 00 75.
Wind surfers. From beginners to wave jumpers there is somewhere to suit all abilities and genres of
this wide and varied sport, with the diversity of conditions available
one should have no problem in finding a location to suit one’s
particular level of expertise. For those who want to take up the sport
there are schools where you can take your first lessons, and for those
who are slightly more advanced these schools offer the opportunity to
refresh and advance previously learned skills.
Off shore cruising:
For those who want sail bigger boats either self skippered charter or
with a captain, the Vendée with is glorious coastline has both the
venues and the companies to offer either, whether it be for an hour or
two a day or longer.
The main centres for this are St.Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, Les Sables d'Olonne, Noirmoutier-en-l'Ile.
Agrcoseil Nautique, St gilles-Croix-de-Vie. Tel. 02 51 54 30 50.
Sablaise Nautique,Port Olona, Les sables d'Olonne. 02 51 32 62 16.
Semvie Boating.Tel. 02 51 60 11 11.
See also boat charters
Sand Yachting.
The vast stretches of beach here in the Vendée are ideal for this
activity and the beaches around Saint-Jean-de-Monts,
Saint-Giles-Croix-de-Vie and Les Sable d'Olonne are notable for this
exhilarating sport.
Lessons are available from:
www.semvie Nautisme. Bd. De l'egalite. St Gilles-croix-de-Vie
Tel. 02 51 60 11 11
Char a Voile des Olonnes Grand Plage,Les Sables d'Olonne.
Tel. 06 83 35 19 93.
From 1st may till15th June.
Club Nautique. Base des Vallees, St.Hilaire-de-Riez.
Tel. 02 28 10 88 02.
Wind Force Vie. 31 Quai Gorin. St Gilles.
Tel. 02 51 60 02 58.
Assoc. Nautique de Bourgenay. Plage Veillon.
Tel. 02 51 22 02 57.
Char a Voile Longevillais. Plage du Rocher.
Tel.06 79 02 33 55.
CHAR A VOILE Plage des Bégulas 85,460 FAULT SUR MER
Tel. 02 51 56 43 41
Website: http://www.charavoile.net/
Kite Surfing
was born from the cross-breeding of surfboards and kites, and provides a
fascinating ballet of multicoloured wings and spectacularly gymnastic
movement. It is possible to practise this sport though it seems that
most places demand that you are in possession of the appropriate
licence.
Lesson in kite surfing are available at;
Assoc. Olona kite club, Les Sables d'Olonne.
Tel. 02 51 23 58 72.
Bret-Kite School. 5,rue des Poiriers Bretignolles-sur-Mer.
Tel. 06 60 99 47 33.
Assoc. Kiteboarders Gillocruciens Bretignollais.
Tel. 06 24 33 45 95.
Parascending.
For those that want the thrill of hanging from a paracute while being
towed by a boat, parascending is available at, Les Circaetes, Les
Sables d'Olonne. Tel.06 09 80 28 70.
Return to find more Activities in the Vendée also see Boating in the Vendée
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