Hiking in Vendée: circuits, routes and good deals

Do you want to go walking and hiking in Vendée ? This department has nearly 2,500 km of trails, to the delight of hikers. It is a rather flat terrain that lends itself well to walking.

The Vendée coastal paths are very popular, as they run along very long beaches, cross the dune belt and wind through small pine and beech forests. An idyllic setting for hiking in Vendée. Not forgetting the islands of Yeu and Noirmoutier which offer you a great breath of sea air and a guaranteed change of scenery !

Nature lovers will enjoy exploring the marshes: the Marais Breton Vendéen or the Marais Poitevin. Finally, for the more athletic, it is in the northeast of the department, in the Haut-Bocage Vendéen that you should go for a little climbing.

We've selected the most enjoyable trails for you, for both young and old alike. Put on your walking shoes, let's go hiking in Vendée !

Photos of the article © Vendée Guide

The unmissable long hikes in Vendée

The Grande Randonnée trail called the GR8 runs along the Vendée coast and beaches for 221 km ! This coastal path is historically the "customs path". It was used by state agents of the 1st Republic, at the end of the 18th century, during the Revolution, and until the beginning of the 19th century, to track down smugglers. At that time, the English took advantage of political unrest to illegally import products into France and thus avoid very high taxes. Today, this coastal path has become a favorite among Vendée hikers, for its exceptional length and its viewpoints. Here are the main stages of the route:

• The beautiful beaches as far as the eye can see from Bouin to Notre-Dame-du-Mont and the view of Noirmoutier.
• The Breton Vendée Marsh.
• The Pays de Monts national forest.
• The Remarkable Natural Site of the Grande Corniche.
• The quays of the port of La Vie in Saint-Gilles-de-Croix.
• The banks of the LeJaunay River.
• The Bird Observatory of the Isle of Olonne.
• Les Sables-d'Olonne, its Nouch cornice, its Dombret basin and its “Petite Jetée”.
• La Rochepie, the Puits d'Enfer, the Anse du Vieux Moulin and the Anse aux Moines, the Pointe de la Cayola and its bay.
• The mouth of the Payré.
• And finally the seaside resort of La Tranche-sur-Mer, nicknamed the “little California of Vendée”.

Hiking in Notre-Dame-de-Mont

To cross the Vendée, you can take the GR364 from Jard-sur-Mer on the coast to Puy-de-Serre, in Deux-Sèvres. It starts near the Observatoire des Marais. You will pass the alignment of menhirs of La Pierre and the dolmens of Savatole. You will follow numerous streams, the Graon lake, the Yon river, the Marillet lake and dam... You will climb the cliff of Pierre Blanche to see the Mère flow.

The Vendée Corniche in Saint-Hilaire de Riez

The GR80 goes around the island of Yeu. There are barely 30 km to cover on the old customs path. It is a fantastic and wild walk, between pine woods, fine sandy beaches and cliffs. You can leave directly from Port-Joinville. On the road, you will see beautiful panoramas, in particular on the numerous points, the islets, the Gouffre de l'Enfer and the Anse des Fontaines. You will appreciate the maritime heritage : the Vieux-Château, the port of La Meule, the Corbeaux lighthouse... You can take breaks and eat on the edge of the beautiful beaches of the island.

Walking around the island of Yeu is a good idea.

Other coastal and island trails

There are many other trails nearby along the coast or in the Vendée islands. Inland, yet so close to the coast, you can walk in the national forests of the Pays de Monts and d'Olonne. The Destination Vendée Grand Littoral website offers hikes based on the municipalities.

On the island of Yeu, 5 paths (trails) allow you to discover the island and its different aspects.

• The marsh path crosses the salt marsh, that of the Croix, of the Gorelle…
• The Noiroit trail takes you through the island's woods and has some archaeological surprises in store for you.
• The Kreuzland Trail takes you to the wild coast, between steep rocks and gentle dunes.
• The Goose Trail takes you on a journey through its history: a castle, a lighthouse, and a soda kiln. The Meule Trail is more focused on its heritage, its villages with traditional houses, and its port.

In Noirmoutier-en-île, there are also 5 themed walks : the salt marshes, the mills, on the island's gates, its two access roads, the villages and its hollyhocks, in the footsteps of the Jacobsen family, who worked to drain the marshes and therefore to the economic development of the island. On the Noirmoutier tourist office website, there are maps, detailed itineraries and photos.

Hiking in the marshes in Vendée

The Marais Breton Vendéen is a vast network of canals that stretches along the coastline from Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez to Moutier-en-Rets, in Loire-Atlantique, and extends inland as far as Challans. A multitude of small paths cross these marshy meadows. You will discover an original ecosystem, with typical flora and fauna.

The Marais Poitevin Regional Natural Park covers a vast territory straddling Vendée, Deux-Sèvres and Charente-Maritime. It occupies a beautiful place in Vendée, with 50 municipalities integrated into the Park, out of the 89 it totals. This "Green Venice" is made up of a so-called "wet" marsh and a "dried" marsh. The wet marsh allows you to navigate the canals, aboard pretty traditional boats pushed with the help of a pigouille. The dried marsh is a rural environment, crisscrossed by charming little paths.

Explore the high bocage of Vendée

From the center of Vendée, in the "Bocage", the hike becomes more sporty. Then, going up towards the northeast, in what is called the "Haut-Bocage", climbers will begin to enjoy themselves with greater differences in altitude. For more details on the routes, the Vendée department provides you with its Departmental Plan for Walks and Hikes (PDIPR). It represents 2,500 km of Walks and Hikes on 248 trails. Among them, 49 are located in the Bocage and 13 in the Haut-Bocage.

Walk in Mallièvre, in the Haut-Bocage Vendéen

We have reached the end of our Vendée hiking guide and all we can do is wish you wonderful walks!

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