Reluctant Irishman: Back from the Vendée

For the last two weeks in June - including the time when I posted my rant about the Vatican, Magdalena and I were in the Vendée, on the west coast of France, courtesy of my brother, who lent us an apartment there.

I had been there once before with Miriam and the children, when they were much younger. We had previously spent a week in the Loire Valley and then drove up to a campsite near Les Sables d'Olonne. On that occasion, we were diappointed. We had loved the charm of the Loire valley; there was so much to see and my children were still at the age where the campsite there wasn't too quiet for them. The campsite at Les Sables, by contrast, was big and noisy and there was far less to see. We regretted not staying in the Loire for the two weeks.

On this occasion, we were in an apartment village and we were there before the school term ended so it was quieter. And, since we had both been busy with work, we weren't looking for an event-filled holiday like that we had had in the USA (in fact, we both had to work while we were there). All these factors allowed us to appreciate the positive sides of the region more.

As I said, the Loire valley it ain't but that doesn't mean it's devoid of historical interest. It has several spectacular menhirs and dolmens. The Chateau of Talmont Saint Hilaire, which was very near us, has strong associations with Richard the Lionheart. However, the big historical moment for the region came in 1793, when the populace rebelled against the revolutionary regime in paris. Class differences had always been less acute in the Vendée than in other parts of France and the people remained loyal to the Catholic Church, resenting the persecution inflicted on it by the new Government. So, when an attempt was made to levy men for the national army the region revolted. After some initial successes, however, the revolt was brutally suppressed, with tens of thousands of civilians murdered. To this day, the region remains more conservative and Catholic than most parts of France and, the way the revolt is portrayed in some of the commemorative sites, you would almost be forgiven for thinking it hadn't failed (to be fair, they did secure concessions on property and freedom of worship).

On the more pleasant side, the region is noteworthy for its coast (inland scenery is generally flat and unexciting), with the associated benefits of shellfish farming and salt production. There are two famous islands off the coast, the Ile d'Yeu and the Ile de Noirmoutier. We only visited the latter, which is accessible by causeway at low tide (the Passage du Gois) but also by bridge.Just to the south, in the neighbouring département of Charantes-Maritime, lies the beautiful Ile de Ré, where the terrain and local produce is similar. It's accessible by toll bridge from La Rochelle and we visited it towards the end of our holiday.

Of course we partook of the oysters, as well as mussels and - best of all - freshly-caught lemon sole cooked simply in a restaurant on the Ile de Ré. The local salt is used in butter; you can buy delicious better with crystals of salt in it. More importantly, the butter is then used to make delicious caramel, which is wonderful in a pancake, or as a sauce with duck. The extensive saltmarshes of the region offer the opportunity to pick salicornia, which is delicious when wilted in hot water and served with lots of butter. Its flavour is often compared to asparagus and it's rich in vitamin sea. We picked our own but if you're too lazy you can buy it in the shops.

Here are some pictures of our trip: