Take the wave
Difficult to dethrone the Basque Country in terms of surfing?
The sandy waves have not said their last word!
Less powerful and regular than their neighbors in the South-West, however, they have some nice surprises in store that have earned the town the 2-star “surf town” label by the French Federation, just like Bidart.
On the Grande Plage, the Surfzone school offers many sessions including night surfing, thanks to a waterproof lamp attached to a mobile pole system.
A first in Europe, and the opportunity to prepare for the French championships, which will be held from 23 to 31 October in Sables-d'Olonne.
Surfzone
(Tel .: 06 25 83 35 27).
Night sessions accessible to children and beginners, 1 to 2 per week, 35 € for a group lesson.
Country bath
In the nature around the seaside resort, hikers and cyclists have a blast.
Antoine Martineau / OT Sables d'Olonne
Greenways and hiking trails dot the three most characteristic landscapes of this corner of Vendée: the marsh with brackish water canals, to be discovered on foot or by bike, the wild coast and its beaches fringed by dunes, and the forest of 'Olonne, planted with oak trees in the sand.
It is in this setting that Josiane Melier, painter-illustrator and naturalist guide, organizes meditation and mindful walking workshops.
An escape to reconnect with your sensory perceptions and try your hand at letting go by forging a deep relationship with the trees and the surrounding nature.
Les Ateliers de JoMelier
(Tel.: 07 83 36 32 97).
Next release on June 10, € 12 for 2:30.
Window to sea
The rooms with balcony in this family hotel overlook the sea. Atlantic Hotel & Spa / Photo press
Halfway between the 3 kilometers of fine sand of the Grande Plage and the beach of Tanchet, popular for its waves, the Atlantic Hotel & Spa is a choice stopover to (re) discover the resort, as a duo or as a tribe. .
Charming 4-star on a human scale (34 rooms), it has been run by the Blanchard family since its creation.
From the private loggia of one of the 15 “liner” rooms, the lapping of the ocean facing the Baie des Sables offers a continuous spectacle.
Charm and comfort are also the hallmarks of the 200 m² wellness area with indoor swimming pool heated to 29 ° C all year round, infinity Jacuzzi, infrared sauna, multi-sensory shower ...
Atlantic Hotel & Spa
(Tel: 02 51 95 37 71).
Room with balcony and sea view, from € 165.
Freshwater taste buds
Californian canteen spirit at Mayday Café.
Mayday Café / Photo press
An air of California floats between the walls of the Mayday Café, a charming canteen where Sablais meet at any time for a gourmet break with a view of the channel and the ocean.
The menu, short and seasonal, mixes Anglo-Saxon and Mediterranean influences with many healthy and vegetarian options.
Travel is also à la carte at Cayola, where you can dream of long-distance cruises on the terrace facing the Atlantic.
On the plate: cooked and raw langoustines, grilled sea bass, fennel and star anise or roasted turbot with smoked grenaille mousse.
In the gastronomic kingdom of chef Sébastien Bonavita, seafood rules.
Mayday
(Tel .: 02 51 21 11 85).
Mains between 9 and 13 €.
Cayola
(Tel.: 02 51 22 01 01).
4-course menu € 69, and € 94 with food and wine pairing.
Arty outing
The entrance to the Sainte-Croix abbey museum.
Masc / Photo press
Contemporary art no longer holds any secrets for the Abbey of Sainte-Croix, a former 17th century Benedictine convent converted into a museum fifty years ago.
Gaston Chaissac and Victor Brauner reign there permanently and, throughout the year, the exhibitions follow one another.
From June 13 to September 26, you can admire the Dada spirit paintings and the virulent drawings of Jules Perahim, published in the social and political protest magazines of Bucharest in the 1930s. Or discover the mysterious universe of Benoît Pingeot, imbued with biblical texts and Christian symbolism, where the Marian figure predominates.
Sainte-Croix Abbey Museum
(Tel .: 02 51 32 01 16; Lemasc.fr/), € 5 entry, free the first Sunday of the month.
