Vendée Guide – South Vendée : the slowtourism destination
To finish our Vendée Guide series for this season, here is the 3rd and final guide in South Vendée made with love from Tara, an american woman whose warm-hearted welcome is like California sunshine. In 2015, while visiting her mother in France, she fell upon a property with a watermill for sale. She decided to sell everything in Los Angeles, embark on an adventure and settle in Xanton-Chassenon. She renamed the property « Mill on the Rock ». There, she offers different types of retreats around crafts, food and wellness to help you reset, relax and reconnect. « My passion is creating spaces for people to connect with life in a beautiful way » she says.
Let’s now discover what Tara wants to show us in South Vendée !
Discover Tara's Vendée Guide
Mill on the Rock : a peaceful and magical farm for retreats in South Vendée
Welcome to Mill on the Rock ! Tara shows us her little haven of peace which is not only her home but also where she hosts retreats and guests. Since the 1400’s, this has been a place of transformation and creative ingenuity and her retreats try to carry on this tradition. She invites people to slow down and re-connecting with nature and that includes animals ! That’s why you will find many of them here ! It’s definitely a place where time stands still.
The Vendean Art de Vivre, a cultural experience
As it’s very important for her to grow her own food and highlight local producers, Tara takes us to a cheese-maker in Maillezais where she likes to find quality products. She also really appreciates local traditional crafts and villages full of history such as Nieul sur l’Autise. Over there, there is a milling museum where you can find lots of information about the history of mills in South Vendée ! You will see, they have a special place in the local heritage.
Let South Vendée’s nature wash over you
Nature is so abundant in this part of Vendée, what is more satisfying than taking part in leisure activities while contemplating wonderful landscapes ? One thing Tara loves to do is a ride on a « barque » on the canals of the Marais Poitevin. Don’t miss this opportunity to just relax in a peaceful place.
Between picturesque village and delicious food
Close to the Marais Poitevin canals, is Fontenay le Comte, the « Town of Art and History » in Vendée. After a well deserved lunch in one her favorite restaurants, Tara takes us for a walk in the picturesque streets with beautiful medieval arches. This is absolutely a town to visit for heritage lovers !
You will see, the South Vendée is definitely one of the best destinations for relaxing holidays that allow you to refocus on the essentials. Nature, heritage and gastronomy will give your stay its tempo !
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