In and arround our village

Breathe in the iodized air along the whole 250 km of coast, 140 km of which is the fine sandy beach that borders Vendée as it meets the Atlantic Ocean

The village of Angles.....

Le Mimosa is under a minutes walk from the lovely village of Angles which has a large street market on Wednesday and Sunday mornings (in peak season)- an excellent opportunity to sample much of the locally produced food, including cheese, meat, fish and wine.

Located so close to the village of Angles, you can either take a leisurely stroll in the morning to pick up your fresh baguette and croissants with the kids or in the evenings visit a choice of 5 great restaurants. You will also find a comprehensive folder in the gîte listing restaurants, activities and local events, as well as plenty of ideas for entertaining the children. There is a huge write up of over 20 local restaurants that we recommend and if you want some 'adult time' we also supply the baby-sitting too!

In the summer months Angles organises special events in the square including fun days, evening entertainers, jazz and blues nights, firework displays and night markets. You can sit with the locals and enjoy 'moules & frites' listening to a band watching the kids dance to their hearts content.

Angles has its own Office de Tourisme, as well as a post office, two banks, a hairdresser, a beauty salon, an aromatherapist, a pharmacy, five cafés/bars and four restaurants. There are also two supermarkets, two butchers, a fishmonger and a fruit & vegetable shop.

The large fishing port of l'Aiguillon is just 10 minutes away. Early risers can choose from a range of freshly-caught fish, mussels, oysters, langoustine and gambas at the town's fish market which is open every weekday at 5am. Those who prefer a lie-in can sample the seafood later in the day at one of the many wonderful fish restaurants in the town.

Whether you're an experienced cyclist or a leisure rider, this area has plenty of surprises in store. All along the 'Loire a Velo' signposted bike trial, you can marvel at the stunning Loire countryside, visit châteaux’s & Abbeys, stroll through quaint little towns & cycle through vineyards for over 110 miles! http://pistes-cyclables.vendee.fr/pistes/piste06.asp

The Val de Loire Vineyards Tourist Trail - 40,000 hectares of ‘dégustation’ - The skills of the vine were introduced by the Romans, and are now one of the main assets of the Pays de la Loire. Sweet, dry, sparkling, white, red or rosé – every one of you will find just what you’re looking for among our prestigious AOC wines. Saumur Brut, Savennières, Coteaux du Layon, Saumur-Champigny, Anjou villages, Muscadet, Jasnières, Mareuil wines... From the Nantes area to Montsoreau, the Val de Loire Vineyards Tourist Trail extends you a warm welcome!

Our 'blue flag' beaches (8 mins from the villa)

We are less than 10 minutes from the famous Vendée coast - referred to locally as the Côte-de-Lumière (Coast of Light). The fantastic sandy beaches stretch along 13kms, and 8kms of them face south.

The main beach at La-Tranche-sur-Mer is ideal for families with children. It is approved as a "Kids' Station", which means that the resort is a safe environment for children to play in. It also has specialist equipment and entertainments which specifically cater for families.

For the more energetic, the beach has a 6-hectare area of water for people wishing to learn water sports. The "Cercle Nautique Tranchais" (Nautical Club) offers sailing, windsurfing, kite-surfing and sand-sailing. The area is also superb for boating and surfing enthusiasts.


Great quading experience (5 mins from the villa)

Let the kids (and indeed the big boys!) be the next Lewis Hamilton for a while! Whiz around the course and have a great thrill trying to beat your opponents. For safety reasons, the kids go on the course only with other children and the safety briefing is excellent. Whilst they are having fun on the track, the rest of the party can have a nice coffee in the covered terrace area. www.vendee-kart.fr


Indian Forest Adventure (5 mins from the villa)

This great theme park has marked trails in a forest, as well as 122 different challenges. Suspended on safety harnesses, you are able to climb, swing, dismount and even slide across the forest at a height of 20ft above the ground. There is also an adventure area for toddlers, with themed bouncy castles, a ball park, rock climbing and an inflatable park. This is an excellent day out for both children and adults and is just 5 minutes from our gîtes. www.indian-forest-atlantique.com


Adventure Park & Chateau (20 mins from the villa)

Experience the ‘historic adventure’ in the setting of the grounds of the chateau de la guignardiere. Visit four continents of the work and solve the various puzzles as you go round. Get all the answers correct at the end the children get to open the treasure chest which holds a special reward for them. The park is set in 86 hectares of ancient trees, rows of menhires and wonderful animals such as deer, horses, ponies, swans and geese. www.chateau-aventuriers.com


Aquarium La Rochelle (45 mins from the villa)

This is a 2 hour journey into the depth of the ocean – our kids just loved it here. There were over 10,000 Atlantic, Mediterranean and Tropical species to view in an amazing 3 million litres of water. The huge shark aquarium with 20 different species was amazing if not a little frightening (although more so for me than the kids!) An excellent day out, probably one of the best aquariums we have ever visited. www.aquarium-larochelle.com/index.php?id_site=2


Dunes adventure Park (50mins from the villa)

With over 38 different activities for the children to play on, the kids are bound to find a favourite! We spent a full day here and loved every minute of it. The kids thoroughly enjoyed everything on offer especially the water slides, trampolines (fully enclosed) and toboggan rides. A very safe, clean and friendly environment and lots of under cover shaded picnic areas.


Puy du Fou (1hr 30 from the villa)

This is where time stands still - and will be an instant hit with children and adults alike. You'll see villages from different eras, gladiators still doing battle and Vikings launching attacks on fortified castles! In the summer, there are 28 evening/night shows with 300 fireworks per show, 2000 digitally-controlled projectors, 1500 computerised fountains, 4500 costumes and many more special effects. There are minstrels in the heart of the woods and master falconers in the meadows. You must book in advance for the evening show. www.puydufou.com


Cycle rail on tracks (1hr 30 from the villa)

This is a great chance for the entire family to have some quality time together taking in the beautiful countryside, and wildlife whilst enjoying a picnic. The cycle cars are designed for either 4 or 5 people each and run along an amazing 10km stretch of former railway line (of course you don’t have to do it all!) www.cc-atlancia.fr