ROUTES DES VINS “CÔTE DE LUMIÈRE”

This Routes des Vins departure shows you Brem sur Mer's green lung, located right in the heart of the village on the D38. Start by relaxing your legs in this superb park opposite the Tourist Office, with picnic tables, a bowling green, children's games, a cycle path, a multi-sports area and an open-air theatre.
Your children can go on Justin's treasure hunt from the Tourist Office (1h30 - €3 per family).

Take a gourmet break at the Michelin-starred restaurant, open all year round, located in the Parc des Genêts. Young chef Nicolas Coutant offers bistronomic cuisine for lunch and gastronomic cuisine for dinner. 21 bis rue de l'Océan - Tel: 02 51 96 81 59 - www.restaurant-les-genets.fr
Open all year round. Offers wines from Domaines Saint Nicolas, L'Orée du Sabia and Domaine des Granges to go with food and wine.

Before getting in your car or on your bike, start your journey with a tasting session with Bastien Mousset's team from Domaine l'Orée du Sabia, who will be delighted to share their passion for white, red and rosé wines with you. All year round at 1 rue du Sablais (opposite the Tourist Office) - Tel: 02 51 96 30 61 - www.loreedusabia.com
Treasure hunts, bike rides...

At this roundabout, let your imagination run riot as you discover this stainless steel sculpture by French artist François Lavrat, winner of the European Grand Prix for Sculpture. The sphere, symbol of the earth, emerges from the water where the original forces reign. The knots of the vine, an ancestral activity in Brem sur Mer, stretch across the earth's core. Emerging from the sphere, an arabesque, a symbol of movement, carries the seabirds in a delicious circle around the vine...

Head south along the Route des Sables and you'll come across the charming village of La Gachère. Just before the traffic lights, turn right and leave your car in the car park. Take a stroll through this peaceful fishing village, with its narrow streets, low whitewashed houses and colourful hollyhocks. From the bridge, there's a superb 360° view of the Auzance river, its boats and the Gachère marshes, which are of historical interest because until the end of the 17th century they were used as salt works.
Are you a fisherman? You'll want to stop off on the banks of this arm of the sea, a mixture of fresh and salt water...

Get back in your car, cross the small Gachère bridge and take the 1st right onto rue des Granges. Christian and Delphine Nobiron's winery is 400 metres away, at 15 rue des Granges - Tel: 02 51 33 45 01- 06 01 71 64 21 - www.domainedesgranges.fr

At the beginning of our era, the territory occupied by the marshes was covered by the sea. This was the Gulf of Olonne, separated from the ocean by the Ile Vertime (now covered by the Olonne forest).
Under the Roman Empire, Olonne became an important crossroads thanks to its small port, 'Le Havre d'Olonne', located at the end of a bay sheltered by the long Ile Vertime (today's wild coast and Olonne forest). The creation of salt marshes and vineyards on the Ile d'Olonne dates back to this period and made this region rich for 2,000 years.
This gulf was then transformed into a harbour, then into 2 basins separated by the Bauduère hillock, which gradually filled in: these are the present-day marshes of La Gachère to the north and Bassin des Chasses to the south. These 2 basins are now linked by the Bauduère canal. They receive water from the Auzance and Vertonne rivers, while communicating with the sea through locks, and are subject to the tides. The shoreline has changed. Ile Vertime became a peninsula.

8 You then enter the Domaniale d'Olonne forest. This classified forest is a recent creation. Under the reign of Louis XV, a few private individuals planted maritime pine seedlings on the dunes. But it was the State, through the Ponts-et-Chaussées, which, from 1836 onwards, took charge of establishing a forest environment close to the coast. The aim was to stabilise the dune belt sufficiently to form a natural barrier against the ocean, thus protecting the neighbouring dwellings. The wooded dune contains the forest itself and covers almost 1,200 hectares (2 km wide by 9 km long). It is almost exclusively owned by the State. Since 1966, it has delegated its management to the Office National des Forêts (National Forestry Office), which defends the principle that no building should take place there.

Maritime pine is the dominant species, alongside holm oak, locust, maple, ash and elm.
The undergrowth consists mainly of rosemary, Solomon's seal and orchids.
There are also many species of mushroom, including boletes and morels, as well as phalloides and citrines. Among the most remarkable animal species are roe deer, wild boar, foxes, red partridges, pigeons and turtle doves.

There are plenty of picnic areas in the forest. A 'Vendée Vélo' cycle path links Brem sur Mer to Les Sables d'Olonne (17km). The GR 8 long-distance footpath (signposted in white and red) passes through the forest and continues towards the Pays de St Gilles via the Havre de la Gachère lock. The Plage des Granges is just 2 steps away if you fancy a dip in the sea....

9 On the D80 towards Les Sables through the forest, whether you're here for the day or half day, without a licence or permit, relax with a spot of saltwater angling. The fish you'll be teasing are bass, eel, sea bream and mullet. You can hire lines and picnic on site. Open from 15 June to 15 September without booking. Tel: 02 51 90 52 44 - 06 09 34 15 18 - M. Vrignaud

Located near the forest and beaches of Olonne sur Mer, the centre offers horse and pony rides on the beach or in the forest. Rdv rue des Rochers 85340 Les Sables d'Olonne- Tel : 02 51 90 76 96 - Open all year round.

11 Enjoy traditional cuisine at 7 Rue de la Forêt - 85340 LES SABLES D'OLONNE - Tel: 06 21 40 22 30, all year round.

120 Route de l'Aubraie aux SABLES D'OLONNE - Tel: 02 51 21 01 19 - www.lessalines.fr

Canoë Loisirs :
Discovery trip on the Olonne marshes, starting from Les Salines. Hiking on the salt river. Whether you're a nature lover or a keen sportsman, come and discover a wild and unspoilt site. Enjoy the diversity of the flora and fauna. April to October. Stand-up paddles and canoes.

Les Salines by boat:
Boat trip on the salt river. Aboard the Mireille and the Jonathan, between heaven and earth, a guided tour of the heart of the Olonne marshes. Then a stopover on the historic salt route, and a show in the bleachers in the company of the salt workers. 10 hectares of salt marshes, an animated heritage of the Sablais region with sound effects.
Children harvesting salt, riddle game and educational trail. Duration: 2 hours. Bird observatory.

Sail the Vertonne in the heart of the marshes and bird sanctuary, in kayaks for 1 to 4 people and stand-up paddleboards. There are 2 routes available for hire, as well as twilight and night-time excursions accompanied by Bénédicte. Meeting point: rue du Halage, écluse des Loirs 85340 LES SABLES D'OLONNE - Tel: 06 72 68 04 38
Open every day from 10am to 7pm in July and August, by reservation in May, June and September.

30, rue Général Charrette- 85340 LES SABLES D'OLONNE - Tel: 02 51 96 95 53 - http://memoiredesolonnes.wixsite.com/musee-traditions
Housed in a former school built in 1891, the museum presents the daily life of the inhabitants of the Pays d'Olonne at the beginning of the 20th century. The 6 exhibition rooms include a rural interior, costumes and headdresses, traditional crafts, the tools of the salt-mill owner, the farmer and the wine-grower, the still used by the distillers, a classroom and souvenirs of the 1914-1918 war. A fun trail for children.

40, rue du Colonel Beltrame - 85340 LES SABLES D'OLONNE - Tel: 02 51 96 85 78 for bookings - Open all year round.
The ornithological marsh, a 1300-hectare protected natural site.
At the beginning of our era, the territory occupied by the marshes was covered by the sea.
This was the Gulf of Olonne, separated from the ocean by the Ile Vertime (now covered by the Olonne forest).
The first salt works date back to Gallo-Roman times, and it was during the Middle Ages and up until the 19th century that they really took off.
Free guided tours of the Olonne sur mer educational nature park from March to September.

The Marais des Olonnes is a 1,300-hectare protected natural site stretching across Les Sables d'Olonne and the Ile d'Olonne. It harbours a wealth of natural resources with exceptional biodiversity, including plant species adapted to life in the presence of salt (glasswort) and, in places, rare species of orchid, which have developed with little human intervention.
A tourist route through the marshes offering superb natural scenery.

* The image of salt over time :
Today salt is a common mineral. It used to be associated with the sacred, magic, medicine and popular beliefs. It is only in recent years that its role in food has diminished and its symbolism is gradually disappearing.

* Saltworks in their early days:
The first salt works date back to Gallo-Roman times, and it was during the Middle Ages and up until the 19th century that they really took off. Salt, the white gold, is at the very origin of the salt-making village that is the Ile d'Olonne. Most of the marshes became fish marshes, where eels and mullets were reared.

* The Vendée marshes:
Once a very important industry in the north-west of the Vendée, salt farming now accounts for just a handful of jobs. In the 1980s, salt production in the Vendée marshes seemed to be dying out and doomed to abandonment; the joint efforts of the Vendée department and the aquasel cooperative, from 1992 onwards, have enabled the farms to be rehabilitated and this economy to be redeveloped.

* And today?
Seven salt marshes are still in operation today. Les Salines, 4 marshes in Les Sables d'Olonne (marais de l'Aubraie) and 3 salt marshes on the Ile d'Olonne (marais aux Fèves, marais des Avocettes and marais Rivolia).
Today, the salt producers in the Vendée produce a quality salt that is exported to Canada and the Northern countries. They also sell part of their harvest to salt Vendée hams. The salt marshes now attract large numbers of tourists, who are discovering this revitalised profession.

From June to September, during the harvest period, the salt marshes on the Ile d'Olonne will be open from 9am to 7pm.

SALORGE DE LA VERTONNE - MARAIS AUX FEVES :
Matthieu and Benoit welcome you to their salt marsh and invite you to discover their trade and their products.
During the 'Discussed Walks', you can follow one of the salt producers for around 1 hour and talk about the marsh, the trade and all the subjects linked to this activity (context, environment, economy, etc.).
Production and sale of salt, Fleur de sel, flavoured salts and Salicorne.
Visits and sales every day from 9am to 6pm, depending on the work involved in the marshes, from April to September.

MARAIS RIVOLIA
The Raffin family welcomes you to their salt marsh and explains with passion the age-old trade they have been practising since 1744 (9 generations).

MARAIS DES AVOCETTES
Yohan Eveno runs a business that respects the traditions and methods used in the last century.
Production and on-site sales of salt, Fleur de sel, flavoured salts and Salicorne.
Reception and sales every day from 9am to 6pm, depending on the workload of the marshes, from April to September.

The marshes are part of the landscape, and are freely accessible all year round via signposted footpaths and cycle paths.

RDV Place de l'église, L'ILE D'OLONNE - http://m.webcam-hd.com/l-ile-d-olonne/l-ile-d-olonne_eglise

ST MARTIN DE VERTOU CHURCH
The first church is thought to have been built on this site around 1200. It was restored in the 17th century (choir) and in the early 20th century. Free admission to the church all day.

Discover the vaults and bells. At the top, a superb panorama of the marshes is guaranteed.
Please note: CHURCH TEMPORARILY CLOSED (ask for details)

TRADITIONAL FESTIVALS :

FETE DES VENDANGES (usually in October).
Organised by the Comité des fêtes de l'ile d'Olonne, Tradition Gestuelle en Vendée, the town, the Tourist Office and the Communauté de Communes.

FETE DES VIEUX METIERS: over a weekend in July.
Saturday: a festive and popular evening to open the Fête des Vieux Métiers.
- A meal featuring our speciality "seiche islaise", with live music.
- At nightfall, fireworks will be set off at the entrance to the salt marshes.
- Evening dance, Place de la Mairie.
Sunday: the festival takes place in the streets of the village, on the edge of the marshes. This popular event has become one of the great attractions of the summer. A host of craftspeople revive traditions that have long since disappeared.
All-day entertainment in the village streets from 10am. You'll discover more than a hundred craftspeople in action, divided into 6 themes: the building trades, the world of the land, the people of the sea and marshes, the arts and crafts, the stalls of yesteryear and itinerant trades.

WALKS :
on the Ile d'Olonne 'le sentier du sel', 5 km long
at l'Ile d'Olonne/Olonne sur Mer: 'les Sauniers' 15 km long
Other walks: guided walks in season on the Ile d'Olonne.

MARKETS :
Le marché du clocher, local food market, every Friday morning from 8am to 1pm.
Art and local produce night market, in season, Place de l'Eglise.
Farmers' and craftsmen's market on the Salorge de la Vertonne salt marsh: one Sunday in April.

This museum is currently closed. Located rue de la Salorge - 85340 L'Ile-d'Olonne

Life in the Pays des Olonnes at the beginning of the 20th century: farming implements, tools, anecdotes, headdresses. Visit combined with a tour of the panoramic bell tower.
Former station of the railway network set up in the Vendée in rural and coastal areas. The Vendée tramway line began operating on 1 April 1925. It linked Bourgneuf-en-Retz to Les Sables d'Olonne. The train promoted trade and tourism until 1949. It then ceased to operate in the face of competition from the car. This museum tells the story of life in the Pays des Olonnes at the beginning of the 20th century: farming implements, tools, anecdotes, headdresses, the visitors' book of the past, the history of salt...

Open in summer from 10am to 12pm & 4pm to 6pm. Admission charged.
Every Tuesday and Thursday, a tour departs from the town's bell tower. Visitors are then taken on a horse-drawn carriage to the small railway station at L'Ile-d'Olonne.

Restored in 2000 as an ethnographic museum, the little station tells the story of the people of L'Ile-d'Olonne in the early 20th century, with displays of local headdresses, farming implements and the history of salt and the marshes. It provides a better understanding of the life of the people of Islay at the time. It also tells the story of the departmental railway.
This network, which came into service in 1925, linked Bourgneuf-en-Retz to Sables-d'Olonne, and the last stationmaster was a woman. The train, nicknamed the "little jalopy", took salt from L'Ile-d'Olonne to Sables-d'Olonne in 25 minutes to preserve fish.

Auzance et Vertonne Tourist Office, place de la Jolie-Saunière. Charges apply. Contact and booking: 02.51.33.82.77

Opposite the church, enjoy traditional cuisine all year round, every day except Sunday evenings, Monday and Wednesday evenings (September to June) and Mondays (in July). Tip: the chef's speciality is seafood sauerkraut.

Covered outdoor terrace in front of the church. 2 rue du Centre - 85340 L'ILE D'OLONNE
Tel: 02 51 20 71 70 - www.restaurantletelle.wix.com/85340

Lieu-dit l'Ileau - Access via the D38 - 85340 L'ILE D'OLONNE - www.adev-asso.fr - Tel: 02 51 33 12 97
Situated on a migratory route, the Observatory offers an exceptional panorama for observing the birds of the marsh: Belon shelducks, grey herons, little egrets and other waders such as the redshank or the elegant avocet.
On-site guided tours by birdwatching enthusiasts and telescopes. 4/adult, €2.50/7-17 years.
In July and August, daily 9.30am-1pm and 4pm-7pm.
The ADEV offers guided tours and commented tours from April to October (ecological and ornithological interests), bookable at the Olonnes tourist offices.

Stop off for a tasting at their winery at Les Clous on the Ile d'Olonne and meet winemaker Thierry Michon from Domaine Saint Nicolas. - Tel: 02 51 33 13 04 - www.domainesaintnicolas.com - the Domaine's other cellar is in Brem sur Mer at 20 ter rue de l'Océan.

Thierry Michon, the first winegrower in the Vendée to adopt biodynamic viticulture back in 1993, and his two sons, will share with you the passion they have cultivated together for 3 generations.
Their wines are first and foremost the expression and sharing of their personalities and the richness of an entire terroir.
Discover the estate in a different way for a day, on foot, by bike or on a scooter.
Escape game, tour of the winery and tastings.

Would you like to sail on the Auzance in the heart of the marshes at L'Ile d'Olonne?
- Hire a kayak, canoe or stand-up paddle for 1, 2, 3 or 4 hours.
- Or take advantage of supervised themed outings in a canoe or kayak (discovering flora and fauna, at dusk, under the stars or at sea). All the dates for supervised outings are available on the website.
Supervised stand-up paddle outings (maximum of 9 people) with a Brevet d'Etat.
Meet at rue du Courroux, after the farm, towards St Gilles D38, 85340 L'ILE D'OLONNE.
Tel: 06 62 41 95 90 - www.canoe-auzance.fr
For children aged 6 and over (suitable lifejackets). Car park. Picnic area.
Passerelle de la Fosse du Gendarme nearby.

On the D54 Brem-Vairé road, at exactly 70 rue de la Croix Pénard, stop off for a tasting at the cellar of the jovial Laurent Pajot - Tel: 06 17 70 27 93 - lolopajot@sfr.fr
Laurent will be delighted to let you taste his range of Vin de France wines: white, rosé, red and sparkling 'chant de bulles'.

Head south down the rue de la Croix Pénard, then cross the D38, via the chemin du Bois de la Touche and the chemin de la Ch'noue, to reach La Chabossière. Leave your car in the field provided, cross the small bridge and continue 200 metres on foot through the marshes. In the distance, you'll see an old oyster-farming hut, located at the confluence of 2 rivers, the Auzance and the Vertonne, in the marshes. Romain welcomes you to the Cabane every day in season on this small, unspoilt island of La Chabossière - Tel: 06 76 70 04 60 - www.lacabane-brem.fr
This oyster bar in an exceptional setting is the perfect place to relax in a friendly atmosphere. Enjoy Brem wines (Pajot, Sage...) by the glass or bottle, accompanied by aperitif platters (cheeses, rillettes...), prefou, oyster platters, prawns, whelks....An unforgettable sunset in paradise, far from the hustle and bustle!

In this bucolic setting, let yourself be tempted by the various water sports offered by Caroline Angibaud and Mathieu Babarit from Octosup: canoeing and kayaking, stand-up paddle hire or supervised tours, Hawaiian pirogue. A breath of fresh air in the middle of the marsh!

29 On leaving the Cabane, turn left into chemin de la Chabossière and then chemin de la Rigordière.
Continue on to this family-run stable, which offers lessons, rides and driving all year round. For all ages, with ponies and horses of all sizes, open to all levels and all disciplines. Tel: 07 70 10 88 85 - www.ecurieduboisdelatouche.e-monsite.com

Cross the D80 and you'll see the Cave des Vignerons on your left. Patrick Grenson, the passionate Trousseminette producer, welcomes you all year round at 32 rue des Onizières, Tel: 06 14 21 79 16 - 02 51 33 74 29 www.facebook.com/trousseminette.fr - www.facebook.com/la-cave-des-vignerons

This local aperitif has the fruity flavours of the Bremen region, and "Trousseminette" is authenticity in its purest form.

Go up the rue des Onizières, then at the roundabout turn right onto the route des Sables to go back up into the town centre.
Take rue du Général de Gaulle, and stop at No. 5 impasse Richelieu at Jean-Pierre and Bérangère Richard. Passionate winemakers, they welcome you with authenticity all year round - Tel: 02 51 90 56 84

32 Head north along rue du Moulin (D40) to reach La Mignotière, home of winegrower Gaël Crochet - 37bis Chemin de Baqueville.

The village of La Mignotière has preserved its winegrowing character, with vineyards stretching as far as the eye can see.
There is another estate in the village:
Take a right on chemin des Garennes, and the winegrowing couple Eric and Petra Sage will be delighted to welcome you all year round - Tel: 06 37 75 08 99 - 06 37 68 36 07 - ericsagevigneron@gmail.com - https://ericsagevigneron.fr/
Guided tour of the vineyard in French, English and Dutch, plus wine tasting.

34 Would you like to relax in a family setting in the heart of the countryside and share time together as a family?
Discover horses and ponies, life and nature in a family setting.
Animal mediation workshop.
Open Monday to Saturday by prior arrangement.

Take the Chemin de la Chaize and then the Rue du Prieuré on the right to reach the peaceful historic quarter of Saint Nicolas, with its charming Romanesque abbey church. Built before 1020, it is one of the oldest churches in the Vendée and one of the finest medieval monuments in the department, with a remarkable triangular pediment, wall frescoes and a 17th-century crucifix. Open to the public every day of the year (a word of advice: go through the little door at the side) and guided tours in the summer (check dates at the Tourist Office or on our website).
At the end of the impasse du repos, the small cemetery of Saint Nicolas reveals its remarkable Croix Hosannière... .

36 Climb up the tumulus path to reach the feudal mound. Then carefully descend the wooden steps leading to the Vallée de l'Ecours.

This quiet, shady picnic area, bordered by the Ecours stream, is the perfect place to discover a short, sporty trail. You may come across hikers following the GR®8.