The best of both worlds
Bazoges en Pareds is an idyllic medieval French village set within the heart of the rolling hills, or 'bocage', of the Vendee. It is a rural setting, well away from the frantic coastal resorts with their traffic jams and bland tourist restaurants, yet within easy striking distance of the wonderful beaches of the Atlantic coast and the inland attractions that draw tourists from all over Europe. The village itself is a fascinating place with its 14th century castle and church but the countryside around is oozing with history, from Bluebeards castle at Tiffauges where terrible atrocities were carried out to the medieval capital of Fontenay-le-Comte which was at the heart of the resistance during the wars of the Vendee. Nowadays, the Vendee is host to one of the most spectacular open air shows in the world at the Puy du Fou, where a cast of hundreds re-enact the history of the area in an amazing show that has attracted millions of tourists over the years. During the daytime, the Puy du Fou reverts to its role as a huge open air theme park with spectacular displays covering the ages. It is a spectacle not to be missed. Further East, the theme park at Futuroscope at Poitiers is equally impressive. Dedicated to the art of the cinema, this uniquely French theme park will stretch your senses in every way and in the evening there is an open air show where they project images on sheets of water to spectacular effect. In the immediate area of Bazoges there are also numerous other attractions, a velorail (where you cycle a bicycle-like contraption down a disused railway line), a high-wire forest, a massive fishing centre, go-karting, a zoo, a kids theme park and even bungee jumping. Put it this way, you certainly won’t be stuck for things to do, but in our experience most people find themselves having one or two days out and then spending the rest of the time just chilling out. France has a way of making you take it easy and Bazoges is the perfect place to do just that.
Our holiday home
Converted from a former stables block and on offer only since the summer of 2005, we have opted to provide large rooms and open plan living. The total floor space is over 130sq metres spread over two floors. On the ground floor there are two large French doors opening into the open plan kitchen/dining/living area with a large fireplace at one end and well appointed open plan kitchen at the other. Upstairs, there are two large bedrooms, both capable of sleeping up to four people and both with large en-suite facilities. One has a double bed with the option of a pull out sofa while the other has three single beds. The cottage opens out onto a secure courtyard (shared with neighbours) and there is a large garden which is walled and gated. Within the garden there is a separate fenced off area for toddlers with large sansy area and sandpit with various toys adjacent to the patio area with BBQ’s, tables and loungers. The garden contains swings, climbing frame, see-saw, slide and various other games as well as a full size boules pitch for the adults. The pool is 7mx4.5m and 1.2m deep set in a decked area and is very suitable for children. It is fenced off according to French regulations. Our garden gets the sun from early morning until late evening and most of our guests find that they end up spending most of their holiday there!
The village and the area
When we moved to France one of our main considerations was that we could not live somewhere TOO isolated and rural. Bazoges en Pareds solved our dilemma. It is rural and attractive but has enough facilities to keep you going. There is a boulangerie and a pharmacy, a doctors and a hairdressers and a top class restaurant. Add to that a grocer/tabac and post office and you don’t have much reason to stray too far. The nearest big town is Chantonnay, a very pretty country town offering a plethora of shopping delights, most of which you won’t find in England. The Lac de Rocherau, 3kms away, is a huge lake with a beach area where you can swim, fish or go boating, while the forest of Mervent, one of the largest in France, is 15kms away offering canoeing, hiking, walking, tree top adventure park or just picknicking as well as the ‘Pierre Brun’ park for kids which is well worth the €10 entry fee. If you are still hankering after a bit of beach life you are less than an hour away from some of the best beaches that France has to offer. La Tranche is one of the European watersports hotspots while La Faute-sur-mer is an unspoilt beach stretching for miles and quite empty even in high season. There are water parks all along the coast but there are also excellent outdoor swimming pools locally if you don’t like scraping the sand out of your toes for two days. Our two boys have extensively tested all of them and have decided that the lake wins hands down.
For the adults (lest they be forgotten) you HAVE to visit La Rochelle, seafood capital of Western France and a stunningly attractive town. Shopping and culture in an impeccable French setting, you will not want to leave. The aquarium, the toy museum, the harbour area, the hotel de ville, it’s the French town you visualised in your mind’s eye.
We’re pretty sure that you will be happy with your accommodation and we hope that you are decided that the Vendee is the right place for you to take your holiday.