Attractions and Places To See around La Bretonnière-La-Claye - Top 20

a magnificent site for mountain biking on each side of the Yon. A belvedere overlooking the spinning mill with a magnificent view.

It is on the outskirts of the village of Château-Guibert that we discover between its different arms, a very beautiful natural site decorated with various developed trails. The hillsides, made up of meadows and heaths, are very dry. The particularly poor subsoil explains the presence of flora with almost Mediterranean aspects. The songs of the European oriole and the common nightingale give this site a particularly melodious atmosphere in spring, while the kingfisher traces a shimmering blue arc above the body of water. The wings of the numerous dragonflies are so many sparkling points on the lake like those of the imposing brown orthetrum or the nimble dryad. Walkers and fishermen find their favorite terrain here. Classified as a green route, departmental 60 offers beautiful views of the southernmost part of the lake between Château-Guibert and Mareuil-sur-Lay. Swimming is prohibited there. (Info South Vendée Coast Tourism)

The origins of the city of Luçon are linked to port activity dating back to the early Middle Ages, when the city was located on the edge of the Gulf of Pictons before the drying up of the Marais Poitevin. Luzon was then a fortified town, whose ramparts, protected by water moats, can be seen in the layout of the streets surrounding the town centre. Throughout the 19th century, the commercial activity of the port of Luçon with northern Europe in particular, which for a time even made it the third largest grain port in France, contributed to the enrichment of the city. This activity stopped in the 20th century with the silting of the canal which connected the city to the coast. But Luzon is best known for its religious status. From the 7th century, the foundation of a monastery which was destroyed by the Viking invasions made it the spiritual center of Bas-Poitou and the town became the seat of the bishopric in the 14th century. In 1608, a certain Armand Jean du Plessis was appointed Bishop of Luçon. Noting the sad state of the city ravaged during the Wars of Religion, he described the region as "the ugliest bishopric in France, the dirtiest and most disagreeable" (especially in order to justify his request for subsidies from the ecclesiastical authorities). endeavored from then on to reorganize the diocese which he left in 1623 to put himself at the service of the king, after a long ascent to the throne.This bishop of Luçon, with remarkable intellectual qualities, ended up becoming the principal Minister of Louis XIII, and remains known under the name of “Cardinal of Richelieu.” The history of the city remains intrinsically linked to the figure of Richelieu who officiated in this cathedral. Begun in 1091, the cathedral was initially in the Romanesque style. The portal of the north transept remains from this period. But for the most part, the building (the nave, the choir, the cloister) that we see now was rebuilt several times in the Gothic style. During the wars of religion, the church was repeatedly ransacked. The high openwork neo-Gothic spire is a splendid romantic fantasy according to 19th century taste. It peaks at 85 m and gives the cathedral the silhouette we know today. The city center of Luçon also offers other historical and religious monuments.

The site of Mareuil sur Lay corresponds to that of an old city marked by the proximity of the sea. Former port, it welcomed the barges (traditional boats dedicated to the transport of goods) which went up the Lay by transporting in particular salt. Once at the port, the salt was unloaded and transported overland. Under Napoleon 1st, a national road was laid out, leading to the construction of a new stone bridge and Mareuil became an obligatory passage between La Roche sur Yon and La Rochelle. The bridge you cross here dates from this period and offers a beautiful view of the old town of Mareuil. The town is also at the heart of the Mareuil vineyard, which is the largest and one of the most famous in Vendée. Located on the slopes of the Lay and Yon rivers, it extends over an area of 300 hectares divided between 10 municipalities. Annual production is approximately 17,000 hl.

This old building is the ruin of an old spinning mill which produced wool in the 1860s. It only had a short life as the spinning mill ceased to operate in the 1870s. It was demolished and the stones were used for the construction of the Château de Rosnay, located nearby.

La Pierre aux Fées du Vigneau, a 23-meter boulder overlooking the Perron valley, was the place of choice for a garache (a sort of were-goat) and many fairies who met there on winter Saturdays to run until midnight, then lead a hellish Sabbath until dawn. After their passage, only "weed with scabs" grew, which could cure their dermatosis, it was said, those who picked it on the night of Saint John, an hour after sunset.