Information about camping in and around St Hilaire-de-Riez, the Vendee, Western France

St Hilaire de Riez is a charming little place, just a few KM south of St Jean de Monts. This area is ideal for both camping and mobile home holidays, and the town is at the heart of the Côte de Lumière in the Vendee, facing the Atlantic ocean, the Bay of Biscay. It is easily accessible by road, rail and air - there is a TVG station in Nantes as well as the Nantes Atlantique airport on the outskirts of the city. Nantes is only approximately 70K from St Hilaire but it always takes us the most of an hour to the coast by car.

Getting to St Hilaire by car from the ferry ports is pretty much the same as for St Jean de Monts; basically, the first major town or city you will most probably encounter is Rennes which used to be a nightmare to circumnavigate only a few years ago, but which is a doddle now and shouldn't take you more than 10 to 15 mins. After than you plough down the dual carriageway to Nantes where you will get onto the Nantes périphérique and you must always follow the signs for Bordeaux or you will become horribly lost and will most probably have to go through the city. Get off the périphérique at junction 48 and after about 1.5 km get onto the D178 and head for Challans. Follow the Challans signs until you see the sign for St Hilaire. Easy, follow the above from the ferry port and you won't need a map!.

The whole area around St Hilaire is so suitable for the laidback camping lifestyle and there are lots of sites in and around St Hilaire, the outskirts being surrounded by freshwater and saltwater marshes as is a great deal of the Vendee. There are approximately 12 K of good sandy beaches surrounded by the precious dunes, and also a 3K stretch of rocky coastline called the Corniche Vendéenne, and which has been classified as a natural site since the mid 1920's

Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez has many opportunities for walks suitable for all types with small and large walking paths (including the Côte de Lumière) that cross the 600 hectare-wide maritime pine domain forest. This forest also includes a horse riding trail. The coastal path initiated by the Vendée Regional Council allows you to walk along the entire 12 kilometre coastline  from Sion sur l'Océan to the Demoiselles and get to the resort's nine supervised beaches (supervised in high season). Cycle tracks also abound in the area.

St Hilaire de Riez has a twice weekly market, starting early and finishing around noon. Markets are always well worth a visit, and it is refreshing to see how the market area is transformed back to a car park in no time at all, and with absolutely no rubbish flying about!!