Camping near Givrand, Vendee

Givrand is a pleasant little place on the Vendee coast, well away from the hustle and bustle which you're more likely to experience in the bigger tourist resorts. It's located slightly south of St Gilles Croix de Vie and inland by about 2.5 kms, or just over a mile, and about 3.5 km north of Bretignolles sur Mer.

Givrand doesn't have a beach, but there are plenty within a very short distance which can easily be reached on foot or by car. As it's more of a village, there aren't a huge amount of shops however St Gilles or St Hilaire de Riez are right next door and should have everything you'll need.

The best beaches are there too - the Corniche Vendeenne - the beach area of St Hilaire etc is a great place for sunbathing and all manner of watersports, and there is no shortage of sunshine in the Vendee either!

Go just a little further north and you get to the busier but extremely nice resort of St Jean de Monts. St Jean has some really superb, flat sandy beaches, and just behind the promenade is a huge, narrow parking area (free) which follows the prom from one end of the town to the other.

We recommend that you take a ferry to one of the following ports: Roscoff in Brittany, Cherbourg, Caen or St Malo, though we suggest the latter two becuse they are virtually on a dual carriageway to start with.

Head for Rennes and skirt round the city following signs for Nantes and Bordeaux. Out of Rennes you are now on the N 137 going south to Nantes - a journey of 30 to 40 mins before joining the Nantes périphérique (ring road) at junction 37. Follow signs now for Bordeaux and exit the périphérique at junction 48 onto the free part of the A83 autoroute.

Take care here because you need to turn off after a couple of kms onto the D178 signposted for Challans, where you will pick up a sign for St Hilaire/St Gilles Croix on either the D69 or D62 - both lead in the same direction but the D32 is the better road for Givrand.

Alternatively, you can skirt Challans and head straight for St Jean de Monts, and once there follow the main coast road through St Hilaire and St Gilles. Givrand is on your left side after about 3 kms.