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Vendée Brioche
The Brioche Vendéenne is a golden, braided brioche, round, oval or bar shaped, with an airy, soft crumb flavored with vanilla or orange blossom.
The original composition of the Vendée brioche is explained by the proximity of the basic ingredients: cereals, which are widely planted, the production of milk and butter favored by the oceanic climate, eggs, which are particularly abundant, alcohol, local brandy, cognac from a neighboring region or rum brought back via Nantes and La Rochelle. In the past, each family made their own brioche for the Easter holidays. It was in the 19th century that bakers modified its presentation by braiding it.
Even today, the tradition of the brioche dance continues at weddings: the bride and groom and guests carry a brioche weighing several kilos during a dance.
You will undoubtedly enjoy tasting the Brioche Vendéenne for breakfast or as a snack. And why not bring some back!
We offer you the Brioche Vendéenne directly from our artisan baker partner in Saint Jean de Monts - L'Airelle. Remember to order it at the reception...
The Sardine, the pearl of the Gods
Sardines and Saint Gilles Croix de Vie have a close and emblematic relationship. The port is renowned for being the first in the Atlantic for sardine supplies. Its fishermen have developed specific sardine fishing techniques.
It all began in 1887, with the opening of the first cannery in Saint Gilles Croix de Vie. Today, La Perle des Dieux perpetuates the sardine tradition and ancestral know-how.
To go further, in Saint Gilles Croix de Vie, L'Atelier de la sardine offers you a museum that traces the history of fishing and presents the artisanal techniques of the last Vendée cannery. Did you know that the sardine of Saint Gilles Croix de Vie has been included in the inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage of France since 2018?
And why not discover Escale Pêche to go behind the scenes of fishing and its know-how. Located on the port of Saint Gilles Croix de Vie, this unique place transports you into the world of fishing yesterday and today by mixing testimonies and experiments.
At reception, we offer you boxes made up of vintage boxes, the oldest of which dates from 2016!
The troussepinette, one of the oldest aperitifs in Vendée
The troussepinette is an aperitif that is drunk chilled, a mixture of red wine and brandy flavored by maceration with young shoots of blackthorn, also called wild blackthorn, hand-picked just after flowering in May. It is one of the oldest aperitifs in Vendée.
Do you know where the name troussepinette or troussepinète comes from? From the hole of the pinette, the wooden peg used as a stopper for the barrel.
At the reception, we offer you the version of Lise Baccara, Vendée house.
Salt from Vendée
Coarse salt and fleur de sel will make a lovely souvenir typical of Vendée!
Salt mining in Vendée is thousands of years old. Salt marshes are stretches of coastal land where seawater is channeled through a complex system of basins and channels. In the shallow basins, the water evaporates, leaving behind the precious salt, the white gold. Salt workers have worked in these marshes for generations, perpetuating the traditional methods of salt harvesting.
The fauna and flora of the salt marshes are remarkable. Migratory birds find refuge in these vast marshy areas, making the salt marshes a place of choice for birdwatchers.
To explore these unspoiled landscapes, where nature and human activity blend harmoniously, visit the salt marshes of La Vie on foot or, more originally, by boat.
Organic honey from Vendée, at Pré des Abeilles
In the unique setting of the Marais breton vendéen, in Notre Dame de Monts, Anne-Laure Forgerit, a beekeeper and harvester, is committed to organic farming. She is very sensitive to the environment and the well-being of her bees, which is why her apiary is small, between 12 and 16 hives. Her bees produce meadow honey, clover honey, summer honey and carob honey. The honey is extracted in the hive, where it matures for 24 to 72 hours, then it is directly packaged in jars. All of these honeys develop naturally without any intervention.
Want to meet Anne-Laure Forgerit and learn more about her business? Book a guided tour of her honey house Au Pré des abeilles.
We offer Au pré des abeilles honey discovery boxes at reception.
Aromatic and medicinal plants from Vendée
Here is an original gift to bring back for lovers of natural products: cosmetic or gourmet souvenirs, created from plants such as verbena, mint, sage, bay leaf, marjoram, shiso, etc.
The production of the Jardin de la cure includes around fifty aromatic and medicinal plants grown organically on a production area of one hectare in Beauvoir sur Mer.
The plants are harvested and sorted by hand and the transformations are carried out in an artisanal way, following the rhythm of the seasons. This traditional approach preserves the quality and authenticity of the products.
The plants are transformed into herbal teas, aromatics, balms, vinegars or syrups.
Originality, you will find hydrosols on site. These floral waters obtained during the distillation process of aromatic plants have a much lower concentration of essential oils than the essential oils themselves, which makes them softer and easier to use: skin care, cooking and wellness drinks.
In July and August you can visit the Cure Gardens, the drying rooms and the distillery.
A very famous name bowl, Le Bol français
Who doesn't know these earthenware bowls with two ears? The story began with the Boutain brothers who created their workshop in 1936 in Saint Gilles Croix de Vie. Today, the tradition continues with the Cado family under the brand Le Bol français.
Everything is still done by hand in the Vendée workshop. From the creation of the mold to the meticulous decoration with painting, each phase of the process is carefully carried out by hand. The decoration on the raw biscuit and the enameling with glass powder guarantee the durability of the decoration and the personalized first name. The subsequent cooking and cooling complete the manufacturing process, requiring 24 hours.
You can buy bowls with traditional decorations or contemporary designs in the shop adjoining the workshop in Saint Gilles Croix de Vie.