Poster of "La Belle Henriette",
La Tranche sur Mer, Vendee.
La Belle Henriette is the name of a stretch of coast between La Faute sur Mer and La Tranche sur Mer, including the beach, the dunes and the area of salt marshes behind the dunes. This photo is of one of the areas of lagoon within the salt marshes, taken on a winter afternoon, nearing sunset. This natural wilderness offers a particular serenity out of season and is one of our favourite afternoon walks.

Poster of the beach at La Faute sur Mer, Vendee - "Bouchots".
"Bouchots" are the wooden posts that are traditionally used to grow mussels on in the shallow water off the Vendee coast (you can see 'moules de bouchots' in the markets and they are considered to be the best). When there is a particualarly low tide the posts become visible off-shore. This photo was taken at sunset in July, looking across the bay from La Faute towards La Tranche - one of those evenings when the sea is as calm as a lake

Stone on the beach at low tide
"Marée Basse".
As the tide retreats across the sand the running water often leaves trails and gulleys. An object on the beach will modify the flow. This stone is typical of many found on the coast at La Tranche sur Mer, riddled with a network of holes (I have no explanation for this phenomena...). This photo was taken at the very end of the afternoon, when the sloping rays of the sun enhance the patterns.

"Le Chemin des Douaniers",
Port Bourgenay, Vendee.
The French coast has mostly retained its paths along the cliffs and the back of the beaches which were used in times gone by by customs officers, on foot, to look out for the arrival of smugglers. These still form a statutary right of way, sadly over-run in some areas where chic hotels have created their own private beaches. This photo was taken on the well maintained path between Port Bourgenay and Le Porteau - a lovely walk in all seasons.

Poster of "La Belle Henriette",
La Tranche sur Mer, Vendee.
La Belle Henriette is the name of a stretch of coast between La Faute sur Mer and La Tranche sur Mer, including the beach, the dunes and the area of salt marshes behind the dunes. This photo is of one of the areas of lagoon within the salt marshes. This natural wilderness offers a particular serenity out of season and is one of our favourite afternoon walks.

Poster of the main beach at La Faute sur Mer, Vendee.
Looking west across the bay towards the point of La Tranche sur Mer near the end of the day. A particularly good spot for interesting light - hence the other photographer in the corner...

Poster of the main beach at La Faute sur Mer, Vendee.
(The example on the main poster page)
Looking west across the bay towards the point of La Tranche sur Mer at sunset. The sunsets at this spot can be superb. The "Bouchots" are visible as it's a very low tide (see 5092 above) and this group of children profiting from the last rays of the day offer a charming image of summer holidays.

Dune thistles at La Pointe d'Arcay, Vendee.
Walking south along the beach from La Faute sur Mer for 2 or 3 km you come to a magical place of wild dunes and untouched beach. Even in summer, you can look both ways as far as the eye can see and maybe see just one or two people in the distance. These thistles grow in abundance on the dunes and contribute to their stability.

The port of L'Aiguillon sur Mer, Vendee.
View along the river Lay estuary, from the bridge. These time-worn wooden posts used for tying up the fishing boats have since been replaced by a smart new jetty - a bit of a pity, but that's progress and development...

Le Communal de Lairoux, Vendee.
One of the traditional water meadows of this area, which have been preserved as "common land" for grazing cattle during the summer months. In the winter the meadows flood and the pasture is fertilised by the river silt. This photo of a watery March day was "washed out" to bring out the calm stillness of the moment.