Châteaux en Vendée: your crown of adventures awaits!
Key facts about these Vendée châteaux
| Château d'Apremont | Guided tours; permanent exhibition; themed events; Rosk'n Vie festival |
| Château de Commequiers | Children's games; playground; Les Médiévales medieval festival; free admission |
| Talmont Castle | Guided tours; workshops, shows (chivalry, falconry); escape game; night shows |
| Château de la Guignardière | Château des Aventuriers" park, interactive investigations, haunted house, discovery trail |
| Château des Essarts | Adventure, History and Nature Park; immersive shows; historical workshops; traditional games |
Ready to conquer these fortresses? Your base camp for visiting every castle in the Vendée should be l'Orée de l'Océan! Book your stay at our 4-star campsite for your royal adventure.
Château d'Apremont, a Renaissance treasure
Ready to step back in time on the banks of the River Vie? The Château d'Apremont, a listed historic monument, awaits you on the banks of the river!
Built over several centuries, it's an impossibly elegant structure. Admire its two towers and chapel. A permanent exhibition and guided tours retrace 1,000 years of history.
And it's not just a museum! The new brochure published by the Office du Tourisme Vie et Boulogne² features themed events that bring this incredible place back to life. Note, by the way, that it also hosts modern events such as the Rosk'n Vie festival. Proof positive that this Vendée château knows how to combine its history with the present.
Address: place du Château, 85220 Apremont; distance from campsite: 15 km.
Château de Commequiers, a playful fortress
Behold this Bastille-like fortress, with its octagonal silhouette and eight towers!
Built in the 15th century, this is a great playground for families. The Pays de Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie Tourist Office highly recommends it. Children aged between 8 and 13 can follow in the footsteps of " Theo and the secret of the castle". They can also take advantage of the playground while you enjoy the peace and quiet of the magnificent park.
If you're spending the first weekend of August in the region, don't miss Les Médiévales, a festival that takes you back to the Middle Ages. And the icing on the cake? Visits to this medieval château in the Vendée are completely free!
Address: impasse des Tours, 85220 Commequiers ; distance from campsite: 19 km.
Talmont Castle, in the footsteps of Richard the Lionheart
Walk in the footsteps of the world's most famous knight-king! Built in the 11th century, Talmont castle was reinforced by Richard the Lionheart' s family to make it a formidable fortress. Today, visits to this fortified castle in the Vendée region are reinvented for every season. In addition to the guided tours, often praised by visitors for their richness and educational value, you can attend :
- A show of chivalry or falconry.
- The night performance "The epic of Richard the Lionheart".
- A crossbow shooting workshop.
- and much more!
Feel like a detective? Try the escape game in the castle's underground passageways! You'll have one hour to solve the riddles and escape. Take up this thrilling challenge in a listed historic setting!
Address: 8 Rue du Château, 85440 Talmont-Saint-Hilaire; distance from campsite: 29 km.
Adventure reigns supreme at Château de la Guignardière
Here, you're not just a visitor, you're the hero! This 1555 Renaissance château, with its steep slate roofs and remarkable fireplaces, is the heart of a unique theme park: Le Château des Aventuriers.
The 86-hectare estate is a huge playground. As well as visiting the historic monument, you'll enjoy an unforgettable vacation in this transformed Vendée château. Take part in an investigation or shiver in the haunted house. It's the promise of a day rich in emotions and laughter, a perfect place that almost makes you want to look for a château for sale in the Vendée to stay!
Address: route des Sables d'Olonne, D949, 85440 Avrillé; distance from campsite: 39 km.
Château des Essarts, a journey through 2,000 years
Immerse yourself in a timeless setting, listed as a historic monument and nestled in a 17-hectare forest. Ruins, a fortified enclosure and the Saracen tower remain from the castle 's medieval and Renaissance influences. The whole is set in 25 hectares of landscaped parkland designed by the Bühler brothers.
But this château in the Vendée bocage is much more than a witness to the past: it's a lively place, bustling with activity all year round thanks to its three worlds: Adventure, History and Nature parks.
Immersive shows(Les Chroniques Renaissance, Les Portes des Féeries...), historical workshops, old-fashioned games like berdinguette or giant goose... Here, heritage rhymes with emotion and discovery.
Address: 6 Rue du Vieux Château, 85140 Essarts-en-Bocage; distance from campsite: 56 km.
