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Your holiday begins on the mainland in a modest parish of family houses strung out along the Ocean's edge: Notre-Dame-de-Monts. Here you'll have the opportunity to travel through the marshland and pine forests of the Vendée coast. Next heading is the Isle of Noirmoutier, with the impression of entering another world the further you advance towards the island's southernmost point. Beaches, salt marshes and little fishing ports. Then you'll be ready to tackle the third part of the programme, embarking for the Isle of Yeu with its wild coasts, beaches of fine sand and typical wee white houses. The sea air is heady. It's like living way out in the ocean!
Holidays available from April to the beginning of November.
You can begin your stay any day April - June and September - beginning of November.
In the high season, holidays start on odd dates (1st, 3rd, 5th...) in July, and even dates (2nd, 4th, 6th...) in August.
Itineraries (please click for details)
7 days / 6 nights 
4 days / 3 nights
Characteristics of circuits
Family cycle tour.
Difficulty 2/5
Daily stages from 25 to 30 kilometres, about 3hrs to 3hrs 30mins.
Fairly level ground.
Suitable for people in reasonably good physical condition.
Familiarity with cycling.
What's included?
Half board and B&B in 2 or 3 star hotels.
Baggage transfer by vehicle.
Roadbook and routemarked maps provided.
Private parking for clients' vehicle.
Technical and logistical assistance.
Includes ferry ticket for Fromentine - Ile d'Yeu crossing.
Transfer from Fromentine to Notre-Dame-des-Monts.
Reservation request
Booking form
Once you've filled in the form, Safran will suggest a made-to-measure holiday adapted to your personally chosen dates during the week or at the weekend.
Tariffs 2012
| Price per person, on the basis of two people sharing same room | Additional services | |||||||
| Duration | July - August | Low Season | Child 6 - 11 | Child 2 - 5 | Child under 2 | Bike rental Adult | Bike rental Child | Baby seat rental |
| 7d/6n | € 625 | € 580 | -30% | -40% | € 70 | € 75 | € 55 | € 12 |
| 4d/3n | - | € 315 | -30% | -40% | € 35 | € 50 | € 35 | € 8 |
| Bike hire essential (no cycle transport between the islands) | ||||||||
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The salt marshes
 Salt marshes ("marais salants") are interconnected shallow basins which enable the extraction of sea salt. Water circulates from one basin to another due to a very slight slope.Salt extraction ("la saunerie") begins in mid-May. Sea water conducted through a canal enters a large basin - the 'vasier' - where it decants, mud and impurities sinking to the bottom. The water then passes through a succession of increasingly shallow basins, whilst sun and wind progressively evaporate the water leaving concentrated brine (from 35 to 280 grams per litre). Towards the end of this process, the reddish bittern ("saumure" in French) runs into small, very shallow rectangular basins, the salting areas. It then crystallises and settles. On certain summer days a light northerly or easterly breeze produces a surface crystallisation of great finesse. The much-prized salt thus created bears a name: la fleur de sel (flower of the salt). The salt harvest is from May to September. The salter ("paludier") brings the "white gold" to the edge of the "carnation" (from its shape!) using a traditional rake known as a "simoussi". The salt then dries completely, is collected, stored in barns and commercialised. At the end of the season, the salt marshes are flooded to protect them from the rigours of winter. In Spring they will be fettled, dried and cleaned. In former days the salt marshes of the Isle of Noirmoutier covered a quarter of the island's surface - an impressive 700 hectares. A hundred or so salters produced more than 600 tons of salt a year. Today 40 salters farm 100 hectares, producing a high quality salt which, as it is made without industrial washing or other treatments, preserves essential trace elements along with its excellent reputation... |
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Agence Safran - Les Cascades - F. 26400 Mirabel et Blacons
Tel. +33 (0)4 75 25 78 78 - Fax +33 (0)4 75 25 78 79
info@safrantours.com - Agence de voyages LI.026.99.0001