La Tardiere: Hiking, Landscapes and History

La Tardiere offers several perspectives for planning your trip: hiking on marked trails, regional history and scenic landscapes. The trails vary considerably in length and use, while a memorial site, a church, a freely accessible path and a reservoir appeal to other interests. Before choosing a hotel, you can consider whether you would like to focus your stay on a hike, culture or a break outdoors.

Choose a hike by route profile

The Sentier des Fougères starts at the church in La Tardière (Terval) and is 11.5 kilometres long. It is marked in yellow and follows a clockwise route. The trail also lets you discover former mills. Its length, starting point and direction give you practical details to help fit this hike into your stay; the former mills add a historical dimension to the route.

The Chemin des Châtaignes offers a different scale. The route is almost 80 kilometres long, fully marked and equipped with explanatory signs. It can be used on foot or by mountain bike. La Tardière is one of four starting points for the 76-kilometre main loop.

The two trails differ in more than distance: for the Sentier, the starting point, yellow markings and direction are fixed details; the Chemin stands out for its greater length, explanatory signs and suitability for mountain biking. The options range from an 11.5-kilometre hike to a considerably longer route with an additional way to explore it.

The freely accessible path through the Pépinières Ripaud is accompanied by around ten playful, informative signs. The experience combines walking with information and playful elements, offering a different focus from a hiking route described mainly in terms of length, markings or use.

Memorial Sites and Art

The Chapelle de la Brossardière is a Protestant memorial site. It commemorates the killing of 31 people during a Sunday service on 13 August 1595 and was built on the former site of the temple. The temple site also connects the chapel with religious history, while its memorial function focuses on the specific event.

A visitor description updated in 2017 notes that the church of Sainte-Quitterie contains a reproduction of Rubens’ painting “The Descent from the Cross.” While the chapel is associated with a historical event, Sainte-Quitterie focuses on a particular work of art. The history of remembrance and painting therefore offer two distinct cultural points of interest.

Views and a Break by the Water

La Tardière’s elevated position offers views across the Vendée landscape. The Plan d'eau de l'Etruyère is a 4.5-hectare artificial reservoir used by anglers. The lake is also a suitable spot for a picnic break for families and hikers. The views and lakeside activities offer different experiences: one is about looking out across the Vendée, while the other is about fishing or taking a break outdoors.

Discover more destinations: Triaize, Saint-Jean-De-Monts, Saint-Paul-Mont-Penit, Vendrennes, L'aiguillon-Sur-Vie, Le Poiré-Sur-Vie, La Caillère-Saint-Hilaire, La Chapelle-Palluau

For the broader travel overview: Vendée.