Maché: Lac d’Apremont, cycling route and Fête de la caille

Lac d’Apremont reveals a natural side of Maché, while the Circuit de Maché à Coëx and the Fête de la caille appeal to other travel interests. The walking trail, cycling route and festival each offer a different focus. You can tailor your stay to nature watching, cycling or a specific event.

Nature at Lac d’Apremont

Lac d’Apremont covers 166 ha and serves as a resting place for migratory birds. These include ringed plovers, lapwings and whimbrels. The Les Rives de la Vie trail runs along the lake, allowing visitors to discover flora that changes with the seasons and observe various bird species. The lake and trail offer different ways to experience nature: the lake is a resting place for migratory birds, while the trail connects plant life and birdwatching along the water. The list of species illustrates the lake’s role as a resting place; the seasonal changes in flora add another distinct aspect to the trail. If you want to make nature the focus of your stay, you can consider the seasonal changes in plant life and an interest in migratory birds as separate themes.

Cycling the Circuit de Maché à Coëx

The Circuit de Maché à Coëx starts at Lac d’Apremont in Maché. It includes 1 km of voie verte and 11.3 km on roads shared with other users. The road section is therefore more than eleven times as long as the voie verte section. To assess the route, consider both sections, not just the shorter voie verte stretch. The lakeside starting point gives you a specific place to begin in Maché; the route’s name links Maché and Coëx. Unlike the Les Rives de la Vie trail, which focuses on seasonal flora and birdwatching, the Circuit can be understood in terms of its starting point and surface types. This highlights two different ways to experience the same lake: observing nature along the water and cycling a route with a clearly defined breakdown of surfaces.

Fête de la caille: tradition and evening entertainment

The Fête de la caille has been held in Maché for more than 30 years. Each year, new members are inducted into the Confrérie de la caille at the festival. This recurring induction is part of the festival’s tradition. The evening programme includes a cabaret-style event; quail are also grilled over a wood fire. The Fête thus combines a connection to the Confrérie with an evening event and a distinctive culinary theme. It offers a reason to visit in its own right, alongside nature and cycling. Dates and programme details may change, so check the information for the relevant edition before your trip.

Nature experience or festival visit?

Timing may also influence your decision. Seasonal changes in flora are an explicit part of the nature experience on the trail, while the programme for the relevant edition determines what to expect at the Fête de la caille. These involve different planning considerations: you can explore nature in relation to the changing seasons or plan your trip around a festival date. The cycling route offers another focus, which you can assess by its lakeside starting point and breakdown by surface type.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: La Jaudonnière, Sallertaine, Treize-Septiers, Le Bernard, Notre-Dame-De-Monts, La Barre-De-Monts, Chambretaud, Sainte-Flaive-Des-Loups

Go to the main travel overview: Vendée.