ARCHITECTURE AS A WAY OF LIFE
What strikes visitors when they first discover Les Herbiers is the astonishing and innovating architectural choices made in such a small city. Demographic and economic growth changed the face of the Vendee town and pointed to contemporary and groundbreaking forms. The mutation owes nothing to chance. The population of Les Herbiers proved open and adaptable, a key to the town’s economic success, while the municipality has promoted architectural awareness for years. Individuals, companies and local councils all took the turn towards architectural modernity as a way to create a unique way of life in Les Herbiers. The choice is not only aesthetic, it is also environmental.
Its originality made Les Herbies renowned worldwide, with several stories in the national and international media. Since then, Les Herbiers constantly weclomed professionals, students, politicians or individuals wishing to discover prize-winning sites such as the Val de la Pepiniere ecological area, the Arts Tower, a site devoted to art and creation, the Grand-Fief zone with its nautic center, its town houses built like glasshouses. Thanks to all of these unique buildings, Les Herbiers is also attracting a new form of tourism.
CHARETTE, KING OF VENDEE
The epic and adventurous life of Francois de Charette was both mythical and tragic and his feats as much as his rebellious and exuberant temper made him a fascinating character in Vendee and beyond. A navy officer of lower nobility, je tooks part in several campaigns, incluidng in America, before settling down after his marriage in 1790. A womaniser and adventurer, he cannot stand wedlock. The 1793 insurrection by Vendee farmers againts the French Republic was a chance he could not miss. On March 14, 1793, a group of men from the Breton marshlands, determine dyet disorganised, came to Charette asking him to lead the rebellion. Charette, who took part in the fightings to save the king’s life in Paris in 1792, organised many raids and assaults, obeying his fiery temper more than caution. In June 1793, he was the first to enter Nantes but the lack of coordination between the several Vendee armies led them to lose the town. Charette’s many victories are always temporary and not stable enough for his cause to take the upper hand. Generals Haxo and Hoche are the fiercesr opponents of the man dubbed the King of Vendee since he was named commander in chief of the Vendee troops in 1794 in the Les Herbiers castle. He proved a gifted diplomat in 1795 when negotiating a truce with the Republicans but the treaty was never respected. Pushed to the very limits of his destiny with the strong support of future king Louis XVIII and England, Charette was arrested in March 1796 in the Chabotterie woods and shot to his death in the Viarme square in Nantes. A cros reminds the execution to this day.
Launched in 1982 in Les Herbiers, the Chrono des Espoirs, named Chrono des Herbiers since 1988, became the Chrono des Nations in 2006 to replace the defunct Grand Prix des Nations, which was abandoned in 2004. The event, now the world’s leading time trial event, will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2011. But Les Herbiers will also have the honour to award the first yellow jersey in this Tour de France. The profile of the finale should favour sprinters even though the course could give ideas to bold riders such as Thomas Voeckler, who won the national title not far from here in 2010. For sure the stage finish will be the talk of the Chrono Festival, a fair held alongside the time trial, to which more than 200 participants are expected. Traditionally, the election of the Queens of the Chrono will be held to name the young women who will hand the laurels to the winners. The riders at the start will be hoping to take over from 2010 winner David Millar of Britain.
Each year, because of landscapes especially fitting for cycling, the Les Herbiers area hosts several other races like the Tour de Vendee, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2011.
LE MONT DES ALOUETTES
Just outside Les Herbiers, the legendary hill tops at 231 metres. It offers a great view over the Vendee farmland. At the top can be found an elegant neo-gothic chapel and three windmills, two of which have been restored. Every summer, several animations are taking place on the spot, like the visit of the windmill with its miller.
PUY DU FOU (A 7 KM)
Created in 1978, the Puy du Fou theme park hosts the biggest nightly light show in the world, picturing France’s history through the life of a Vendee family from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. With 3,200 volunteers and 1,200 actors, the show attracts more than 400,000 spectators every year between May and September.
The Puy du Fou park also traces back France’s timeline over 45 ha, with the reconstitution of several periods from Roman gladiators to a 1900 village or the Musketeers. It is the 4th biggest theme park in France with more than a million visitors from April to September.
Like in 1993, the park will host the team presentation of the 98th Tour de France. The riders will be associated to a new show, Sign of the Times, based on the circus games in a gallo-roman stadium with a 7,000 capacity.
VENDEE RAILWAY
Discover the rugged landscapes of the Vendee farmland on board a steam engine between Mortagne-sur-Sevre and Les Herbiers. Lucnh is available in old carriages, some having been part of the Orient Express.
