fishing

Whether your a beginner or an experienced angler,you will find the South Vendee has a great deal to offer. There are three location types on offer:
The coastal Region For the sea angler either from the shore line, from L'Aiguillon-sur-Mer, La Faute-sur-mer, La Trenche-sur-Mer north to L'Roche the 17kms of gently sloping golden sand beaches are ideal for sea casting or from a boat out of Jard -sur-Mer. When the surfs up the french like to go fishing.

Lake Fishing. These fall in to two catogaries, Private lakes and Public lakes. Many Gites and holiday homes have access to Plan D'eau's, these are lakes that farmers put in to water their fields, these can be several acres in size and usually well stocked with Carp and Roach, which the farmer puts in so as to keep the weeds down,as they dont want their pumps clogging up. There are sometimes restrictions to these lakes inAugust-September as the waters get low. if you can get access to one of these lakes the Carp are often in the 20kgs + size. There are usually good Pike as well as these are brought in as eggs which stick to the legs of Herons and Egrets.
The South Vendee has several hundred of these lakes and as they are private there is no need for a permit.
Many Villages have there own Plan D'Eau created especially for fishing and are well maintained,here you will need a permit, normally available from the Maire, Tobac, or local Bar. There are excellant examples at St Cry des Gats, Cezay, St Valerian and La Langon.
The Lakes of Retenue de Rochereau and Mervant/Vouvant offer large expanses of water,which can be fished either from the shore line or by boat.

Rivers and Canals. The South Vendee is blessed with countless miles of canals,and this makes for excellant fishing with peace and tranquillity in abundance. The canals originally dug by the monks of the great Monestries to drain the marshes of the Vendee are home not only to a plentyfull selection of fish including common,wild and mirror carp, carrasin, bream, tench, roach and catfish. hard fighting, wild fish, excellant sport!
The Rivers of La Smargne, The Lay, Vendee and Sevre Niortaise all of areas that can be fished

Night Carp Fishing. There are several places in the south Vendee where you can go night fishing, there are resrictions, the following are taken from the " Federation Departmentale pour la Peche et la Protection du Milieu Aquatique". list they are the controlling body for fishing in the Vendee.

3) Lac de retenue de barrage de "Moulin Papon" sur 1 Km de rive : Rive gauche, site de "l'audouinière" Commune de LA ROCHE SUR YON
4) Lac de retenue de barrage de "Rochereau" sur 2 Kms de rives : Sur les 2 rives du pont de "La Louraie" à celui de "Bourdin" Communes de SIGOURNAIS et de MONSIREIGNE.
5) Lac de retenue de barrage de "Mervent" sur 1,6 Km de rives : Sur les 2 rives, de la confluence du ruisseau des "Verreries" au pont de la "Vallée" (D99). Communes de MERVENT.
6) Lac de retenue de barrage "d'Albert" sur 2,5 Kms de rives : Sur les 2 rives de "Marchandelle" (rive gauche) et du chemin de "Ceppe à Picard" (rive droite à la zone interdite à la pêche à l'amont de l'ouvrage de retenue "d'Albert". Communes de ST MICHEL LE CLOUCQ et de FOUSSAIS PAYRE
7) La Rivière Vendée, lot n°3, sur 2,kms 200 de rive : Rive Gauche, du lieu-dit "Brillac" à la limite amont de la réserve nationale de "Massigny", Commune de CHAIX.