Notre-Dame-de-Monts travel guide
Visit Notre-Dame-de-Monts (Pays de la Loire, France)
Photo Gallery Book a visitThe small coast resort of Notre-Dame-de-Monts is situated on the coast of Vendee to the north-west of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie in north-west France.
Explore Notre-Dame-de-Monts
As with many of the resorts along the Vendee coast the town has two separate parts: the town centre with shops and the village church, and the beach and seaside facilities about one kilometre walk from the centre.
France This Way review: Notre-Dame-de-Monts is one of the smallest, least developed of the resorts along the Vendee coast.
Town centre
In the town itself around the church you can find all the basic facilities that you need and the Notre-Dame-des-Monts Tourist Office.
A short distance west of the church a popular attraction is the Moulin du Vent, a traditional windmill that is visited for the gardens established around the base of the windmill.
Beaches and forests
The main beach is the beach closest to the town centre and is long and sandy - this is the most visited in Notre-Dame-de-Monts. There are also further beaches to the south (Plage du Murier and Plage du Pont d'Yeu) and the north (Plage des Lays).
Between the town and the beach you cross a small area of forest. This forest is the southern tip of the Foret Domaniale des Pays de Monts, a quite extensive area of forest that is popular with cyclists and walkers. Most of the forest is immediately behind the beaches to the north of Notre-Dame-des-Monts such as the Plage des Lays.
The best way to discover the diversity of the forest is to follow the path through the Arboretum de la Parée Farfadets. Starting opposite the Maison de la Dune et de la Forêt at 50 Avenue Abbé Thibaud the trail only takes about 15 minutes and introduces numerous of the plant species that are found in the forest.
Flat rooved houses
On the road immediately behind the beach you might notice a house with a flat roof. This is interesting because these flat-rooved houses were built at the time that the coast first started to be developed in Notre-Dame-de-Monts, around 1930, and followed an architectural style that the architect, a Mr Muet, had learned from his travels in north Africa and was quite radical at that time.
After the Second World War a system of needing planning permission to build was implemented and it was specified that all new houses had to follow the local traditional style - so no more flat roofs! You can see more examples of these 'between the wars' houses in the Avenue des Yoles between the town centre and the beach.
If you follow the road a short distance north towards La Barre-du-Monts you find find access roads to the quieter beaches away from the town centre.
Attractions nearby
About three kilometres north-east of Notre-Dame-de-Monts (follow the D82) there is a water tower at Kulmino where a lift and balcony have been installed. There is a panoramic view across the region from the top of the 70 metre high tower (admission payable, price around 5 euros).
Among the most popular excursions from Notre-Dame-de-Monts are trips to visit the island of Noirmoutier a short distance to the north, and the boat trip and visit to the Ile d'Yeu, about 20 kilometres off the coast from here.
See more of the popular Vendée beaches and resorts.
You can find more travel ideas in the Vendee guide and the Pays de la Loire guide.
Photos of Notre-Dame-de-Monts
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Hotels in Notre-Dame-de-Monts
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Map of Notre-Dame-de-Monts and places nearby
Visit near Notre-Dame-de-Monts with France This Way reviews
Saint-Jean-de-Monts
At Saint-Jean-de-Monts you will enjoy the extensive sandy beaches and one of the livelier resorts on the Vendee coast
Saint-Jean-de-Monts guide
Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez
Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez is the beach resort next to Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie
Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez guide
Ile d'Yeu
Explore the Ile d'Yeu on foot or by bike to see scenic coastline, beaches and a medieval castle
Ile d'Yeu guide
Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie
The port town of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie is an attractive and traditional town, very lively in summer
Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie guide
Noirmoutier
On Noirmoutier island you can find lots of sandy beaches and a traditional port town
Noirmoutier guide
Les Moutiers-en-Retz
The small town of Les Moutiers-en-Retz is best known for the nearby beach which attracts many summertime campers
Les Moutiers-en-Retz guide... or see ALL recommended places to visit in Vendee
Tourist classifications for Notre-Dame-de-Monts
Notre-Dame-de-Monts is classified as a village in bloom (ville fleurie) 4*
Address: Notre-Dame-de-Monts, Saint-Jean-de-Monts, Sables-d'Olonne, Pays de la Loire, 85690, France || GPS coordinates: latitude 46.831389, longitude -2.130556
Plan your visit to Notre-Dame-de-Monts, Vendee
Sightseeing & tourist attractions to visit nearby
- Saint-Jean-de-Monts: ville fleurie 4* (7 km)
- Phare de la Pointe des Corbeaux: site of natural beauty (20 km)
- Fort de Pierre-Levée: site of natural beauty (20 km)
- Port-Joinville: site of natural beauty (21 km)
- Phare de l'île d'Yeu: site of natural beauty (23 km)
- Vieux-château de l'Île d'Yeu: site of natural beauty (23 km)
- Aérodrome de L'Île-d'Yeu: site of natural beauty (24 km)
- Marais de Machecoul: site of natural beauty (30 km)
- Pointe Sainte-Gildas: site of natural beauty (35 km)
- Planète sauvage (parc): zoo or wildlife park (42 km)
- Lac de Grand-Lieu: site of natural beauty (45 km)
- Parc zoologique des Sables-d'Olonne: zoo or wildlife park (48 km)
Market days in Notre-Dame-de-Monts, France
Regular market(s) are held in Notre-Dame-de-Monts each Sunday. (Markets are held in the morning unless stated.)
The French version of this page is at Notre-Dame-de-Monts (Francais)