L'Herbaudiere, Port Joinville and Les Sables d'Olonne

L’Herbaudiere, L’Herbaudiere, L’Herbaudiere. It doesn’t matter how often I practice saying it, the next time I have to pronounce it it just comes out wrong! I had the same problem with Hundested in Denmark last year. No idea why.

Anyway, from Piriac-sur-Mer we sailed 28 miles SE to L’Herbaudiere which is on the Ile de Noirmoutier. It was a bit bumpy – we are in the Bay of Biscay after all – but we made good progress and it was great to be able to actually sail all the way from harbour to harbour, and not have to motor at all.

Sailing at last! 

The weather was pretty miserable during our stay in L’Herbaudiere so we didn’t see the place at its best. In fact we didn’t really venture out much at all during our stay, so I don’t have a great deal to say about it. 

Frank and Jennifer (fellow CA – Cruising Association – members who'd seen our CA burgee) kindly invited us aboard their yacht for pre-dinner drinks and nibbles on the 2nd evening we were there. On the 3rd we enjoyed an evening meal of Moules Frites (mussels and chips) with Sam and Camilla – who generously picked up the tab - and Robin, their crew. Other than a short walk around the harbour, some washing of clothes and doing a couple of minor jobs on Camilla and Sam's boat, that was about it! 

We knew we couldn’t stay later than Monday morning as a regatta of about 100 boats was due to descend on the place later that day, but we were ready to move on by then in any case.

 

L'Herbaudiere harbour

Entrance to L'Herbaudiere harbour near low water

Camilla (skipper) gets boat ready to depart. Robin (crew) eats croissants!

Our next destination was Port Joinville on the Ile d’Yeu. This place has a reputation for being packed, but on this occasion the aforementioned regatta worked to our advantage. Prior to visiting L’Herbaudiere, those 100 or so boats were holed up in Port Joinville. There was therefore loads of space for us when we arrived just after they’d departed!

Once again we had to motor the majority of the 20 miles or so of our passage, but we did get about 1.5 hours of sailing in before the wind pretty much died altogether. We encountered the fleet of race boats about 5 miles north of the Ile d’Yeu. They were sailing rather than motoring, but the AIS information from those who were transmitting told us they were only making about 2 knots over the ground – and they were beating to windward too! Plenty of patience required there then…

Leaving L'Herbaudiere

Regatta fleet near Ile d'Yeu making very slow progress

Port Joinville harbour entrance just visible to left of picture

Soon after our arrival at Port Joinville we were greeted by Margaret, who introduced herself as a fellow CA member and invited us to join her and her husband Jack aboard their boat for drinks and nibbles later that evening. Sam, Camilla and Robin were also invited, as were Pam and John from a neighbouring boat. Margaret served up some very tasty nibbles – many of which were homemade - and Jack made sure that our wine glasses were suitably replenished. If you’re reading this Margaret and/or Jack, thanks very much!

The harbour at Port Joinville isn’t anything special. There’s no view from the boat and the ship(s) that bring all the island’s supplies are unloaded very noisily (think dropping full sized containers from a foot or two/dragging them along the ground) about 50 yards away. This all takes place at times that suit the tides, rather than those trying to sleep in their yachts nearby!

We came to hate this ship - except, of course, when we needed supplies!

The Ile d’Yeu is, however, otherwise pretty much idyllic. We circumnavigated it using the well-marked cycle tracks. These include some quiet roads but mostly follow unmade tracks which are closed to motor vehicles. Our trusty steeds (fold up bikes) coped well with the stony surfaces and it made for an enjoyable few hours. The pictures tell a better story than I can:

Ile d'Yeu scenery...

... and again...

,,, and again. How clear is that water?

There were lots of little coves with mini harbours like this

We saw lots of these

She's cracked it! I told her not to jump on it...

How blue is that water?

Private, idyllic beach anyone?

"Sing lofty!". "Why do you whisper green grass..."

Le Vieux Chateau

Street in La Meule. Looks sort of Spanish to me.

Port de La Meule

Looking seaward from Port de La Meule

Beach at La Croix

Pointe des Corbeaux

  

On our final day we visited the local cemetery to see Marechal Philippe Petain’s grave. He’d had a distinguished career in WW1 before seriously blotting his copybook by signing an armistice with the Nazis in WW2. In return, he was allowed to set up a puppet government in unoccupied France with its headquarters in Vichy. Amongst other things, his authoritarian government passed anti-Semitic legislation and was responsible for rounding up Jews for deportation to German concentration camps. 

After the war Petain was tried for treason and sentenced to death. This was subsequently commuted to life imprisonment, some of which he served in Le fort de Pierre Levee at Joinville. He died at the age of 95 and was buried without ceremony in Port Joinville's cemetery. It seems weird to me that such a man would have a cross on his tomb, but what do I know? Maybe he had no say in the matter?

Petain's tomb 

We visited Le fort de Pierre Levee after leaving the cemetery. It reminded us of the forts on top of Portsdown Hill, near Portsmouth, which I suppose shouldn’t be a surprise as they were built around the same time. The fort’s most remarkable feature was that we couldn’t see it at all until we were within about 50 yards! A small forest had been planted around it which did a great job of hiding it – and making it impossible to photograph properly…

Entrance to Le fort de Pierre Levee

Le fort de Pierre Levee's dry moat

How French is that? Citroen Ami (remember those Ju?!) with lobster pot on top!

We enjoyed farewell drinks with Sam, Camilla and Robin on the Thursday evening before going our separate ways the following day. Camilla is the editor of the CA’s magazine and has to return to the UK shortly to get the next issue ready. They’re heading north to leave their boat in Arzal until they’re ready to continue their cruise. We’re continuing south for a little longer, starting with a visit to Les Sables d’Olonne (30 miles of decent downwind sailing).

Fish farm off Ile d'Yeu

Farewell Ile d'Yeu! Pointe des Corbeaux - the SE point of the island

Entrance to Les Sables d'Olonne

No doubt Les Sables d’Olonne is famous for many things but us yachties know it for the Vendee Globe.

No caption required!

This is the non-stop, round the world, single handed sailing race launched in 1989 by Philippe Jeantot and Cyclone is currently berthed in Port Olona, the very marina used by the Vendee Globe yachts (and, it has to be said, hundreds of very ordinary vessels too!).

Cyclone in Port Olona - home to the Vendee Globe

The boat pictured below is no ordinary vessel though. Sailed by Alessandro Di Benedetto, at 6.50m she's the smallest vessel to have circumnavigated the world. She did this without stopping, without assistance, without engine, without generator and via the 3 Capes - the same course as the Vendee Globe.

"Mini" Respect!

There’s a Walk of Fame in Les Sables d’Olonnes but this isn’t for namby pamby actors. Oh no! The pedestrian Remblai walkway has been lined with 7 floor plaques celebrating the Vendee Globe winners. These contain the date of the victory, the skipper’s hand and footprints, and a sketch of the yacht concerned. I’d have taken photos if I’d read the leaflet that told me they were there before we got back to our boat…

I managed to acquire a self-guided walk leaflet from the Tourist Information office (much to Jo’s delight…) and so we walked the Les Sables d'Olonne route one day and the La Chaume route the next (La Chaume is the town on the other side of the harbour entrance).

First some pictures of Les Sables d'Olonne:

Les Sables d'Olonne street scene

That'll be the Sable then! The cloud soon cleared to relentless sunshine

The St Nicholas Priory, La Chaume side of the harbour entrance

Saint clair Castle, Arundel Tower, Also on La Chaume side of the harbour entrance

Looking towards La Chaume in the direction of the harbour

War Memorial in Place de la Liberte, Les Sables d'Olonne

L'Ile Penotte quarter of Les Sables d'Olonne, where houses are decorated with shells

L'Ile Penotte bat

L'Ile Penotte Dracula!

L'Ile Penotte street scene...

... and again

Me, standing in La Rue de L'Enfer - the narrowest street in the world...

...and in the Guiness Book of Records, so it's official! Just 40cm wide.

The remaining pictures are of La Chaume:

Secondary town hall of La Chaume. The coat or arms features the Virgin protecting ships and sailors

Trompe l'oeil fresco in the St Anne square...

... or "Muriel" as we like to call 'em.

Yes I know that should be "Mural"(we particularly liked this one)...

...but we still remember Hilda Ogden and her "Muriel"!

La Chaume streets contrast with the modern urban landscape of Les Sables d'Olonne

Saint Clair Castle, Arundel Tower. You can climb this...

... and get views like this!

The St Nicholas Priory. 16th century first place of worship in La Chaume. Subsequently a fort and arsenal

Armandeche Lighthouse. 36m high with a 42km reach

Cross overlooking the sea

Tomorrow we head for La Rochelle. We intend to stay there for a few nights - visiting Ile de Re by bus (the harbours there apparently get very crowded) and remaining for the July 14^th Bastille Day celebrations.

Thanks for reading.