Mervent

Mervent, the lung of the Vendée

If you talk to any person from the Vendee they will say Mervent Lake and Mervent forest, as well as ‘Pierre Brune’.

Mervent is also a village proud to display the ‘label Station Verte de Vacances’ meaning that it has a status where nature is preserved and respected and there are lots of things for visitors to enjoy.

Perched on a rocky spur which overlooks the forest with its many facets and the lake, protected by a dam is well known by tourists and fishing enthusiasts alike.

Mervent – discover the forest

In summer as in winter it is always pleasant to walk through the forest and gain a breath of fresh air, especially given that the Mervent is also nick-named the green lung of the Vendée.

It is also well known for it’s lake, protected by a dam of the same name.

It is the leading forest in the Vendée with its oak trees, beeches, hornbeams, chestnut, hazel, birches etc… This national forest is spread over 5 boroughs. Its valleys, hills and dales are what makes it so charming.

Why not pop into the tourist office and ask about the ‘remarkable trees’? le Marinier, le Chêne à l’Ermite et le Chêne à 5 troncs (The mariner, the hermit oak and the oak with 5 trunks !)
Don’t forget to ask about the unusual bridges too: the magnificent ‘Déluge’bridge the bridge of ‘Diet’ and the bridge of ‘Perruret‘.
Take a trip around the Grotte du Père de Montfort (Père de Montfort cave) and see where Father Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort spent some time as a hermit. The entrance to the cave is at the Pierre Brune dam.

Two rivers cross the borough – the Mère and the Vendée and this is how Mervent got is name, by combining the names of the two rivers to form the word Mervent. 4 dams were built and provide the drinking water to several boroughs in the Vendée and Deux Sèvres.

The Mervent lake is the oldest and the most well known. It has a dam and measures 130 hectares. The Pierre-Brune dam was built on the Mere river and the Albert dam was build on the Vendée river.

The Albert dam is in the borough of Saint Michel le Cloucq.

For the little ones

Mervent Nature Zoo (Natur’ Zoo) will delight the little ones and is only a short distance from the gîte. They will see tigers, wolves, lemurs, giraffes and lots of other animals big and small. There is also a mini farm where you can get to know the mischievous goats!

Make sure that you are there for feeding time – ask at the zoo for feeding times. There is also a park and a little train: Park Pierre-Brune.

Lots to do for everyone

Whether you are a hardened sports fan or someone who enjoys the odd sport, the Mervent forest has lots for you to do:

• Rock climbing of the ‘Pierre Blanche’ for the climbing enthusiasts on this 42m high face fully equipped and offering 41 different routes.
• At the Mervent lack you can go sailing and canoeing, there are electric boats and you can go mountain biking too – for full details please visit https://www.loisirs-sudvendee.fr
• Bridleways
• There are numerous paths for ramblers and mountain bikers – you can download these routes from the tourist office web site. For ramblers stout walking boots and a walking stick may be advisable as the terrain can be hilly through the pine forest. Walk through valleys, dales and alongside rivers in this national forest.

Who knows who you might bump into? The Melusine Fairy or Mr Lusignan or the Lord of Chantoizeau?

• For the fishing enthusiasts you can find all the information you need on the Fishing federation’s web site: Fédération de la pêche

Our recommendations for local specialities

La Joletiere – this restaurant between lake and forest Le restaurant de la Joletière offers traditional French fare.