Nature camping in Vendée
The Hamlet of Avocets, and its green lung
A holiday surrounded by nature, just minutes from the ocean, at a 3-star campsite that prioritizes quality. Here's what awaits you for your next stay.
Illustrative visuals: the premium district is taking shape, opening planned for June 2027.
It's seven in the morning. The light filters through the grass, the green oasis awakens with a scent of iodine and damp grass, and a flock of birds crosses a still-pink sky. You're on your terrace, a cup in hand, barefoot on the warm wood, facing the green oasis of L'Île aux Oiseaux. No one is waiting for you anywhere. Your holiday in the Vendée begins gently.
This is the experience we offer at the Hameau des Avocettes, the new premium district From the L'Île aux Oiseaux campsite. A nature campsite in the Vendée region for those who aren't looking for a set itinerary, but rather a rhythm: that of the seasons, the westerly wind, and the tides of the nearby beaches and marshes. A stay where you lose track of time, in the heart of a protected environment.
A nature campsite in Vendée located on the edge of the salt marsh
Our 3-star campsite is located in a salt-making village, nestled between the forest, the marshes, and the Atlantic Ocean, just minutes from Les Sables-d'Olonne. It's a rare find in the Vendée region: close enough to the coast to head straight to the beach after breakfast, yet far enough away to enjoy the birdsong during aperitif hour. The ocean on one side, the marshes on the other, and the village in between.
Since opening our campsite, we've championed a particular vision of family holidays. A campsite designed for everyone, on a human scale, where everyone knows their name and where time is taken. Our guests are our best advocates, and over 1,450 have already shared their experiences. In their reviews, two of our core values consistently stand out: a warm welcome and high-quality service.
The Hameau des Avocettes continues this story, with different accommodations and a different relationship to the landscape. Slow tourism isn't a new concept: it's how this campsite has operated since day one, in each of its sections. 2027, We offer an additional option for those seeking an even more nature-oriented stay.
Book your holiday at the Hameau des Avocettes
THE new district will open for the 2027 season. Take advantage of the first few weeks of bookings to choose your accommodation and view: the number of lodges overlooking the wetland is intentionally limited. Spring and late summer holidays, when the marsh is at its most beautiful, are often the first to be booked.
Reservations can be made online or by phone at 02 51 90 89 96 or by email to contact@ile-aux-oiseaux.fr.
The campsite reception is open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 1pm and from 2pm to 8pm, and on Sunday from 10am to 12pm and from 3pm to 6pm. We also gladly answer questions that don't fit into any category.
THE HAMLET OF THE AVOCADOS
A premium area comprising 31 high-end lodges
LA SALORGE
A wellness area with spa, hammam, sauna and massage.
Illustrative visuals: the premium district is taking shape, opening planned for June 2027.
Why choose this campsite? Nature in Vendée?
The Vendée region has several hundred campsites, and they are not all the same. Some focus on large water parks and continuous entertainment, while others emphasize the environment, peace and quiet, and basic services.
At Camping L'Île aux Oiseaux, you won't have to choose. Two swimming pools, one of which is covered and heated, a kids' club, entertainment throughout the week, a playground, a pétanque court, a snack bar, and a food truck two evenings a week. And, just a short walk from this activity area, a premium district deliberately kept out of it: the Hamlet of the Avocets. A few steps, far enough to disconnect, close enough to walk down.
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This allows a single family to make no sacrifices. The children spend their days at the kids' club and the pool, while the parents enjoy a break at the...’wellness area. In the evening, everyone gathers for the activities, or not. Nothing is mandatory! No one will come looking for you for the pétanque tournament if you prefer to watch the marsh change color and read a good book on your terrace. lodge.
A nature camping, So it's not wild camping. It's primarily a different relationship to space and the environment: fewer pitches, more vegetation.
Located in the immediate vicinity of the forest and marsh, but also close to the sea, Camping L'Île aux Oiseaux has long ticked these boxes. With the Hameau des Avocettes, we are simply opening up a second way to stay there.
Of the unusual accommodations and comforting. Here, people come seeking the change of scenery of a cabin, the comfort of a lodge and, when the desire arises, a wellness break to slow down a little more.
The green lung the wetland bordering the campsite
THE new premium district It is nestled against a protected wetland. This is our green lung, and it's what makes this corner of Vendée different from all the other campsites on the coast.
Tall grasses sway in the breeze, meadows change color from April to September, a completely clear horizon typical of the Vendée coastline. The landscape is never the same two days in a row as it was the day before. In the morning, mist clings to the reeds on the marshes. At midday, the water becomes a mirror. In the evening, everything turns orange. This spectacle is unique, it changes all by itself, and it holds children's attention for much longer than one might imagine.
We didn't want to build a campsite next to the marshes. We wanted to build a campsite with them. Every development decision stemmed from this idea: to respect the history and what nature offers us in the iconic village of Ile d'Olonne.
The birds of the marsh
The pied avocet gives its name to the hamlet. It's a silhouette one doesn't forget: a slender beak curved upwards, black and white plumage, and a deliberate gait in just a few centimeters of salt water. It's not the only one to frequent the salt marshes and mudflats surrounding the campsite.
A pair of binoculars, a little patience, and the marsh will come alive. You can expect to see more than 300 recorded bird species: avocets, herons, kingfishers, egrets, black-winged stilts, passerines, birds of prey, gulls, etc.
Illustrative visuals: the premium district is taking shape, opening planned for June 2027.
A framework is designed to slow down
In our opinion, a high-end campsite isn't judged by the length of its list of amenities, but by the feeling you get when you arrive. Le Hameau des Avocettes was conceived differently, far removed from the traditional conventions of outdoor hospitality.
Sand underfoot
The walkways in the new neighborhood are made of stabilized sand. In summer, the ground doesn't reflect heat like asphalt does. This also, more subtly, allows water to continue to flow through the land as it always has: at this distance from the wetland, every square meter that remains permeable counts.
Vegetation free to evolve
The pitches are separated by planted areas, composed of various species and heights, rather than by the trimmed hedges usually found. Elsewhere in the campsite, these hedges fully fulfill their purpose: they preserve the privacy of each pitch, a comfort particularly appreciated by our guests.
Facing our green lung, we envisioned a different approach. Here, the aim is to preserve this privacy while allowing views to extend towards the wetland and its natural surroundings. Trees will structure the spaces and create genuine pockets of shade, while the plantings will bring a sense of calm and tranquility. A carefully considered balance to fully enjoy the landscape without sacrificing the privacy and peace one seeks during a holiday.
A car-free neighborhood
Vehicles are parked at the entrance to the hamlet. From there, you can get around on foot or by bicycle. We can't promise absolute silence: a campsite is a lively place, and that's perfectly fine. However, you'll no longer hear maneuvering under windows, slamming doors, or engines starting up at the crack of dawn. What remains are the conversations of walkers, the wind rustling through the reeds, and the passing bicycles. Within the campsite, pedestrians have priority.
For children, this mainly means being able to move around more easily on foot or by bike, to meet up with their friends at the swimming pool or to get to the playground, with the pleasant feeling of a space designed at their height.
For parents, it's also an opportunity to let their children gradually gain independence, while still remaining close by. A seemingly minor detail, but one that contributes to making holidays simpler, freer, and more peaceful.
Disconnect from everyday life
Disconnecting here doesn't mean cutting off the network. Wi-Fi covers the entire campsite, every accommodation has an internet connection, and no one will ask you to leave your phone at reception. Internet access is one of the campsite's services, just like the swimming pool or fresh bread in the morning.
On the other hand, we would be delighted to invite you to disconnect from everyday life. Whether for a few nights or several weeks, our wish remains the same: to offer you a simpler, gentler pace, where you can take the time to enjoy your surroundings. The kind of holiday you naturally imagine when you think of camping in the heart of nature.
Illustrative visuals: the premium district is taking shape, opening planned for June 2027.
High-end accommodations open to nature
The Hamlet of the Avocets consists of 31 new locations, designed to take full advantage of this preserved environment. Nine of them are located on the front line, facing the green lung. The others are situated just behind, extending from the hamlet.
All welcome lodges in 2 or 3 bedroom versions. The 3-bedroom models also feature two bathrooms. All are designed as cozy havens opening onto the outdoors, extended by a very large terrace conceived as a true living space. All offer the same level of amenities, designed for stays where you can enjoy yourself both indoors and out.
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L'’The architecture is inspired by saltworks., These squat buildings, where salt workers stored salt away from the damp, offer a different experience from our fully equipped mobile homes at Village des Oiseaux, both in design and location.
Our mobile homes, our rentals adapted for people with reduced mobility, and our pitches for tents, caravans, and motorhomes continue to operate exactly as they do today, with the same care and the same team. The Hameau des Avocettes complements our rental offerings; it does not replace them.
Illustrative visuals: the premium district is taking shape, opening planned for June 2027.
The Salorge the campsite's wellness area
The new district will have its own wellness area, Accessible by reservation. A place designed as an extension of the marsh and its salt, where you can unwind after a day at the beach or cycling. Sauna, relaxation area and treatments invite you to slow down and take care of yourself, in an atmosphere designed to prolong this interlude in the heart of nature.
Guests of Hameau des Avocettes will have unlimited access upon reservation; the rest of the campsite will also be able to take advantage of it depending on the available time slots.
The services camping just a few steps away
Choosing a quiet neighborhood surrounded by nature doesn't mean giving up on amenities. The Hameau des Avocettes provides access to all... services and to all the equipment from the campsite, gathered in the Village des Oiseaux, a few minutes' walk away.
The campsite is Awarded the Qualité Tourisme, Tourisme et Handicap, Accueil Vélo and Label Vendée labels, with accommodations adapted for people with reduced mobility (motor, visual, or hearing). Accessibility has been part of this campsite's identity from the beginning, and the new area will be no exception.
As for the team, that's what our customers talk about most in their reviews: a small, attentive, dedicated and responsive team.
Nature in Vendée all around the campsite
From Jard-sur-Mer to Saint-Jean-de-Monts, the Vendée coast stretches out supervised beaches and surf spots. The closest ones to the campsite, in Sauveterre and Bretignolles-sur-Mer, can be reached in less than ten minutes, and by bike via the cycle paths.
Behind, the Olonne forest unfolds for kilometers of pine woods for the walk, THE Mountain biking and the outdoor activities. It is a living wood, where you can come across deer in the early morning.
In Les Sables-d'Olonne, the fishing port, the marina and the La Chaume district are visit on foot. It is also the port from which the Vendée Globe starts every four years.
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Lake Jaunay, spread across four municipalities, offers water sports to delight both the youngest and the oldest.
And then there are the salt marshes, just a stone's throw away, with their summer scents: salt, the wind coming in from the ocean. saltworks visits They tell the story of the salt worker's craft, the slow rhythm of the basins, the harvesting of fleur de sel and samphire. It is this final stage that gives meaning to everything else, and explains why our new neighborhood bears the name of a marsh bird.
Further south, Talmont-Saint-Hilaire and its medieval castle... vvisit with family ; Further afield, the Vendée region and the Pays de la Loire offer plenty to fill a long stay: Puy du Fou, the region's most visited theme park, is an hour's drive away; Noirmoutier Island and its Passage du Gois causeway are to the north; and La Roche-sur-Yon is about 30 kilometers away. Take advantage of it: most of these excursions can be done as day trips.
Nature camping in Vendée your frequently asked questions
What is a nature campsite in Vendée?
This is a campsite that minimizes its environmental impact: permeable soils, planting of local species, and integration of accommodations into the landscape. At Hameau des Avocettes, these principles guided the design of the area, from the sandy pathways to the flowerbeds that replace the hedges found elsewhere in the campsite.
Where can I find a nature campsite in Vendée?
The Vendée region boasts numerous campsites nestled in natural settings, both along the coastline and around the marshes. Camping L'Île aux Oiseaux borders a protected wetland area, near the Olonne forest and the beaches of Les Sables-d'Olonne, in a village of salt workers.
When is the best time to come camping on holiday to enjoy the Vendée countryside?
The marsh does not have two identical seasons, and that is what makes this campsite interesting outside of peak season.
- In spring, migratory birds stop over, the light is soft, and the beaches are empty. It's a favorite time for couples and nature lovers.
- In July and August, the campsite is in full swing: kids' club, entertainment, swimming pool, evening events. It's the season for family holidays and daily activities.
- In September, the ocean is still warm, the cycle paths are open, and the late season in the Vendée region still offers mild temperatures.
Regardless of the time of your stay, the wellness area, swimming pools, and campsite services remain accessible. Le Hameau des Avocettes was designed to be enjoyable in every season, not just in the height of summer.
What nature activities can be done around the campsite?
There's no shortage of outdoor activities: birdwatching in the salt marshes, visits to saltworks, hiking and mountain biking in the woods of the Olonne forest, cycle paths to the coast, and water sports on the supervised beaches. Most of these outings are accessible by bike from the campsite, without needing to use the car.
Is a nature campsite suitable for family holidays?
Yes. The campsite combines a pristine natural setting with all the services families expect on holiday: outdoor swimming pool, heated indoor swimming pool, paddling pool, kids' club, daily entertainment and activities, playground, restaurant, and bike rental. Children spend their days outdoors, which remains the best selling point.
Is the campsite close to the beach and Les Sables-d'Olonne?
Yes. The nearest supervised beaches, at Sauveterre and Bretignolles-sur-Mer, are less than ten minutes away by car and accessible by bicycle via cycle paths. The center of Les Sables-d'Olonne, its port and market can be reached in fifteen minutes.
What types of accommodation does the campsite offer?
The campsite offers 53 fully equipped mobile homes, including rentals adapted for people with reduced mobility, and 19 pitches for tents, caravans, and motorhomes with private sanitary facilities. From 2027, the lodges and upscale accommodations of the Hameau des Avocettes will be added.
When does the Hamlet of the Avocets open?
The campsite's new upscale area will open for the 2027 season, featuring lodges, premium accommodations, and a wellness area. Reservations can be made online or by phone at 02 51 90 89 96.