On 10 November, 40 skippers will set off on the 10e edition of the Vendée Globe. But from 19 October, Les Sables d'Olonne and the Vendée will be living to the rhythm of this nautical event, which attracted 2.2 million visitors at its last edition in 2016. To mark the occasion, a hospitality area dedicated to companies will be open during this period, managed by Eventeam Live & En Vendée, which is offering various packages to companies: lunch or dinner, a tour of the pontoons in a RIB boat, an evening on board a boat, discovery, gastronomic or sporting excursions in the Vendée, accommodation, etc. MICE news However, the top-of-the-range hotels in this very dynamic department on the Atlantic coast in terms of business tourism are still in turmoil.
Vertime, the seaside spirit in Les Sables d'Olonne
Opposite Port Olona, Vertime has just opened its doors in Les Sables d'Olonne, close to the town centre, the convention centre - a 10-minute walk away - and soon the Arena, the future sports and cultural centre. Behind its facades inspired by Belle Epoque villas, this new 4* hotel with 105 rooms and suites is intended to be just such a large family homeThe hotel has a warm and friendly atmosphere, with a décor that nods to the 1950s, with its splashes of colour and upcycled antiques. On the ground floor, the hotel boasts a bar and a restaurant with a seafood flavour (due to its proximity to the fish market), seating 90 people inside and around thirty on the terrace. There is also a 70 m² meeting room (for up to 70 people), designed to suit all events, and the Club, a lounge that can be used on its own or in combination with the bar and restaurant. This cosy space is ideal for receptions, presentations or exhibitions, and can also be used as a coworking space during the day.
You have to climb to the roof of Vertime to discover Ventura, a second bar with light food set in a greenhouse that awaits visitors after their meeting, in a very Californian, more relaxed spirit, with its 35 m² swimming pool and panoramic terrace. An original venue for company cocktail parties with a view of the port and the Atlantic in the distance. A new building, the establishment also aims to be irreproachable in terms of eco-responsibility, whether in its choice of materials and antique objects, energy savings or green spaces.
La Mission, the new 4* address on the Ile d'Yeu
The big news for 2024 on Yeu Island is the opening of La Mission, a 4* hotel with 22 rooms - including 5 suites - located in Saint-Sauveur, a former 'market town' and the highest point in the centre of the Vendée island. Initiated by Michel Delloye and Jacques-Olivier Larant, the founders of the Hôteliers Impertinents group, which owns five 3* and 4* establishments in Paris, this new project has taken off. in a heritage site that has been abandoned for ages. It was once a military garrison under Napoleon III, then a Catholic school and finally a parish hall.
With its typical Vendée architecture of white walls and small pink tiles, the tastefully decorated hotel is set around its heated outdoor swimming pool and multi-century-old plane tree, whose shade once covered the school playground. In addition to the zen and colourful rooms with antique furniture, this chic address boasts a restaurant with a generous marine menu - 60 covers indoors and 40 on the terrace - and a cosy bar, not forgetting a Nuxe spa with treatment rooms, hammam, swimming pool and solarium. The hotel's logo - a dove or a red fish, depending on the colour - is used throughout the establishment, right down to the crockery and casual uniforms worn by the young, attentive staff.
Open from March to the end of December, La Mission aims to develop a MICE business with a meeting room for 15 people and an adjoining rooftop for breaks in fine weather. The hotel can also make available the restaurant's second room, for 20 participants. " Privatisation at La Mission can accommodate up to 56 people on a double occupancy basis." says Louise Perruchot, Marketing and Events Project Manager at Hôteliers Impertinents. And there's no shortage of activities for groups, including bike rides to discover the charms of the 'Pearl of the Atlantic', cultural and historical tours in partnership with the tourist office, and yoga and pilates classes in the vast park, the ideal setting for team-building and themed evenings.
Les Hautes Mers on top of the wave at Yeu Island
Also on the Ile d'Yeu, but a little earlier, in 2022, Les Domaines de Fontenille opened Les Hautes Mers, the 11e address for the top-of-the-range hotel chain created by Frédéric Biousse and Guillaume Fouché. Looking forward to the 12e in spring 2025 in Perros-Guirec with the Manoir du Sphinx. Classed as a 4-star hotel, Les Hautes Mers benefits from its seafront location, just a 7-minute walk from both Port Joinville, the main town and port of arrival on the island, and Ker Chalon beach.
An extension of a former seaside villa, of which the Belle Epoque tower is one of the highlights, the establishment is distinguished by its warmth and marine decor which features local artists and old images of the island. The restaurant, with the arrival of a new chef, is another highlight of the establishment. Following major renovation work, Les Domaines de Fontenille has added a wing this season housing a spa - with swimming pool, sauna, hammam and 3 treatment rooms - and, above all, eight bedrooms, including five suites. This brings the total capacity to 25 rooms for 2 to 4 people.
" As part of a MICE privatisation, the hotel can now accommodate 27 people individually or up to 40 in a twin." says Vincent Dubois, the accommodation manager, who intends to develop the seminar business out of season. For meetings, the hotel can use its signature suite with terrace for 12 people or welcome up to 40 participants in its restaurant. As for activities, the Hautes Mers team can organise Olympics in the hotel's landscaped garden, sea kayaking or sand yachting outings, cultural visits and walks or bike rides on this 10 x 4 km island, which is one of the most exotic and charming in the world.
The Punta Lara, a new face in Noirmoutier
Hidden in the middle of a protected pine forest, Punta Lara is an emblematic address on the island of Noirmoutier, located at the end of La Guérinière, near the beach of Les Eloux. Built in 1975 facing the Atantique, with the contours of the Ile d'Yeu on the horizon, the 60-room 4-star hotel changed hands in 2023 and has since undergone a meticulous renovation of its facilities. In particular, the beautiful pool area has been enhanced, with a pleasant river running beneath the cypress trees. In the heart of the hotel, Punta Lara also boasts three seminar rooms with seating for 130, 60 and 30 people, plus a pleasant terrace for breaks and a restaurant where the chef excels in the kitchen.
" The hotel welcomes MICE groups of all sizes. It can accommodate up to 150 people on a private basis, with twin rooms and family suites. This is in line with the restaurant's capacity of 160 covers." explains Alexandre Leterreur, whose establishment is open from March to mid-November. He adds: " If we have more and more companies coming to us from Paris by TGV to Nantes [with coach transfer to Noirmoutier afterwards].The bulk of our MICE business is with companies based in the Greater West of France, from Brittany to La Rochelle. They prefer stays of 1 or 2 nights, alternating meetings and activities." . The hotel offers groups a change of scenery with its swimming pool and ping-pong, tennis and petanque courts, while a beach volleyball court is planned for next year.
Exploring Noirmoutier is an added bonus, with customers leaving by bike. discover the oyster beds - with tastings on offer - or the salt-marsh farmers. You can also visit the island's most popular tourist sites, such as the Viel and Bois de la Chaise beaches and the picturesque town of Noirmoutier-en-l'Ile, dominated by the white towers of its medieval castle.
Parc du Landreau, a top-of-the-range retreat at the gateway to Puy du Fou
With its very square, contemporary lines, the Parc du Landreau hotel, located in Les Herbiers 10 minutes from the city centre, is the perfect place to relax and unwind. Puy du FouThis is one of the most striking buildings in the Vendée countryside. A retirement home until 2015, it took two years of work to transform and sublimate this place, which has now become a "home for the elderly". a 4* design hotel with 72 rooms. The elegant, refined décor of this 4-star hotel features wood and stone in both public areas and bedrooms.
A green retreat with views over the park, the hotel has a dedicated coworking space, an outdoor swimming pool and an outdoor swimming pool.an original conference room for 60 people in a former chapel, three meeting rooms (for 24, 15 and 10 people) and a 37 m² foyer for coffee breaks. A heated swimming pool and zen-like wellness area provide the perfect place to unwind after work. Unless the group prefers to head off to the Grand Parc du Puy du Fou to attend one of its great historical shows. The hotel prides itself on its commitment to eco-responsibility through its management of water, energy and waste, as well as by favouring short circuits and local produce for its restaurant.
