Logis de la Chabotterie. 17th-century country house, famous as the place where the Vendée Wars came to an end with the capture of General Charette in 1796. Plenty to look at on your way around the house, garden and multi-media Vendée Wars trail. Wed-Mon 10am-6pm. Tel: 02 51 42 81 00. Closed last three weeks in January.

 Les Flâneries. Vast, new shopping centre along the Route de Nantes, to the north of La Roche-sur-Yon. Ideal place for DIY shopping; and, unusually, most of the shops are open over lunchtime (McDonald's fans can tuck into their favourite dishes at a burger house on the edge of the car park). Mon-Sat.

 Le Passage du Gois. The causeway, an undersea road leading to Noirmoutier island, is a favourite at any time of year, but in winter you may find yours is the only car in sight. Check out the tide tables ("horaires des marées"), and cross only an hour before or an hour after "marée basse", or low tide.

 Bazoges-en-Pareds. Guided tours of a lovely little museum of local life and customs at the centre of this peaceful village, in the shadow of an imposing castle keep. Open Sunday 2-6pm throughout winter. Tel: 02 5151 25 19.

 Mouilleron-en-Pareds. Delightful village with two major attractions: the birthplace - a typically furnished middle-class home - of the great Second World War leader Jean de Lattre de Tassigny; and, in the former Mairie, a museum comparing and contrasting de Lattre with Mouilleron's other famous son, Georges Clemenceau (the fiery politician, who signed the peace treaty with Germany at the end of the First World War). Wed-Mon 10am-noon & 2-5pm. Tel: 02 51 00 31 49. Enquire for both birthplace and museum at the De Lattre house.

 L'Aubonnière. South of Chaillé-sous-les-Ormeaux, follow signs to a "gite d'étape" near the banks of the river Yon, then walk down a track to the waterside and take an energetic ramble along the picturesque riverbank to the right; the swirling, tree-filled river is studded with crumbling vestiges of watermills.

 Sentier du Souvenir. On the eastern fringe of Aizenay forest (take the D948 towards La Roche, turn off following signs to La Genétouze on to the D4). A memorial commemorates five of the 10-strong US bomber crew who died when their Flying Fortress crashed into a field (now encroached on by the forest) in March 1944. Among the trees you'll find, on modern aluminium shards, the tale of the five survivors - two of whom escaped to Spain - and a water-filled crater at the spot where the fuselage hit the ground.

 Birds. Good sightings of migrating birds in the winter months on coast and at inland reserves. Noirmoutier, on causeway and at Marais de Mullembourg; Ile d'Olonne observatory, near Les Sables d'Olonne, open first Sunday of month 2-6pm (tel: 02 51 33 12 97); L'Anse de l'Aiguillon, L'Aiguillon-sur-Mer; Les Landes Genusson, near Les Herbiers (tel: 02 51 91 72 25).

 Nantes. Winter is an excellent time to visit this city, only about an hour's drive north of the Vendée (or why not take the train?). Go between Wednesday and Saturday - too many shops close on Monday, and the museums are often shut on Tuesdays. Poshest shopping streets are Rue Crébillon and Rue du Calvaire, but look out for an incredible fabric emporium called Toto and, of course, the town's branch of Galeries Lafayette.

 Les Sables-d'Olonne. A great seaside centre at any time of year, but in winter you may have the vast beach to yourself. Unlike most nearby resorts, it's still buzzing with life, and you'll find plenty of bars, cafés and restaurants to provide a pleasant refuge from the cold.