Just twenty minutes away from Le Chene Vert is the Puy du Fou and the Cinescenie - justifiably regarded as one of the greatest sound-and-light shows in Europe. On summer weekend evenings the terrace and large ornamental lake below the rear façade of the chateau make the most stunning background for a show so huge and so dazzling that it is impossible to describe. With the help of 800 actors and 50 horsemen, most of them amateurs who live in the area, unforgettable special effects, shooting fountains, fireworks, lasers and holographs, the history of the Vendée region comes to life on this incredibly huge canvas of activity.  This is French ‘animation’ at its best and you will need to book many months in advance if you want to go.

On the same site is the Grand Parc du Puy du Fou – a wonderfully versatile day out for all the family.  Enjoy performances of falconry, jousting, ancient battles, magic and music, demonstrations of rural crafts and atmospheric reconstructions of a Norman fort, a medieval town and an 18th-century village all set in 30 hectares of woodland and gardens.  Highly recommended!