La Chapelle-Hermier is a commune in the Vendée, in the Pays de la Loire region, 20 km east of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie.
Vast 18 km², its territory still has a rural character with 88% of agricultural land (crops or meadows) making up a bocage landscape. The locality is also bordered to the south by the course of Jaunay, which forms a water body of 115 hectares since the creation of a dam in 1978 on the neighboring town, downstream, of Landevieille, to regulate floods.
Appeared in the Middle Ages, with a stately castle which was destroyed in the 19th century to redevelop the town, the village of La Chapelle-Hermier has retained its agricultural vocation but is now also revealed with its lake and its green environment, a pleasant place to stay with a wide variety of leisure activities. Less than a quarter of an hour from the coast and the beaches of the Atlantic, the village, which has just over 900 inhabitants, is a green and peaceful lung close to the sea.
In terms of heritage, a discovery of the town can begin with its parish church Saints-Pierre-et-Paul which dates for its oldest parts from the 12th (Romanesque style, slate roof) and 15th centuries (Gothic style, tiled roof). Having suffered during the Wars of Religion (16th century) and during the Revolution, it was each time raised and its last restoration dates from 2003. A few kilometers east of the village (route de Martinet), the chapel of Gareaux has was built in the 16th century on the site of a sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin, attested since the first centuries of our era. Rebuilt in 1657 in the form of a simple nave after the Wars of Religion, with a transept in the form of chapels in 1663, the chapel was further modified in 1895 with the construction of a narthex (surmounted by a tribune allowing to celebrate Masses in the open air during pilgrimages).
The Château de Court, built in 1850 on the foundations of a farm, is also worth a look. A monumental cross in the cemetery dating from the Ancien Régime, a number of crosses also punctuating the countryside, and in the village, the wash house dating from 1731, supplied by a spring, restored by enthusiasts, add to the charm of La Chapelle-Hermier. This is also the case for many mills: dating from 1800, that of Chiron has lost its wings but has been converted into an observatory ten meters high to observe the grove and the lake. Others producing flour or used for textile purposes, driven by the wind or the course of the river, are no more than vestiges.
On the cultural side, the municipality's library regularly schedules events, exhibitions and small shows. For more information, call +33 2 51 48 15 51.
Then head for the Jaunay river and the north shore of the lake, which stretches over 8 km and is in fact a leisure area in a green environment.
In the town itself, in addition to fishing (information on +33 6 15 50 53 16), picnic areas and an observation footbridge with educational panels are available (at the Moulin des Rochelles). However, it is especially the hikers who are at the party: from La Chapelle-Hermier you can walk around the lake (13 km) and discover the bocage areas, the river upstream, the Vendée countryside via several marked trails connected to the shores of the lake.
Other loops include the heritage of the village and the chapel of Gareaux. In addition, the more courageous have the option of reaching the coast and its beaches (about fifteen kilometers away) via secure routes for walkers or two-wheelers. Maps and information on +33 2 51 05 90 49.
Holidaymakers can also join the outings of the local walking club: contact on +33 6 70 10 37 66.
The green environment can also be discovered via backpacks donkeys (contact "Câlins Ca-ânes" from May to the end of August on +33 6 11 74 70 19) or by renting electric bikes at the Parasol campsite (information on +33 2 51 34 64 72). Pedalo or canoe enthusiasts, on the other hand, are invited to join the neighboring towns bordering the lake: call +33 2 51 05 90 49. For a game of tennis, on the other hand, courts are to be reserved in the town itself at +33 6 19 60 79 59.
