The best bars and cafés Vendée

Take your passport for the Albanera Café. The decoration illustrates the Latin-Cuban atmosphere. With its three rooms to change the atmosphere, not forgetting the pretty interior terrace, you can organise your stay as you wish. You can also sip a cocktail at the bar, take over the large room for dinner and dancing or even enjoy the small lounge. Gaël and his team will warm up the place and make you sway on the floor. By the way, do you know what "Albanera" means? Well, it's an Argentinean tango position.

This bar-restaurant is located on the port of L'Herbaudière, and boasts a sunny terrace from which you can enjoy the view. For a drink, breakfast, lunchtime snack, afternoon tea or evening aperitif, Le Comptoir is the place to be. Rhums, macerations, With its salorge look, the décor of Le Comptoir offers original features such as fish-shaped blades, toilets with music and a red washbasin that lights up in the evening.

Café Noir is undoubtedly the island's best-known café, where you might even bump into a few celebrities. Intemporel le CNN (son surnom) ! Established in 1975, it enjoys a sunny location most of the day and a direct view of the port. It's the place to come for a morning coffee, or to share a dozen oysters with friends, but the Café Noir also offers a few suggestions of the moment, with brasserie-style dishes of the day, salads and beef tartare. Plusieurs fois dans l'année, des concerts y sont proposés.

It is above all for the most unusual view of the Vendée that one comes here! For good reason, this bar-restaurant is located at the foot of the Gois, a unique site. As if set at the end of the world, Le Relais du Gois is a family business that has been in place for several decades. One comes here above all for the view. We appreciate the decoration in the style of a saloon, in the modern spirit of today. The menu focuses on seafood, including oysters from the bay, harvested a stone's throw away. The only downside is the high price of some dishes, especially when compared to the beautiful neighbouring restaurants.

Overlooking La Parée beach, the first thing that caught our eye was the pretty landscaped terrace with its old-fashioned greenhouse. The seafront location is already an undeniable asset, but the chic, vintage decor is another. On Sunday mornings, locals gather on the large terrace to enjoy a dozen oysters against this panoramic backdrop. The Épicurieux's other hobby: wine accompanied by a charcuterie board to share with friends! Several concerts are organized throughout the year.

This bar of friends is ideally placed to meet for an "afterwork" while tasting a cocktail or a local beer accompanied by a board of delicatessen. Inside or on the terrace, the place comes alive several evenings of the week with a recurring appointment every Tuesday, from 5:30 pm, it's "Barber shop"! Evenings are regularly organized around concerts, sports broadcasts, musical bingo evening, theme evening "les bronzés font du ski" with tartiflette and mulled wine, presence of a DJ.

Ocean, shade and white curtains, deckchairs (available for hire) and low tables on the sand: that's the vacation atmosphere offered by this bar-restaurant on the main beach of Les Sables, near the courthouse. From your deckchair, order a salad, a wok of king prawns, shredded skate wing or prime rib followed by an ice cream. In the morning, you'll enjoy a coffee overlooking the sea. In the evening, we meet up with friends for cocktails and tapas, and book in for the themed evenings that punctuate the season.

A stop at this bar-cabaret in the port is a must to get out. Very nice atmosphere in this bar, meeting point for all generations and cosmopolitan clientele. Islais and tourists meet there to enjoy a breakfast or a drink on the terrace facing the port. L'Escadrille also offers musical shows where local groups perform sea songs but also aperitif-concerts (every day in season and weekends out of season) with French and international songs, rock, jazz...

The name of this new wine bar, set to open on rue Lafayette in early 2023, leaves no doubt as to what this establishment is all about, and that's just as well! You'll appreciate the warm look of the wooden furniture surrounded by bottle racks: a room on the first floor, and a space upstairs. The two creators, both wine enthusiasts, offer wines from all grape varieties, from Bordeaux to Loire, via Rhône Valley or Languedoc wines, selected mostly directly from the winegrower, to be accompanied by charcuterie boards.

The Ateapick restaurant is an on-site dining establishment. The restaurant does not offer takeaway or delivery. The Ateapick restaurant also offers a bar, a gourmet lounge and a store.

Holidaymakers who come to sunbathe on the Veillon beach appreciate this bar-snack overlooking the ocean, where they can come and have a drink, eat a simple menu including burgers and salads or eat an ice cream with the children after a swim, while mummy will opt for a smoothie and daddy for the local beer Opé. A friendly and family place to go to at any time of the day, to enjoy a changing atmosphere because when evening comes, the atmosphere becomes festive, especially when the programme includes concerts.

The name stretches out in bright red letters on the vast black façade of this very nice bar, which has quickly won over a loyal following. In front of the façade, on the terrace, large tables of friends. Behind the large bay windows that open, a room with different spaces, furnished with nice sofas giving a warm atmosphere. We like the contrast between the industrial and cosy side. As of the weekend, the young people take the tables by storm to share cocktails and planks of cold cuts, while listening to the concerts which punctuate the season. Very nice!

This charming address next to the Mélusine tower is a British enclave! Paul and Karen fell in love with Vouvant. The room is cute, the welcome charming and the atmosphere friendly. We stop there to drink a Guiness beer or one of the English teas with the traditional carrot cake. At the back, an adorable terrace where you can discover specialties from across the Channel like pies or curries that are served alongside traditional French dishes. Every Friday night is Pub Night with its exotic dishes.

This chain is both a bar and a cellar with a vast choice: more than 300 wines, a beer cellar with 350 references from all countries and a hundred whiskies and spirits. With the added bonus of personalized advice from the cellarmen. V & B offers an original concept that combines a sales area with a wine and beer bar. Among the whiskies, from Scotland, Ireland, Corsica, Japan, rare products to discover. V & B is. One of the places not to be missed by whisky lovers, who will certainly find their happiness there.

A nice place created last year, next to the sailing school. Moments Café is a place where it is nice to rest with a hot drink while working, or to taste one of the smoothies on the small raised wooden terrace, in the heart of the dunes with a view on the Bouil beach. Next to the drinks, a gourmet or healthy cuisine, colorful, local and organic as much as possible, with suggestions of the moment: burgers with home fries, bowls, aperitif boards and a hearty brunch on Sunday mornings. A refreshing and cosy place!

Installed in front of the square, on the market, the terrace stretches in front of the gray facade allowing the customers to take their ease and invade the pedestrian street, and in particular during the concerts where the music can even push customers to dance in the street. The guest star is the beer! The particularity of this pub: you serve yourself and pay according to the quantity "drawn". Also many beers in bottle, but also cocktails, like the Cougar (and not "the"), as the humor is also of rigor in this pub where the good atmosphere reigns.

Le Onze is set in a former fisherman's house on the harbor's Jacobsen Jetty, with a warm, welcoming decor and a pleasant patio/terrace at the rear. In front of the façade is a terrace where you can enjoy the view of the port. A convivial place for a drink and a snack. Le 11 is open from morning to night, so you can enjoy breakfast or brunch for late risers, or accompany a plate of charcuterie, cheese or smoked fish, rillettes, oysters, tartines... with a good glass of wine.

A wine cellar, wine bar and restaurant concept: that's what this national brand, based in the Halles district of Paris, is all about. You'll find quality wines (essentially as natural as possible) packaged in bag-in-box (BIB). It's easy to think that nothing beats bottled wine, but you've got to get over your prejudices about BIBs, and Laurent will convince you to give it a try. The other good news is the high-quality, home-cooked cuisine on offer at weekends.

It's the trendy bar in Sables-d'Olonne. In the heart of the fishing port, Le Bronx has a slightly "industrial" look, warmed by comfortable chesterfield sofas. In front of the façade, above which the name is illuminated in gold letters, there is a very nice terrace which is always full, whatever the weather. The Bronx is rather frequented by a clientele of thirty-somethings who appreciate the barman's mojitos and the atmosphere, so much so that in summer, the clientele invades the quay of the fishing port! The over 40s almost feel old.

The pretty, colourful building, a former railway station, houses a delicatessen and tea room. We fell in love with this address with its charming decor and cosy atmosphere. The shop offers a wide range of teas, coffees, local products, spices, beers, wines, sweets, jams, honey, condiments, baskets, crockery, to give you a multitude of gift ideas. Take a gourmet break in this charming world, a tea room with a strong feminine touch, and try one of the pastries with a good tea from the wide selection

A counterpoint to all the lounge and design trends, Le Comptoir plays the retro card! The decor reflects the signature of the place: objects have a soul and naturally take their place, like this impressive collection of antique corkscrews. We love the tiles and their Roaring Twenties look. Elegance and charm are the hallmarks of this place, which boasts panoramic sea views. The jazzy musical ambience will appeal to those over 35. Behind the dining room, upstairs, is a "delicatessen" area, featuring local products.

You're sure to fall under the spell of this clubhouse, which follows in the footsteps of English clubs with a cosy, elegant style. It features a lounge bar and restaurant. With its palm-leaf fans, dark parquet flooring, beautiful chandeliers, cosy alcoves and lounges, the atmosphere here could be straight out of the film Out of Africa. And the icing on the cake: the terrace with its 180° panoramic view of the 18-hole course and putting green. In the restaurant, the cuisine is generous and of high quality. A unique and atypical place.

Located at the beginning of the Avenue de la Plage (pedestrian street), Le Café de la Plage is one of the nice bars of this seaside resort and is open all year long. We appreciate as much the small sheltered terrace a little raised, as the room with the felted decoration, with a ground in magnificent stones and the cordial armchairs with the tones pistachio-chocolate. It is both a bar and a pub, where you will also find cocktails. A large screen broadcasts major sporting events and, in season, concerts are frequently held here.

In the heart of Fromentine, this Caboulot has several hats! A restaurant-pizzeria, doubled with a bar with a very nice decoration. You will reach it by the main street or from the pier, a terrace in front of it offers a corner of ocean. The restaurant's menu is varied, with pizzas as the main attraction, as well as mixed salads, meats, mussels in season and oysters. On the bar side, in addition to the usual refreshments and a cocktail menu, there is also a good selection of beers.

In front of the casino stands a large glass building offering a light bath to the numerous customers who frequent L'Octave, a wine bar and a cellar. The place is classy and warm, it has 3 terraces and looks like the favorite bar in La Faute-sur-Mer. It stands out for its vast selection of wines, about 250 references, as well as about twenty wines by the glass, to be accompanied by homemade terrines, Spanish delicatessen, farmhouse cheese. Seventy references of spirits, including those of the Vrignaud distillery and top-of-the-line fruit juices.

This bistro is right on the beach of Notre-Dame-de-Monts, so take off your shoes to tread the sand before entering. Coming here is like being on vacation! In the room with bay windows opening on sunny days, or on the small terrace on the beach, the menu is detailed: mixed salads, grilled meats, mussels and chips, grilled sardines ... And for the gourmets, a choice of ice-cream sundaes. This very nice address, because of its unique character, its breathtaking view of the sea and the accuracy of its prices, is very appreciated by families.

It is the place that from 7am comes alive on the quay of the Port. The KF du Port is an institution. Holidaymakers come here to have breakfast on the terrace which takes its place on the port and extends into the pedestrian street where the church and the market which takes place there on the Place du Marché aux Herbes. The KF du Port is alive all day long. It is a warm place where you can appreciate the decoration and the atmosphere. At the beginning of the evening, one comes to share with friends a plancha around a cocktail. Evenings with a DJ are also organised.

An atypical and multiple address hides behind a wooden structure, namely a beer bar and a delicatessen, and there is also a catering service with daily specials, rustic dishes such as potatoes, a little bit of Italy with lasagna or a speciality coming from another continent, the chili con carne! After work, the colleagues meet there to drink a good Musse, the local beer; but one also comes there to seek what to accompany an aperitif at home, that, you will find it in the delicatessen part.

In the Halles district, in front of the Grind façade, you'll find a large terrace on Place du Marché. At any time of day, you can enjoy gourmet drinks (hot or cold) in Barista-inspired presentations, accompanied by homemade pastries. A must on the fast-food menu are the burgers and bagels, made with fresh, mostly local produce and artisan breads. There's also a burger of the moment and a vegetarian version, made with house-made veggie steaks. If you can't eat in, order online and take away!

A small atypical bar-restaurant in front of the beach that Marie and Alain classify as a "wine restaurant" and which, in addition to a range of wines by the glass, offers a speciality created by them: gôfrine! The waffle is used there in sweet and savoury versions and is used as a burger bread in recipes. This savoury waffle is available in several recipes including the Waffle Burger. In season, musical groups give the " la la " in the garden, complementing the other activities: magic, theatre, photo exhibition... A small place in front of the beach looking like a "guinguette"!

The fishing port is without doubt the quay which has the most bars in Sables-d'Olonne. Here, the Hispanic theme is displayed right from the name and you come here to have a drink with tapas to share with friends. The numerous and young customers take possession of the terrace on the quay, in any season and a merry atmosphere is distilled throughout the evening on good music. Bands of various musical styles regularly perform at La Bodega. Keep yourself informed of the dates of the concerts because the atmosphere is always great.

A pretty wooden building that fits well in the environment, with bays leaving the view free, and original terrace furniture. The terrace is an invitation to travel inspired by the bars of Ibiza, Saint-Barth and the Cyclades, while the room displays resolutely bistro furniture. A la carte, local oysters, to be followed by a yellow place and vegetable tagliatelle with curry sauce, coconut milk or burger with black Angus minced meat. Snacking menu at all hours.

Located on Avenue de la Mer, L'Alambic is a bar and a discotheque, and also offers catering. You come here for the good atmosphere and the parties regularly organized during the season: concerts, animations, DJ, salsa evenings... The cocktails of the barmaids have a good reputation like the Sex on the Beach or the Mojito which in addition to its traditional recipe, offers a variety of flavors. A vast place that gathers 3 spaces and which, even if it has changed owners several times, is undoubtedly one of the oldest bars of the resort

L'Après-Plage is an open-air guinguette concept! At lunchtime, you can sit down with your family or friends at one of the large wooden tables and enjoy oysters, shrimps, marinated chicken or prawns, or a drink between two games of pétanque, Breton or Vendean shuffleboard, molky or ping-pong. A bucolic setting and a friendly atmosphere! The discotheque La Boîte à Sel is located on the salt marsh: friendly atmosphere, good music and many theme nights. Possibility of privatization (welcomes up to 200 guests).

The terrace of this oyster bar is located on the port of Herbaudière. Oysters from the area are served directly from the fish tank to keep them fresh. Also smoked fish platters, home-made fish rillettes (which change according to the arrivals), and also fish soups to be tasted with a good white wine between friends, on the terrace or, if the sky is not so nice, in the pretty inside room which has some mountain accents in its decoration. A nice place, quite trendy all in all; who says trendy says prices a little higher than elsewhere.

La Cabane d'Arthur, located on Tanchet beach, is one of the places not to be missed in Sables-d'Olonne, for those who want to have a drink or eat on the beach in a holiday spirit. The young atmosphere becomes more festive after sunset; all types of clientele meet there, from surfers to families. Gaëlle offers a cheerful, warm and colourful cuisine, just like her! There is something for everyone: woks (the speciality!), fish and meat planchas, burgers, salads or pasta. All dishes and drinks can be taken away.

A unique concept combining a craft brewery, a bar area open onto the vats, with workshops and games! Caroline and Antoine create handcrafted, responsible organic beers! A range of 10 organic beers named after iconic places, expressions and characters from Gillocrucian life. In addition to the tour and tasting, learn the art of brewing and make your own beer. As a gift idea, discover distillation and make your own spirits from wheat brandy. As a team-building activity or with friends, play the "Beer Games".

Set overlooking the sea, La Folie is a multi-purpose venue that comes alive all day long, offering a unique concept of conviviality! Are you more of a lounge bar or a guinguette? Enjoy a cocktail by the pool or a beer with friends, sharing specialities from one of the guinguette's 3 food trucks. On the beach, games for kids and grown-ups alike (shuffleboard, blind test...), and a brand-new sport, unique in Vendée: Pickleball (booking required). Book your Fridays for Brasero evenings. And don't miss our many themed evenings!

After changing its name several times, this vast building, high up in the heart of the esplanade, has been home to a new bar since summer 2023. The space features large, convivial areas furnished with banquettes and sofas, and an elevated terrace with panoramic ocean views. The idea is to create a bar around a cuisine to be shared, and there's nothing like tapas specialties to live up to this concept. With menu in hand, we tick off our choice of dishes: oysters, homemade terrine, empanadas, seafood platters, burger and patatas, and a cookie for dessert.

On the central square of this quiet village of the island, Le Cabanon has a nice setting, favoring wood, present everywhere with some original features like the bistro chairs suspended from the ceiling. A nice decor marked with the imprint of the island, "NO", for a warm and authentic look. A partially covered terrace extends in front of the entrance. The place comes alive in the morning to drink coffee or have breakfast under the terrace's lean-to, or, at aperitif time, you can enjoy a glass of wine with a board of cold cuts.

Located in the heart of the marshes with a terrace with a breathtaking view of them, Labaya is a family business, whose owner is none other than Coco and her children. An artistic and musical bar on the road that connects La Guérinière to Noirmoutier, whose terrace, when evening comes, with its lanterns, looks like a guinguette. All to its vocation of musical bar, in normal time, it accomodates groups, but not that, thus remember that the stage is opened to the public every Thursday and evenings with topics are also organized like the blind tests.

Set overlooking the sea, La Folie is a multi-purpose venue that comes alive all day long, offering a unique concept of conviviality! Are you more of a lounge bar or a guinguette? Enjoy a cocktail by the pool or a beer with friends, sharing specialities from the guinguette food-truck. On the beach, there are games for kids and grown-ups alike (shuffleboard, blind test...), and a brand-new sport unique to the Vendée: Pickleball (booking required). Book your Fridays for Brasero evenings. And don't miss our many themed evenings!

Restaurant Canoa offers a unique culinary experience with traditional dishes, ice creams and cocktails.

On the road leading to Cayola Bay, this lounge bar, opened in 2023, boasts arguably the finest view for those wishing to enjoy an ocean-facing cocktail. This rather select venue, set on the rocks that line the rocky coastline, boasts a well-kept setting. Inside, there's plenty of room for groups of friends to enjoy a glass of wine and share some Portuguese tapas. For cigar aficionados, there's a humidor. The establishment can be privatized. Too bad the cocktails lack generosity (no ice, though)!

Buddies like pigs! This expression takes all its meaning in this place without fuss installed in a district of La Chaume, which gathers the buddies around an aperitif with boards of cooked pork meats and cheeses, interspersed with games of petanque. If the game drags on, you can have a snack (only at lunchtime from Thursday to Saturday). A friendly cuisine, with grilled meat in summer and stews in winter, or the famous Portuguese pig. Various animations and concerts regularly punctuate the beginning of the evenings. A lively and authentic place.

Want to have a drink in the open air, with your feet in the sand and your eyes in the blue of the ocean? Here is a very nice address. A nice wooden modular in front of which stretches a long terrace, settles in the summer season on the beach of Saint-Hilaire. We really like the furniture and the place in general which comes alive in the evening and proposes some concerts in summer. Drinking a drink with little things to nibble while listening to a musical group with the ocean just behind, what better program for vacations or relaxation after work?

Hungry at any time of the day? In this US-inspired coffee shop, you can satisfy your sweet tooth. A sweet and savory menu that changes 4 times a year. A cuisine based on world dishes, as well as several vegetarian dishes: grilled cheese, dal coral (Indian), chili con carne, burgers, falafels... You didn't have time to have breakfast? Mayday offers a "breakfast". Dilemma of choice for the snack break: our heart balances between the cheese car, the carrot cake or the banana bread.

Opposite the pier that leads you to the island of Yeu, a cosy place, which in addition to offering a bar menu is part of an eco-responsible approach to eating good and healthy. On the bar side, we take out the mixology card for cocktails, for soft drinks, we note a Community cola or an Orangina house. Au Bout du Monde looks like a nice Parisian brasserie and it is also visible in the menu which displays tartar with home-made fries, burgers, big salads, Buddha bowls, fish ceviche, without forgetting the brunch on Sundays.

Beatrice opened this cosy place in 2022. In the heart of Mareuil, Les Rives Enchan' Thé offers a unique panorama, overlooking the river. It's nice to sit down and taste one of the good home-made pastries with a background of jazz. At the entrance, a store with a range of teas and infusions, cookies including those with violets. The interior, with its comfortable armchairs facing the fireplace, its white piano, its benches, is very warm and invites you to let time pass in this unique place, where local artists exhibit their works.