Chantonnay brings together nature, culture and leisure, but the activities are subject to different conditions. At Lac de l’Angle Guignard, the focus is on lakeside access and hiking trails; the town’s exhibitions take place year-round, while swimming and boat hire at the Base de loisirs de Touchegray are offered seasonally. This difference in timing is particularly important when planning your trip.

Hiking and water at Lac de l’Angle Guignard

The shores of Lac de l’Angle Guignard combine public access with the protection of biodiversity. The visitor area is located at the starting point of several hiking trails. You can therefore make the lake the focus of your visit or begin a hike from the visitor area. Public access and the protection of biodiversity go hand in hand here; the visitor area complements the lakeside setting with a specific starting point for trails.

Seasonal activities at the Base de loisirs de Touchegray

The 2026 seasonal programme at the Base de loisirs de Touchegray includes supervised swimming and the hire of canoes, kayaks and pedal boats. The combination of swimming and several hire options allows for different activities, without treating them as one and the same offering. Both are seasonal. Before your visit, check whether each activity is available on your travel dates.

Exhibitions and a specific access route

The town of Chantonnay offers numerous exhibitions throughout the year, at the Les Arcades exhibition hall or outdoors. Themes include painting, sculpture and photography. The hall and outdoor settings provide different exhibition spaces, while the art forms offer a range of points of interest. The year-round programme therefore differs in timing from the seasonal activities at Touchegray.

Since mid-December, La pêcherie in Chantonnay has been open to the public via the Coulée Verte path from Avenue Monseigneur Batiot. Both points of reference are useful for finding your way: access is via the Coulée Verte and is described from the Avenue side. Unlike the visitor area by the lake, which is at the starting point of several hiking trails, a specific access route is named here.

Architecture and history in Puybelliard

The Manoir de la Chevillonnière in Puybelliard is classified as a historic monument. The seigneurial manor house dates from the early 15th century; Pierre de Ronsard’s mother lived there in 1480. Preserved features include interior plasterwork, painted ceilings, window seats, an elegant spiral staircase made of stone and wood, and carved windows and doors. The building can therefore be understood on several levels: its architectural style and century place its history in time, its preserved features provide architectural detail, and its connection to Ronsard’s mother adds a biographical episode. Its classification as a historic monument adds protected status to this architectural and personal history.

A stage on the Chemin Vendéen vers Compostelle

The Chemin Vendéen vers Compostelle is divided into seven indicative GPS stages, including V4dChantonnay. For pilgrims, this stage structure identifies Chantonnay as a named section along the route. This is a different basis for planning than the hiking trails at Lac de l’Angle Guignard: there, several trails begin at a visitor area; on the Chemin Vendéen, the focus is on a specific stage within a structured route.

Discover more destinations: Mouchamps, La Caillère-Saint-Hilaire, Antigny, Les Landes-Genusson, Vix, Velluire, Barbatre, Moutiers-Sur-Le-Lay

For the regional travel overview: Vendée.