Le Domaine des Pins

Le Domaine des Pins stretches through the state forest of the Vendée coast, in the commune of Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez, north of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie. The Parée Préneau beach can be reached in about fifteen minutes on foot or by bike along a forest path, roughly 1.2 km, while the nearest shops are 3 km away. Nantes is one hour away by road and the town has its own railway station.

Rated 4 stars, the site has 140 pitches beneath the pines. It rents mobile homes for 2 to 8 people (2 to 3 bedrooms, from 37 m²), chalets from 27 m² and cottages of 19 m² and more for 2 to 7 people. Bed linen and towels are provided in every accommodation. A water area and a function room, the Carré des Mimosas, complete the site.

On the question of opening, the campsite states that it welcomes guests throughout the year: the holiday rentals (mobile homes, chalets, cottages) and the L’Écrin Nomade motorhome area, which can be booked for one night or longer, remain accessible in winter. Only the water area follows a shorter calendar, from Easter to 11 November, and catering and entertainment are limited to July and August.

Off-season, the place is therefore suited to a quiet stay between forest and ocean, cycling on the town’s cycle paths or stopping over in a motorhome on the Vendée coast.

Bike rides on the Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez cycle paths and a forest walk to the Parée Préneau beach, 1.2 km away.

The main facility is the water area: an indoor pool heated to 29 °C with a hot tub relaxation area, an outdoor pool, a paddling pool and a solarium with sun loungers and parasols. It is open every day from Easter to 11 November; in the depths of winter it is closed, which is worth bearing in mind for a stay from December to March.

Catering is a summer affair. In July and August, the restaurant, beside the water area, serves lunch and dinner with a lunchtime set menu (starter, dish of the day and dessert) and a menu of meats, burgers, salads and pizzas, plus a children’s menu. The takeaway offers pizzas, rotisserie and snacks to eat on the terrace of your accommodation. The bread service also runs only in July and August.

The other services are available more widely: launderette, a computer with free access at reception, free wifi in the communal areas (paid option across the whole site), bike hire with a cycle path guide, tourist literature and ticket sales for the Puy du Fou, Planète Sauvage or the Île d’Yeu. Families can borrow a bathtub, high chair and cot subject to availability. The mobile homes, chalets and cottages have a terrace with garden furniture.

The motorhome area accepts vehicles up to 9 m, at €16 a night, water and electricity included, tourist tax extra. Spaces are not allocated in advance.

On site, the leisure facilities are simple: table tennis, table football, a pétanque court and play areas for children. In July and August, the team organises tournaments, evenings with a concert or show, a weekly welcome drink, a mini-club for 4 to 11-year-olds in the morning and a club for 12 to 18-year-olds, both free.

Most outings are made by bike. The campsite lies at the gateway to the Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez cycle network, one of the most extensive in the Vendée, which reaches the beaches, the salt marshes and the markets. The département has more than 1,800 km of signposted routes, and you can ride as far as Saint-Jean-de-Monts or Les Sables-d’Olonne via Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie. The campsite hires out bikes on site.

The Parée Préneau beach, 1.2 km away through the forest, is good for swimming in summer and walking the rest of the year. From reception, you can book tickets for the Puy du Fou, Planète Sauvage or the crossing to the Île d’Yeu, and the landscape of the Marais breton can be explored by bike.