Fontenay-le-Comte and Mervent are pretty places worth a visit in the southern Vendée countryside.

Fontenay-le-Comte is a historic town, one of the prettiest in the Vendée and is listed as one of the 'Best Detours de France '. Once a former fishing port, as the sea receded and the land was drained for agriculture, this historic town was stranded on the River Vendée. The heart of the town is a conservation area with buildings dating from the 15th and 16th centuries and the remnants of a medieval castle. The town centre has winding streets passing magnificent mansions, town-houses, square and fountains. It also has two Châteaux and an impressive cathedral.

The Château of Terre-neuve is a perfect setting for the collection of period costumes and furniture housed there and the Château Fontenay is home to the communes public treasury. The Cathedral of Notre Dame showcases stunning stained glass windows and a steeple that is a beacon standing over the surrounding countryside.

In contrast, near Fontenay-le-Comte, the tiny town of Mervent stands on a rocky outcrop in the heart of more than 12,000 acres of forest. You can visit the church dating back to the 5th century, the Château of Citardière 

> Tourist office of Fontenay-le-Comte, Mervent and other villages nearby