The Vendée specialties: a gourmet terroir
The specialties of Vendée are an integral part of the identity of the region, mixing seafood, country recipes and sweet treats. Known for its PGI brioche or its ham-mogettes, the Vendée attracts thousands of visitors each year curious to discover this unique culinary heritage. Whether you are passing through with your family or staying at our campsite near Puy du Fou, this article will guide you through the emblematic flavours not to be missed.
Terroir vendéen: between sea and bocage
Vendée is a land of contrasts, shared between the Atlantic Ocean, marshes and bocage. This geographical diversity directly influences the Vendée gastronomy, renowned for its authenticity and its attachment to local products. The local specialties reflect a balance between seafood, emblematic vegetables and country recipes passed down from generation to generation.
Seafood: salt, oysters, mussels, fish
Impossible to mention the Vendée without mentioning its gastronomic jewel: the Noirmoutier fleur de sel, nicknamed “white gold”, harvested by hand in the salt marshes. On the side of iodized products, oysters from Noirmoutier and mussels are among the must-have, tasted fresh on site or worked in traditional recipes. These marine specialties testify to the importance of the coastline in local cuisine.
Iconic vegetables: mogette, potiron gris, potatoes Bonnotte
On the land side, the mogette from Vendée, a white bean labelled PGI, is a key ingredient in Vendée tables. It readily accompanies meat dishes and is included in the iconic recipe for ham-mogettes. There is also the potiron gris des marais, cultivated in wetlands, and especially the famous potato Bonnotte of Noirmoutier, renowned for its delicate taste and produced in limited quantities, which makes it an exceptional product.
Traditional dishes and typical cold cuts
The Vendée cuisine is deeply rooted in the peasant tradition, with charcuterie specialties that have survived through the centuries.
HAM FROM VENDÉE AND HAM-MEAT
Ham from Vendée has had a PGI since 2014. Its particular method of salting and refining, based on sea salt and aromatics, gives it a unique flavor. It is enjoyed plain, grilled or associated with the famous mogette, forming the essential dish “ham-mogettes”, a true symbol of the department.
FRESSURE, BOUDIN, FARCI POITEVIN
Other rural specialties, the fressure (preparation based on meat and pork offal), the boudine (local andouille) or stuffed, pâté of vegetables cooked in cabbage leaves, testify to an ancient culinary know-how where nothing was lost.
Vendée sweets: pastries and homemade desserts
Vendée is also renowned for its cakes and pastries that are gladly shared during parties or with family or during your stay at our campsite open year-round.
BRIOCHE VENDÉENNE, GÂCHE, MINUTE CAKE
The Vendée brioche, often braided, is soft and scented with orange blossom. Its cousin, the Vendée gâche, denser and oval, has benefited from a PGI since 2013. The minute cake, a mixture of sponge cake and pound cake, seduces with its simplicity and storage capacity, making it perfect for snacks.
TURTLES, MARKET GARDENING AND FOUACE
On the festive pastry side, the turtles (or bottereaux) are small donuts tasted during the carnival. Flan maraîchin, also called ‘fion’, is a traditional recipe from the marshes, made with eggs and milk flavored with vanilla. Finally, the fouace vendéenne, a cake flavored with orange blossom and brandy, completes this rich sweet palette.
APERITIFS AND REGIONAL ALCOHOLS
The conviviality of Vendée also includes aperitifs and local drinks.
PRÉFOU, TROUSSEPINETTE, KIKI VENDÉEN, KAMOK
Prefoo, warm bread topped with butter and garlic, is a must-have for aperitifs. It is often accompanied by local drinks such as the troussepinette (wine flavored with young shoots of blackthorn), the Vendean Kiki or even the Kamok, a liqueur based on coffee. These liquid specialties reflect the taste of the Vendéens for frank and generous flavors.
Suggestions for tasting the Vendée specialties
To savor these products, nothing better than a detour through the local markets, rich in passionate producers. The delicatessens and souvenir shops, such as those at Puy du Fou, also offer a fine selection of regional products. Finally, some gastronomic tours allow you to meet directly the artisans and buy specialties to take away.
From iodized products of Noirmoutier to sweet pastries through ham-mogettes, the Vendée specialties form a rich and varied culinary heritage. They tell the story of a terroir where the sea and the land meet. During a stay in the region, whether during a cultural visit or a gourmet break, tasting these specialties is offering yourself a real journey to the heart of the Vendée.