Today we visited some very traditional parts of the Vendée region, starting in the woods north of Les Sables where students learnt how the historic thatch houses were constructed. We then travelled to the island of Noirmoutier, where the tide comes in as fast as a galloping horse...consequently our coach brought us there and back on the modern bridge, rather than the more risky road that is submerged at high tide. See photos below...pity there isn't smell-o-vision as you won't be able to smell the mud from Australia! Highlights on the island were also the castle, the church (where crawling under Saint Phlibert's tomb guarantees that your wishes will come true), the woods and the beach, where a major motion picture was being shot ("Le Petit Nicholas en Vacances"). Quite a nice day for Kira's birthday :-)