The Brouzils Seminars

 

Accommodation and travel information

 

The Vend�e, situated in the west of France just south of the Loire, is unique among French regions, with a rich history punctuated by the collision of the Terror that followed in the wake of the French revolution with a courageous defense of traditional culture and faith mounted by the Vend�ensan episode that has given the area its own distinctive character.

The now-tranquil village of Les Brouzils was once at the center of those events. The place is removed from the noise of urban life, yet it is not remote: A rural railway station is nearby, and from there, it's little more than a half-hour to Nantes (and another two hours to Paris via TGV trains). In the other direction, an hour to the west, the little train takes you to the coastal village of Les Sables d'Olonne, with its long, sandy beaches, its celebrated music school and its collections of art and books housed in the old Abbaye Sainte-Croix. The surf along the Vend�en coast is often dramatic, and the warm summer weather rivals that in the south.

This page is revised frequently.

Lodging for participants

A wide variety of accommodations are available to Seminars participants and individual artists on a first-come, first-served basis. If you need help making arrangements, or if you have any questions about any of these, please feel free to contact the Seminars office by telephone or email.

The French tourist authority awards �pis and cl�s indicating the price and luxury of the accommodation. We have indicated the number of these awarded when this information has been made available to us. The rates shown are approximate and usually out-of-season. June, July and August are high-season periods in France, but we think we have found housing options that make participating in the workshops a very cost-effective way of visiting Europe, even considering the current dollar-euro exchange rate.

For those taking lodging in nearby villages, the terrain here is fairly flat and bicycling is relatively easy. Contact the Seminars to reserve a bicycle and to gain assistance in booking rooms: email info at brouzils.org.

A printable map of Les Brouzils is here.

Accommodation for Brouzils Seminars participants only:

Les Brouzils and environs

  Le Ligny. The chateau may have a very limited number of rooms available, depending on faculty requirements and a renovation schedule. Please inquire.

College International de Chavagnes

  Chavagnes-en-Paillers. Single- and double-occupancy rooms used during the academic year by the teaching masters, overlooking a quiet courtyard in the college. Shared kitchen, bath, video/sitting room. From �230/week, breakfast and daily transportation included. Approximately 6km (3.6 miles) from Les Brouzils. Fairly flat cycling.

Student-style accommodations (three-four to a room) at the college are also available at a lower rate. Contact the Seminars for booking.

  Lloyd House. Chavagnes. Room and partial board �250/week. Music and voice lessons available.

 

Other area accommodations:

Chambres d�h�tes. Bed and breakfast, off-season rates.

  La Canqueti�re. Accommodations in a peaceful rural setting approximately 3.5km from Les Brouzils. �42/night, including breakfast. Table d�h�tes �13 (supper). For bicyclists, there is one hilly stretch of several hundred meters, but the rest of the route is gentle and fairly flat.

  Manoir de la Th�bline. Four cl�s. Very comfortable accommodations, with breakfast, in a country chateau about 4km from Les Brouzils. Flat cycling. From �90/night. Website: www.manoirthebline.com

  Patrick David. 3 �pis. In Benaston, between Les Brouzils and Chavagnes. �40/night, with breakfast.

  La D�derie. 3 �pis. In Chavagnes. The proprietor, Mme Gauvin, also owns a comfortable g�te. Website: www.dederie.com

  La Riblauderie. 3 �pis. Accommodates three. Two rooms available for booking. From �41/night. In l�Herbergement.

  Les Colverts. 3 �pis. Accommodates two. Two rooms available for booking. In l�Herbergement. From �43/night. Table d�h�tes by reservation.

  La Cailleti�re. 3 �pis. One room for two. One room for three. From �41/night. In l�Herbergement.

Group accommodations

  Maison Familiale. Student-style accommodations. Accommodates two to six persons per room. Summers only. In l�Herbergement.

Chambres chez l�habitant.

  La Minoterie. Rooms in a lovely country home with a swimming pool. Approximately 5km from Les Brouzils. From �45/night. Table d�h�tes: �12.

  Chez Raveleau. In La Rabateli�re. From �35/night.

G�tes

  Saint Sulpice le Verdon. Owned by the ville, located near the village church. Three bedrooms, two baths. From �572 per month.

Hotels

  Le Domaine du Bocage. Two stars, motel-type accommodations in a pleasant setting in Chavagnes. From �43/night, double occupancy. Small bar and good value restaurant. Website: www.domaine-du-bocage.com

  Les Voyageurs Hotel. In Montaigu (approximately 11km from Les Brouzils). Swimming pool, full- or half-board available. Rooms from �41/night. Website: www.hotel-restaurant-les-voyageurs.fr

  Hotel du Centre. In Montaigu. Charming small restaurant attached. Rooms from �39/night. Website: http://www.hotelducentre-montaigu.fr/

The Seminars do not operate these establishments and can assume no responsibility in connection with their use.

Both Montaigu and La Roche sur Yon have plenty of shops, restaurants and boutiques. The Seminars can also provide information on local brocantes and flea markets. For additional information on the nearby Refuge de Grasla, click here. The Vend�e tourist authority maintains an English-language website here.

Travel resources

Via Brussels: For Americans and Canadians participating in the Brouzils Institute�s Seminars and workshops, the most economical and convenient port-of-entry is often Brussels. Major American and European airlines serve the EU�s administrative capital, and from Brussels� Zaventem Airport (BRU), transportation is available to destinations in the rest of Europe.

By air: Nantes Atlantique (NTE), located less than an hour�s drive from Les Brouzils, is the closest major airport. Air France, KLM, Ryanair and other airlines connect Nantes with the rest of Europe. There are several flights each day from London, Paris and Brussels. For flight times and fares, consult your airline or visit an online travel reservation and information service, such as edreams.com, for details.

By rail: TGV (high speed) trains connect Nantes with all of Europe, including Brussels and London. For details and tickets, consult Rail Europe. For some participants, a Rail Pass may be a good bargain.

Via London: Ryanair provides frequent service to Nantes Atlantique (NTE) and to La Rochelle. Eurostar (the UK link works better than the US link does) connects London with Paris by rail.

Via CDG Paris. TGV trains leave from the airport (follow signs marked �SNCF� to the airport station) and travel directly to Nantes. For TGV info, click here.

Local transportation: Nantes is about two hours from Paris by rail. The French regional railway service, TER-SNCF, connects Nantes with the rural station at l�Herbergement on line 8 (Les Sables d�Olonne and La Roche sur Yon). For a printable (.pdf) schedule, click here. Trains are fairly frequent, especially in the morning and evening hours. The station at l�Herbergement is about 6km from Les Brouzils. Bicycles are allowed on many TER trains.

Car rental: Avis and Hertz both have offices in Nantes and in La Roche-sur-Yon. (In La Roche, the more convenient location, they are both located opposite the train station.) To reach Les Brouzils from La Roche, follow signs for Nantes and Montaigu onto the D-763 and look for the exit marked l�Herbergement and Les Brouzils. From Nantes, take Autoroute A-83 toward La Roche sur Yon, exit at Montaigu and follow signs for l�Herbergement, then Les Brouzils. Click here for a Google itinerary from La Roche, or here for an itinerary from Nantes.

Any questions? Contact us and we�ll be happy to help.



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Subject to change without notice. � 2007 The Brouzils Institute LLC.
Contact us: Chateau le Ligny, 2 rue Georges Cl�menceau, 85260 Les Brouzils, France | email info at brouzils.org | tel +33 (0)1.78.40.00.50 or +1 415 675 1616
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