Motorhome Touring Vendée: Stepping Outside Our Comfort Zone

One of the greatest joys of motorhome travel is discovering places you never expected to visit. Sometimes those places become the highlights of the entire trip.

Day two of our French tour took us from the engineering marvels of Les Machines de l’Île in Nantes to one of the most peaceful and unexpected campsites we’ve ever stayed at—La Combière Naturist Campsite in the Vendée.

It was a day filled with laughter, nerves, fantastic food and a completely new experience.

Visiting Les Machines de l’Île Nantes by Motorhome

If you’re touring western France by motorhome, make time for Les Machines de l’Île in Nantes.

Inspired by the works of Jules Verne and the mechanical genius of Leonardo da Vinci, this attraction combines engineering, creativity and imagination in spectacular fashion.

The Giant Mechanical Elephant

The centrepiece is the famous Grand Éléphant, a gigantic mechanical elephant carrying around 50 passengers at a time.

Watching it stride through the streets while moving its trunk, flapping its ears, trumpeting and spraying water over delighted visitors is something you simply have to experience in person.

The galleries are packed with beautifully engineered mechanical creatures and imaginative carousel animals, making this one of the most unique attractions in France.

Motorhome Parking at Les Machines de l’Île

Parking proved to be the most difficult part of our visit.

Unlike many French cities, we couldn’t find dedicated motorhome parking close to the attraction. Normally we’d use a Park & Ride service, but after enjoying a well-earned lie-in we were running behind schedule.

Although we missed exploring the historic centre of Nantes, visiting Les Machines alone made the stop worthwhile.

Touring Ideas Tip: Arrive early in the morning if you’re travelling in a larger motorhome during the busy summer season.

A Traditional French Lunch

Before continuing south, we stopped at a small takeaway for freshly prepared ham, cheese and egg galettes.

Simple, authentic and absolutely delicious.

These little local food stops often become some of our favourite memories when touring France.

La Combière Naturist Campsite Review (Vendée)

After leaving Nantes we headed south towards the Vendée, eventually arriving at La Combière, a secluded naturist campsite hidden amongst beautiful woodland just south-west of La Rochelle.

We had booked three nights.

If we’re being completely honest…

We were nervous.

Very nervous.

As we drove slowly along the private entrance road and saw fellow campers relaxing outside their caravans, reality began to sink in. We’d never stayed at a naturist campsite before.

It was definitely outside our comfort zone.

First Impressions

Within half an hour of arriving, those nerves began to disappear.

The atmosphere was incredibly relaxed.

Nobody stared.

Nobody judged.

Everyone simply carried on enjoying their holiday.

It quickly became obvious that this wasn’t about anything other than enjoying nature, relaxing and respecting other people.

To celebrate finally taking the plunge, we opened a bottle of Moët & Chandon, a Christmas present we’d been saving for a special occasion.

This definitely qualified.

Cooking on the Barbecue

Dinner was cooked outside on our portable barbecue.

An apron proved to be one of the more sensible items of clothing during cooking!

One of our funniest moments came while eating.

A friendly gentleman wandered past wearing nothing but a T-shirt, smiled, said “Bonjour” and complimented our barbecue before continuing on his way.

Moments like that remind you how travel constantly introduces you to situations you’d never experience at home.

Is La Combière Dog Friendly?

Absolutely.

One of the standout features of the campsite is how welcoming it is for dogs.

Our two girls settled almost immediately and seemed just as relaxed as everyone else.

The campsite also has extensive private woodland, perfect for peaceful walks without leaving the site.

That’s first on tomorrow’s itinerary.

Drinks Under the Trees

As the evening cooled, we enjoyed:

• Moët & Chandon Champagne
• Budweiser
• Desperados Tropical
• Freshly filtered Costa Coffee

Sitting outside the motorhome beneath the trees while the sun disappeared was one of those simple touring moments you wish could last forever.

Facilities at La Combière

Although we’d only just arrived, our first impressions were extremely positive.

Highlights included:

• Quiet woodland location
• Spacious pitches
• Dog friendly environment
• Relaxed atmosphere
• Private woodland walks
• Swimming pool
• Friendly international visitors

We’ll share a full review after spending several days exploring the site.

Would We Recommend La Combière?

After just one evening…

Yes.

Not because it’s a naturist campsite.

Because it’s peaceful.

Friendly.

Beautifully maintained.

And completely unlike anything we’d experienced before.

Sometimes the best travel memories come from saying “yes” to something that initially feels uncomfortable.

Our Route Today

Route:

Saint-Nazaire → Nantes → Les Machines de l’Île → Vendée → La Combière Campsite

Approximate driving distance: 190 km

What’s Next?

Tomorrow we’ll be exploring:

• The private woodland walks
• The swimming pool
• The campsite facilities
• More of the surrounding Vendée countryside

We’re already beginning to relax into the experience, and we’re looking forward to discovering what the next couple of days have in store.

If today has taught us anything, it’s this:

The most memorable days on the road are rarely the ones you planned.

They’re the ones where you decide to try something completely different.

Touring Ideas Top Tips

If you’re planning a motorhome tour through the Vendée, we’d recommend:

• Visit Les Machines de l’Île early to make parking easier.
• Allow at least 2–3 hours to explore the attraction.
• Try a traditional French galette from a local takeaway rather than a chain restaurant.
• Don’t dismiss a campsite simply because it’s different from what you’re used to—you may be pleasantly surprised.
• Stay several nights rather than rushing on. Some of the best travel experiences come when you slow down.