Well, not quite. When we last visited it poured down almost all week, the only times the sun showed its face was when we were stuck in traffic for five hours on the way there, and during our rapid journey home. But when the chance to visit again came around last summer, we grabbed it. This time, the weather had to be glorious, didn't it?

Getting to the Vendee is fairly straightforward - cross the Channel, head south to Rennes, head west to the coast, then drive south until you get to your campsite. We took the afternoon Condor Ferries, Poole-St Malo crossing, which gets you on to French soil in the early evening, giving you just about time to drive the 20 miles or so to the beautiful campsite at Chateau des Ormes, unpack a few overnight essentials and dine at a local restaurant.

Next morning - the weather beautifully fresh and sunny - we were up in good time and back on the road. To speed up our journey - and save washing up - we had breakfast at a local supermarket. It was a good decision. The food, including fresh eggs, crepes and top-notch coffee, was delicious and a bargain. On good traffic-free days, the drive to the Vendee from the ports of St Malo or Roscoff should take no more than three hours. Our journey took more like five hours - the French and half of Europe, or so it appeared, were also on holiday and the roads were packed. It's a pleasant enough drive, though, especially the last stretch where the road narrows and follows the coast through tiny villages and dozens of salt producers. The Vendee's main holiday centre focuses on the area around the little resorts of Notre Dame de Monts and St Jean de Monts.

The strip of Tarmac that joins the two towns is home to dozens of campsites. In the summer months they're full of tents, camper vans and mobile homes, with holidaymakers thronging the pools and playgrounds.

In between the campsites, you'll find almost every form of amusement known to man. Here, you can ride horses and hire quad bikes, you can take spinning fairground rides until you drop and you can eat, drink and be merry to your heart's content in bars and restaurants of every shape, colour and theme. And you can do the sensible thing and let the natural Vendee entertain you. If the sun does shine - and this time it did, gloriously, for us - you'll soon find the Vendee boasts some of Europe's finest beaches.

They are wide, clean, virtually empty and safe - perfect for paddling, swimming, surfing, body-boarding, shell-collecting and even simply for a spot of sunbathing and relaxing. And when the sun goes down, the Vendee takes on a whole different character. Restaurants and bars come alive and delicious smells of cooking food waft across the area. The choice is endless - beautiful seafood in dozens of different guises, barbecued chickens, freshly baked pizzas, spicy Indian or Mexican and piquant Italian dishes all combine to entice the hungry holidaymaker to take a break from the cooking and indulge. Traffic-free cyclepaths follow the coastline and criss-cross the area inland. Cycling is a wonderful way of getting around and discovering what the Vendee has to offer. You should visit the island of Noirmoutier (now joined to the mainland by a huge bridge) and if you choose market day you¿re in for a treat. Park on the edge of town (you can't miss the huge car park) and take a stroll around the lovely little shops, many selling handmade goods, or visit the seaquarium. Dozens of market traders sell their varied wares from wooden stalls that surround the old market hall. The latter is packed with delicious local food, including the freshest oysters, mussels, fish, bread and cakes, fruit and vegetables.

There are a number of great cafes. We found one right by the river where we passed a pleasant half-hour sitting and enjoying the sun. The little town of Sainte Hilaire de Riez a few miles south of St Jean de Monts is also well worth a visit. The town has a fish market and lots of interesting shops. When we visited, there was a wonderful fleamarket next to a funfair right by the side of the river Jaunay. All manner of old junk was being offered for sale, from broken musical instruments to huge wardrobes.

Stephen White and his family travelled to the Vendee courtesy of Thomson Al Fresco.

They stayed in a three bedroom Vivaldi mobile home for one night at the Chateau des Ormes campsite near St Malo, and seven nights at Le Clarys Plage campsite at Orouet near St Jean de Monts.

A seven-night family holiday (for two adults and up to four children) with Thomson Al Fresco staying in a Rossini mobile home at Le Clarys Plage departing from August 24 costs from £592. Book, subject to availability, on 0871 231 3292 www. thomsonalfresco.co.uk.

They sailed from Poole to St Malo via Guernsey with Condor Ferries (0845 609 1024 www.condorferries.com), and Cherbourg to Poole, with Brittany Ferries (0871 244 0744 www.brittany-ferries. co.uk).
Thomson Alfresco offers holidays at 26 sites in France Portugal, Spain, Croatia, Holland and Italy
Thomson Al Fresco Ski offers ski holidays for a family of six for less than £400 in specially adapted mobile homes in the heart of the French Alps. Pre-bookable equipment hire, ski/snowboard tuition and child ski tuition is available