Some 80km inland from Les Sables (on the N160 if you're driving), at the ruined Château du Puy du Fou in the village of LES ÉPESSES, a remarkable lakeside extravaganza takes place during the summer months (end May to early Sept Fri & Sat 10pm or 10.30pm; 1hr 45min; booking essential, tel 02.54.64.11.11, www.puydufou.com; €20, including Vendée museum). It's a weird affair: the enactment of the life of a local peasant from the Middle Ages to World War II, complete with fireworks, lasers, dances on the lake and Comédie Française voice-overs. The story, summarized in a brief English text, is interesting but incidental – the spectacle is the attraction, and all proceeds from the event go to charity The Château also houses a museum on life in the Vendée (Tues–Sun 10am–noon & 2–6/7pm).To get to Les Épesses by public transport, you'll need to get to CHOLET (connected by train from Nantes) and take a bus south from there; Puy du Fou itself is 2.5km from Les Épesses on the D27 to Chambretaud. The tourist office in Cholet (tel 02.41.49.80.05) can provide information about transport. There is one reasonably priced hotel in Les Épesses, Le Lion d'Or, 2 rue de la Libération (tel & fax 02.51.57.30.01; €40–55), and there are three more options, all with restaurants, 10km west in LES HERBIERS: the comfortable Relais (tel 02.51.91.01.64, www.cotriade.com; €40–55), the well-located Le Centre (tel 02.51.67.01.75, fax 02.51.66.82.24; €30–40) and the modern Chez Camille (tel 02.51.91.07.57; €40–55). Alternate spellings:: France, Les Épesses, Les Épesses, Les Epesses
| 