BRGM publications: discovering the plains and bocages of the Vendée through geology

On the borders of the Armorican Massif and the Aquitaine Basin, the inland Vendée region offers a rich variety of transitional areas: granite hills of the Haut Bocage des Herbiers and Pouzauges, the Chantonnay limestone basin that borders the coal belt, the limestone plains of the south that stretch almost to infinity, and finally the Poitevin marshland that penetrates as far as the gates of Fontenay-le-Comte.

The richness of a transitional area

This guide invites you to discover 23 of the most remarkable geological sites in the plains and bocage of the Vendée. It traces the geological history, dating back more than 600 million years, which saw the creation and disappearance of oceans and the installation of vegetation, sometimes lush and sometimes sparse, in climates ranging from a tropical one, such as during the Carboniferous period to the cold desert of the Quaternary period.

The guide is an excellent tool to help promote and protect the area's geological heritage. It was written by three geologists who were very enthusiastic about the region.

• Pascal Bouton is an independent geologist and manager of the engineering company Oolite. Passionate about the geology of the Vendée, he has helped make most of the recent geological maps of the region.
• Claude Roy is a hydrogeological engineer and Director of the Environment, Agriculture and Fisheries Department of the Vendée Departmental Council.
• A self-taught geologist, Jean-Marc Viaud has helped to produce several geological maps of the Vendée coastline. He has also worked for the Departmental Archives.

This guide is one of the publications in the “Geological Curiosities” collection from the Editions du BRGM (Publications department), which now comprises 26 titles.