Which is the best zoo in the region? Never went before as we couldn't decide.

Royan Zoo is very nicely laid out.

Is Puy de Fou suitable for younger kids? Ages are 5,6,7,9 and 11.
Best day to visit?

I would think that your children would enjoy it. If you google them, you can request a brochure in English which will give you all the info you may need.

Recommendations for unusual activities/parks in the region?

The forest of Mervent/Vouvant is beautiful for walks. The aquarium and weather ship at La Rochelle are interesting even when the weather isn't so good. You might like to take a flat bottomed boat on the Marais Poitevin on a warm sunny day.

How busy does the Vendee become when the english schools breakup?We have never been as late before as scottish schools breakup two weeks earlier.Is it a mass overnight invasion or a gradual filling up as the summer goes on?

I would think that you will miss a lot of overcrowding from the English schools as they don't often break up until mid-July. However, the FRENCH schools are on holiday from the beginning of July, and the Parisian civil servants start their hols on 14 July so there may well be some increase in visitors in the latter part of your holiday ..........

merci pour votre reponse.

i hope that's right my french is not very good.

We're in Scotland too and head for France as soon as (or just before ) the schools break up. Before we were tied to school holidays we always noticed an increase in the number of holiday makers at the end of June as the Dutch and German schools seem to follow the same holidays as Scotland.

merci pour votre reponse.

Well done, absolutely perfect, 10/10 and a gold star!! Je vous en prie!

The zoo at Les Sables d'Olonne is excellent and well worth a visit.