Finfarine’s Folly
The bee and honey house
A family tourist site located in Poiroux, 15 minutes from the beaches near our 4-star campsite in the Vendée, La Folie de Finfarine is dedicated to raising bees, harvesting honey and passing on the secrets of beekeeping. The site occupies 10 hectares of unspoilt countryside, between woods and rolling meadows. Among the areas to discover at Finfarine are an immersion room with 210° screen to share the first flight of a young bee, a manipulation room for learning through play, a giant beehive with models and disguises, a honey house in which to observe bees, an apiary in which an observation tunnel has been built, and wooden play structures for children. The site is open every afternoon except Saturday from April to June and in September-October, and every day from 10.30am to 7pm in July and August. Admission is €8.90 for adults and young people aged 15 and over, and €5.90 for children aged 4 to 15. A special family pass is available for parents with 2 children.
Numerous bee-related events and activities
La Folie de Finfarine offers activities for the whole family. In the honey house, a beekeeper introduces visitors to the workings of the beehive and gets children involved in honey extraction. In July and August, insect observation and wax candle-making workshops are offered for children aged 4 and 5. The Finfarine site also offers beekeeping courses for adults, in groups of 10 to 15. Courses cost 25 euros per person. Designed to keep you busy for half a day to a whole day, the Folie de Finfarine park offers practical services and facilities to make your visit easier and more enjoyable: 3 parking lots, an ice-cream bar, a snack bar for your midday meals, a picnic area and covered terrace available, children’s games and a nursery, perfect for a family weekend in the Vendée.
Tasting at the Finfarine boutique
The Finfarine boutique is open on the same days and at the same times as the park. Honey harvested from 600 beehives spread over a radius of several dozen kilometers around the site is on sale. A range of honeys – bocage, marsh, spring, sunflower, lime and acacia – are available for tasting in the boutique. A range of honeys flavored with natural oils is also available, with scents such as orange, hazelnut, mandarin, rose and violet. You’ll also find honey sweets and lollipops, nougats, gingerbread and mead. Other beehive products are also sold in the boutique: pollen, royal jelly and propolis.
