Press kit · department 85

Vendée.

Every town in the department ranked on each criterion, ready to be reused. Each town is compared with French towns of the same size tier — a market town is never measured against a major city. Free to reuse, including commercially, on the sole condition that you credit La Grande Carte with a link to this page.

8 rankings 27 towns ranked Public data · Licence Ouverte (Etalab)

Cite this page

La Grande Carte, “Press kit — Vendée (85)”, https://lagrandecarte.fr/en/presse/vendee-85 (accessed 15 November 2026).

<a href="https://lagrandecarte.fr/en/presse/vendee-85">Vendée press kit — La Grande Carte</a>

01.

Safest cities.

Low crime, rare assaults, few burglaries, downward trend — data from the French Ministry of Interior

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Mothe-Achard	Small cities	5,451	1 / 23	9 / 1747
Sèvremont	Small cities	6,401	2 / 23	14 / 1747
Pouzauges	Small cities	5,641	3 / 23	36 / 1747
Verrie	Small cities	5,580	4 / 23	39 / 1747
Cugand	Small cities	5,659	5 / 23	58 / 1747
Montaigu	Mid-size cities	20,754	1 / 4	17 / 470
Ferrière	Small cities	5,411	6 / 23	98 / 1747
Poiré-sur-Vie	Small cities	8,637	7 / 23	100 / 1747
Bellevigny	Small cities	6,239	8 / 23	101 / 1747
Aubigny-Les Clouzeaux	Small cities	7,129	9 / 23	116 / 1747

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Saint-Jean-de-Monts	Small cities	8,809	23 / 23	1728 / 1747
Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie	Small cities	8,140	22 / 23	1551 / 1747
Fontenay-le-Comte	Small cities	13,806	21 / 23	1226 / 1747
Luçon	Small cities	9,450	20 / 23	1121 / 1747
Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez	Small cities	12,923	19 / 23	1103 / 1747

Both tables are sorted by national rank within the size tier, the only measure that is comparable between a small town and a large city. The department rank is read within the same tier: a town that is the only one of its size in the department is therefore automatically ranked 1 of 1.

Full national ranking: Safest cities.

02.

Best environmental quality.

Compliant drinking water, far from nuclear plants, low radon, low seismic risk, balanced soils, no major hazard

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Saint-Jean-de-Monts	Small cities	8,809	1 / 23	5 / 1747
Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez	Small cities	12,923	2 / 23	10 / 1747
Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie	Small cities	8,140	3 / 23	20 / 1747
Mothe-Achard	Small cities	5,451	4 / 23	26 / 1747
Challans	Mid-size cities	22,890	1 / 4	20 / 470
Talmont-Saint-Hilaire	Small cities	8,327	5 / 23	106 / 1747
Mortagne-sur-Sèvre	Small cities	6,065	6 / 23	123 / 1747
Verrie	Small cities	5,580	7 / 23	134 / 1747
Herbiers	Small cities	16,589	8 / 23	146 / 1747
Bretignolles-sur-Mer	Small cities	5,139	9 / 23	150 / 1747

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Montaigu	Mid-size cities	20,754	4 / 4	312 / 470
Cugand	Small cities	5,659	23 / 23	714 / 1747
Aizenay	Small cities	10,218	22 / 23	588 / 1747
Aubigny-Les Clouzeaux	Small cities	7,129	21 / 23	557 / 1747
Essarts en Bocage	Small cities	6,835	20 / 23	361 / 1747

Full national ranking: Best environmental quality.

03.

Best cities for health.

Access to GPs (APL), hospitals and specialists, drinking water quality, radon and nuclear exposure

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Luçon	Small cities	9,450	1 / 23	151 / 1747
Roche-sur-Yon	Mid-size cities	54,699	1 / 4	63 / 470
Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie	Small cities	8,140	2 / 23	285 / 1747
Fontenay-le-Comte	Small cities	13,806	3 / 23	307 / 1747
Montaigu	Mid-size cities	20,754	2 / 4	162 / 470
Cugand	Small cities	5,659	4 / 23	610 / 1747
Sables-d'Olonne	Mid-size cities	48,740	3 / 4	170 / 470
Challans	Mid-size cities	22,890	4 / 4	260 / 470
Herbiers	Small cities	16,589	5 / 23	1029 / 1747
Mouilleron-le-Captif	Small cities	5,209	6 / 23	1094 / 1747

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Aubigny-Les Clouzeaux	Small cities	7,129	23 / 23	1626 / 1747
Sèvremont	Small cities	6,401	22 / 23	1619 / 1747
Bellevigny	Small cities	6,239	21 / 23	1612 / 1747
Saint-Jean-de-Monts	Small cities	8,809	20 / 23	1593 / 1747
Poiré-sur-Vie	Small cities	8,637	19 / 23	1484 / 1747

Full national ranking: Best cities for health.

04.

Best cities for families.

Schools and nurseries, safety, doctors, sport and culture, shops, fibre internet — everything to raise kids well

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Montaigu	Mid-size cities	20,754	1 / 4	1 / 470
Mothe-Achard	Small cities	5,451	1 / 23	6 / 1747
Essarts en Bocage	Small cities	6,835	2 / 23	41 / 1747
Herbiers	Small cities	16,589	3 / 23	47 / 1747
Poiré-sur-Vie	Small cities	8,637	4 / 23	57 / 1747
Mortagne-sur-Sèvre	Small cities	6,065	5 / 23	71 / 1747
Pouzauges	Small cities	5,641	6 / 23	76 / 1747
Roche-sur-Yon	Mid-size cities	54,699	2 / 4	28 / 470
Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie	Small cities	8,140	7 / 23	111 / 1747
Chantonnay	Small cities	8,518	8 / 23	151 / 1747

Full national ranking: Best cities for families.

05.

Most dynamic cities.

Growing population, rising incomes, falling unemployment, strong municipal investment, recent housing

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Mothe-Achard	Small cities	5,451	1 / 23	2 / 1747
Challans	Mid-size cities	22,890	1 / 4	3 / 470
Aizenay	Small cities	10,218	2 / 23	35 / 1747
Talmont-Saint-Hilaire	Small cities	8,327	3 / 23	76 / 1747
Herbiers	Small cities	16,589	4 / 23	86 / 1747
Sables-d'Olonne	Mid-size cities	48,740	2 / 4	24 / 470
Saint-Jean-de-Monts	Small cities	8,809	5 / 23	117 / 1747
Garnache	Small cities	5,413	6 / 23	157 / 1747
Montaigu	Mid-size cities	20,754	3 / 4	48 / 470
Mouilleron-le-Captif	Small cities	5,209	7 / 23	217 / 1747

Full national ranking: Most dynamic cities.

06.

Best quality of life.

Overall synthesis: amenities, safety, doctors, incomes, fibre, nearby nature, healthy water, low unemployment

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Talmont-Saint-Hilaire	Small cities	8,327	1 / 23	40 / 1747
Bretignolles-sur-Mer	Small cities	5,139	2 / 23	57 / 1747
Sables-d'Olonne	Mid-size cities	48,740	1 / 4	20 / 470
Challans	Mid-size cities	22,890	2 / 4	21 / 470
Mothe-Achard	Small cities	5,451	3 / 23	190 / 1747
Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie	Small cities	8,140	4 / 23	262 / 1747
Saint-Jean-de-Monts	Small cities	8,809	5 / 23	300 / 1747
Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez	Small cities	12,923	6 / 23	314 / 1747
Herbiers	Small cities	16,589	7 / 23	332 / 1747
Montaigu	Mid-size cities	20,754	3 / 4	91 / 470

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Chantonnay	Small cities	8,518	23 / 23	919 / 1747
Sèvremont	Small cities	6,401	22 / 23	913 / 1747
Aubigny-Les Clouzeaux	Small cities	7,129	21 / 23	848 / 1747
Cugand	Small cities	5,659	20 / 23	772 / 1747
Poiré-sur-Vie	Small cities	8,637	19 / 23	743 / 1747

Full national ranking: Best quality of life.

07.

Best-managed municipalities.

Positive operating balance, controlled debt, strong investment, reasonable property tax rate

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Bellevigny	Small cities	6,239	1 / 23	71 / 1747
Mothe-Achard	Small cities	5,451	2 / 23	76 / 1747
Verrie	Small cities	5,580	3 / 23	102 / 1747
Chantonnay	Small cities	8,518	4 / 23	107 / 1747
Challans	Mid-size cities	22,890	1 / 4	32 / 470
Pouzauges	Small cities	5,641	5 / 23	122 / 1747
Bretignolles-sur-Mer	Small cities	5,139	6 / 23	134 / 1747
Herbiers	Small cities	16,589	7 / 23	137 / 1747
Mouilleron-le-Captif	Small cities	5,209	8 / 23	168 / 1747
Cugand	Small cities	5,659	9 / 23	314 / 1747

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Fontenay-le-Comte	Small cities	13,806	23 / 23	1393 / 1747
Roche-sur-Yon	Mid-size cities	54,699	4 / 4	364 / 470
Aubigny-Les Clouzeaux	Small cities	7,129	22 / 23	1224 / 1747
Aizenay	Small cities	10,218	21 / 23	1010 / 1747
Garnache	Small cities	5,413	20 / 23	994 / 1747

Full national ranking: Best-managed municipalities.

08.

Preserved nature & environment.

National parks, nature reserves, Natura 2000, regional parks, far from nuclear, no major risks — preserved France

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Saint-Jean-de-Monts	Small cities	8,809	1 / 23	151 / 1747
Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez	Small cities	12,923	2 / 23	350 / 1747
Bretignolles-sur-Mer	Small cities	5,139	3 / 23	393 / 1747
Sables-d'Olonne	Mid-size cities	48,740	1 / 4	144 / 470
Luçon	Small cities	9,450	4 / 23	547 / 1747
Talmont-Saint-Hilaire	Small cities	8,327	5 / 23	571 / 1747
Challans	Mid-size cities	22,890	2 / 4	188 / 470
Chantonnay	Small cities	8,518	6 / 23	724 / 1747
Roche-sur-Yon	Mid-size cities	54,699	3 / 4	229 / 470
Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie	Small cities	8,140	7 / 23	866 / 1747

Full national ranking: Preserved nature & environment.

Method and limits

What these tables say — and what they don’t.

Scores are composite: each criterion carries a published weight, shown under each national ranking.
Towns are ranked within a population tier (5,000–20,000, 20,000–100,000, over 100,000 inhabitants). Towns under 5,000 inhabitants are not ranked.
A town missing the data for a criterion is left out of that ranking, never ranked last by default.
This is not a league table of lived quality of life: these figures reflect the public data available, with its blind spots and publication delays.
Crime figures are offences recorded by the police and the gendarmerie: they depend on whether victims report them and on how present the services are.

Sources, data years and weightings: About page. A question, a figure that looks wrong to you, a request for a custom breakdown — contact@lagrandecarte.fr.