once u finished reading this http://bbs.xineurope.com/viewthr ... 26amp%3Btypeid%3D48
there are something more, bad news is quite a lot of great restaurants are closed now, but the bright side is Nantes is an awesome city. u get tons of activities to do here. check this for the free shows, movies, soirees.
http://www.nantes.fr/culture/actualites-culturelles/2010_2/aux_heures_dete
for the beach, very easy to reach within one or two hrs. try to use the train, coz u got the 35 euro ticket for up to 5 people 2 days unlimited travel within and sometime beyond this region.
la croisic is good fishing port, with a beautiful seawall.
la baule is one of the best sand beach nearby, also good for catamaran, but no surfing or bodyboarding. wind surfing is ok.
pornic is pretty fishing town.
noirmoutier is good for biking, less crowded. kite surfing
les sables-d'olonne, a good surfing spot, among many other wonderful beaches in vendee.