FONTENAY, or FONTENAI, the capital of a cognominally arrondissement in the department of Vendée, France, is situated on the river Vendée, at the point where it becomes navigable, 35 miles S.E. of Bourbon-Vendée. The town is old and generally ill-built. It was formerly fortified and still has some remains of its castle, which belonged to the counts of Poictiers. The only remarkable object is the parish church, which has a spire 311 feet in height. It has manufactures of coarse linen and woollen cloths, and a considerable trade in timber and wines. Pop. (1851) 7348.