PAYS DE LA LOIRE

Mosaic of Cultures & Traditions!

The region located in the Great West of France has 5 departments.

Its capital is Nantes.

The distance between Paris and Nantes is: 385 km

The region deploys the diversity of its riches…

the Erdre, known as the most beautiful river in France for Nantes, the castles of the Loire for Angers, the 24-hour automobile race for Le Mans, one of the most prestigious beaches for La Baule, the royalist heritage for Vendée. So many assets capable of giving a very personalized tone to very beautiful stays...

MAIN TOWNS

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• Nantes (Loire Atlantique)

• La Baule (Loire Atlantique)

• La Roche-sur-Yon (Vendee)

• Le Mans (Sartre)

• Laval (Mayenne)

• Angers (Maine et Loire)

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CURIOSITIES & ESSENTIALS

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SARTHE

• Visit of the Sarthe Automobile Museum (collection of limousines and racing cars)

• Track baptisms

• Helicopter flight over the 24 Hours of Le Mans circuit  

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MAYENNA

• Walk of the Mills

• The English camp

• Discovery of Coëvrons-Mayenne lands of art and history: Evron, Saulges, Jublains, Mayenne, Laval (35 km route)

• Authentic village of Sainte-Suzanne with its castle, Roman keep, Auditorium museum, Toy museum

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MAINE AND LOIRE  

• Angers Castle

• Visit of the Jean Lurçat museum and its tapestries

• Toussaint Abbey (home to the David d'Angers gallery)

• Village of Montsoreau

• Introduction to oenology at the Maison des Vins de Saumur Blanc and Saumur Champigny in a troglodyte cellar

• Cave aux Moines, which over 6 km of gallery, houses a mushroom farm, a snail farm, wine cellars and a restaurant

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LOIRE ATLANTIQUE

• Walk in La Baule

• Discovery of Nantes

• Visit of the Parc de la Brière, the second largest French marsh

• Fortified town of Guérande (4km from La Baule)

• Bluebeard's Castle

VENDEE

• Historical and ecological park of Puy du Fou, several reconstruction sites (village XIII with festivals and shows)

• Visit of the Vendée Memorial which retraces the history of the Vendée uprising of 1793

• Authentic village of Vouvant

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CULINARY SPECIALTIES

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• plum pâté

• Le Mans rillettes

• Loué chicken

• Andouillette

• Vendean ham

• Loire fish in white butter sauce

• Shellfish

• Oysters

• Mussels 

• All fish, especially sea bass in Guérande salt crust

• Frog Legs (Vendée)

• Mogettes (white beans)

• Tourtisseau (pastry) and Vendée brioche

ACTIVITIES

• Sand yachting in La Baule and Vendée

• Horse riding on the beach of La Baule, one of the largest in Europe 7 km

• Regatta on sailboats (towards the islands of Houat, Belle-Ile or Noirmoutier)

• Thalassotherapy (La Baule, Pornichet, Pornic, St Jean de Monts, Les Sables d'Olonne)

• Sea trips

• Mountain bike crossing of the Passage de Gois (between the mainland and the island of Noirmoutier)

• Hikes in the Breton marshes, northwest of Vendée

• Surfing and windsurfing at La Tranche sur Mer

• Introduction to scuba diving in Les Sables d'Olonne

• Climbing on the rock of Pierre-Blanche, in the heart of the forest of Mervent-Vouvant, south of Vendée

• Discovery by canoe of the Route du Sel in the Vendée marshes

• 18-hole golf course at several sites in the region

REGIONAL PRODUCTS

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• Book by Jules Verne (native of Nantes) 

• Vendée heart-shaped objects 

• Personalized gifts made of slate

• Nantes cookies (Petit Lu)

• Berlingots from Nantes 

• Brioche Vendée 

• Niniches (scented lollipops)

• Salt of Guerande

• Noirmoutier salt

• Sardines and coconuts in chocolate

• Bottles of Guignolet (liqueur), Cointreau (digestive), Anjou and Saumur wines

• Bottles of Muscadet and Gros Plant (white wines)

• Bottles of Kamok (coffee liquor)

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EVENTS CALENDAR - ANNUAL

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• April : African Film Festival in Angers

• May : Europa Jazz Festival in Mans

• June : 24 hours of Le Mans automobile

• July : Theatre festival in the castles in Angers  |  International Jumping at La Baule  | International Polo Tournament in La Baule | International Dance Meetings in La Baule   

• July - August - September : Sound and Light of Puy-du-Fou

• September : Festival des Allumés in Nantes for 4 days  |  International Folklore Festival in Angers | European Film Festival in La Baule

• October : Festival of Francophone Literature

• November : 3 Continents Film Festival in Nantes | Scoop and Journalism Festival in Angers