guide
Between the Château des Ducs de Bretagne in Nantes, the Guérande salt marshes and the picturesque village of Trentemoult, the Loire-Atlantique reveals many faces between ocean and heritage. The Vélocéan cycle route, kayaking and the beaches of Pornic or La Baule round off a food-lovers' stay, marked by local specialities such as Challans duck.
Between the ocean, its many stretches of water and its castles, the Loire-Atlantique is a tourist region with many facets. Given the idyllic setting of this region, numerous luxury campsites have sprung up in the Pays de la Loire. So if you’re staying at one of these campsites in the Loire-Atlantique, don’t hesitate to discover every facet of this region!
You can begin your exploration of western France with a visit to Nantes. Don’t miss the Château des Ducs de Bretagne and the botanical garden. The city is packed with museums, including the famous Musée Jules Verne and Musée des Beaux-Arts.
If you find yourself on the left bank of the Loire, discover the village of Trentemoult. The locals here vie with each other in creativity, personalising the façades of their houses.
If there’s one must-see during your stay at a campsite in the Loire-Atlantique, it’s undoubtedly Guérande! It’s essential to discover its famous salt marshes and its peninsula, immortalised in magnificent aerial photographs. The salt pans will amaze you with their colours, which change with the seasons. Make the most of this trip to stop by the Océarium in Croisic, where you can discover, among other things, the secrets of Australian sharks.
If that’s not enough to satisfy your curiosity about the animal kingdom, visit the Brière Regional Nature Park, the Broissières du Doré zoo, or Planète Sauvage. The latter is a safari park home to 1,000 animals living in semi-freedom.
But if you’d rather dive into history, you can visit the Château fort de Clisson and the Château d’Oudon. The Atlantic Wall is the Third Reich’s defensive wall. Finally, take a short trip to the port of St Nazaire to enjoy a fun and educational visit to Escal’atlantic and discover the legendary ocean liners.
During your stay in this region between Brittany and the Vendée, you won’t be short of ideas for entertainment. You can start by stretching your legs on a hike in the Gâvre forest, discovering its three famous sporting and educational trails.
Next, you can take on the Vélocéan, a 140 km cycling route along the Atlantic coast. This lets you discover numerous tourist sites from Nantes to Brest, caressed by the fresh, pleasant air off the Loire. Kayaking is another original idea, combining water sports with exploring the region.
Of course, you can’t visit the Loire-Atlantique without swimming at the beautiful beaches of Bernerie-en-Retz. Don’t miss the superb coves of Pornic either, where you can try shore fishing. If you’re feeling romantic, don’t miss the magnificent sunset from the beach at Turballe. Finally, sand yachting is another activity to try on the beaches of Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef, St Brévin or La Fromentine.
Foodies can’t visit the Loire-Atlantique without sampling the local specialities! Missing them would be a real shame. Start with the famous sweet treats such as petit-beurre biscuits, berlingots or Nantes fouace. Then, seated in one of the restaurants on La Baule beach, enjoy Challans duck accompanied by an excellent Muscadet.
The Océarium reveals, among other things, the secrets of Australian sharks, at the heart of the Guérande peninsula.
This cycling route follows the Atlantic coast for 140 km, from Nantes to Brest.
No, it's a safari park where around 1,000 animals roam in semi-freedom.
Bernerie-en-Retz and the coves of Pornic are recommended for swimming and shellfish gathering.
