Pays de la Loire

A region on France's western Atlantic coast, known for Nantes, the old towns of the lower Loire and seaside beaches.

Pays de la Loire lies in western France, where the Loire flows into the Atlantic; its capital is Nantes. Nantes is known for creative projects such as the Machines of the Isle and for the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany; Angers Castle houses the Apocalypse Tapestry, the Saumur area has châteaux and wine, seaside resorts such as La Baule have long beaches, and Le Mans is famous for its 24-hour endurance race. Summer suits seaside holidays, while spring and autumn are good for visiting old towns and wine country. Nantes has an international airport, and from Paris the TGV quickly reaches Nantes, Angers and Le Mans.

Destinations

• Nantes
• Angers
• Saumur

Itineraries

• Loire à Vélo: Orléans to Nantes – Cycle from east to west along the Loire à Vélo trail, passing through the châteaux region and vineyards to Nantes.
• Brittany Peninsula Coast Loop – A loop around the peninsula from Rennes to Nantes, taking in the Emerald Coast, Crozon cliffs, Pointe du Raz, and the C…