Full travel guide to the Atlantic Loire Valley
From its grand châteaux to its fresh-from-the-ocean seafood and everything in between, the Atlantic Loire Valley has a little something for every kind of traveller…
It’s easy to fall in love with the Atlantic Loire Valley. This corner of France sits just below Brittany and Normandy on the Atlantic coast and is a region of extraordinary beauty. Come here for the verdant countryside, the vibrant cities, the peaceful waterways, the majestic château and the picturesque villages. Not forgetting, of course, the many excellent vineyards.
Getting there and around
The easiest and most convenient way to visit the Atlantic Loire Valley is in the comfort of your own car, sailing to France. With their flexible ticket options and low deposits, Brittany Ferries run regular services from Portsmouth to St Malo, Caen & Cherbourg, Poole to Cherbourg and Plymouth to Roscoff. Travelling with Brittany Ferries means your holiday starts from the moment you drive onboard, where you can enjoy food conjured up by its French chefs and luxuriate in its award-winning service.
Once in the region, having your own car gives you the freedom to explore at leisure. Plus, you can bring along your own bicycles and two wheels really is a magical way to adventure whether you choose to wind your way along the wine routes, soak up the atmosphere in lively Nantes or drive from châteaux to châteaux. As well as getting you there, Brittany Ferries offer an award-winning choice of sail and stay holidays and breaks, whether it's camping, gîtes or apartments for those wishing to self-cater, to hotels and pre-planned car tours for those wishing to be pampered.
Get to know the Atlantic Loire Valley through its...
Urban adventure
Positioned on the River Loire, the city of Nantes was once the busiest river port in France. When the last shipyard closed in 1987, however, the city had to pivot and today it’s a lively, thriving town that’s one of the most exciting in France and ideal for a sustainable urban adventure. Come here for the extensive and free public art, the myriad galleries, museums and castles and the very cool steampunk animals.
Le Voyage à Nantes
Nantes is a lively city at the best of times but visit during the summer and you’ll understand that this town really knows how to throw a party. Taking place throughout July and August every year is Le Voyage à Nantes, a free annual art festival that sees more than 60 exhibitions, installations and individual artworks turn the city into a giant outdoor gallery. The festival’s name pays homage to the many journeys that once started or ended in the city.
Now in its 12th year, the festival is best explored by following the Green Line. This 16km walking route, painted on the ground, guides visitors from east to west through the city streets and past the many installations. Some past exhibitions, such as the human-sized bird’s nest titled Belvédère de l’Hermitage by Japanese artist Tadashi Kawamata, have proven so popular that they’ve taken up permanent residence in the city.
See the Machines de l’Île
The neighbourhood of Île de Nantes was once home to the city’s shipyards. In recent years, however, this island in the Loire River has undergone a huge regeneration – one of the largest urban projects in Europe – and is one of the city’s most exciting addresses.
Taking top billing are the whimsical, fanciful and simply incredible Machines de L’Ile. Inspired by the work of Nantes native and author Jules Verne, this theme park of sorts is home to enormous otherworldly mechanical animals that look like they have sprung from the pages of one of Verne’s novels. The most famous resident is the 12m tall, 44-tonne elephant that gives rides to visitors as it wanders the park, occasionally spraying water at unsuspecting passers-by from its ‘trunk’.
Wander the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany
Modern-day Nantes may be the capital city of the Atlantic Loire Valley but for centuries it was the seat of the Dukes of neighbouring Brittany. The best reminder of the city’s regal past is the grand medieval castle.
Set in the historic heart of Nantes, surrounded by a water-filled moat, the majestic Château des ducs de Bretagne was built in the 15th century by Francois II, one of the last rulers of Brittany. Today the wonderfully preserved castle is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. It’s also home to the Nantes History Museum, housed in 32 of the fortress’ rooms. Once you’ve brushed up on your history, head up to the ramparts for a walk around the castle accompanied by panoramic views.
Other urban experiences in the Atlantic Loire Valley
There's much more urban splendour to discover all across the Atlantic Loire Valley.
The historical seat of the Plantagenet dynasty, the half-timbered houses which line Angers' pedestrianised streets have been home to intellectuals since the 14th century. It's still home to a sizeable university population and you can watch the city's students go about their studies as you soak up Angers' buzzing café culture. Once you explore the city for yourself, you'll lay eyes on its Gothic cathedral and, among other fine works of art in its galleries, spy the eye-popping 14th-century Apocalypse Tapestry hanging in Château d'Angers. Make sure you try some of the city's most famous tipple: Carré Cointreau, every drop of which is still distilled here.
Elsewhere, Le Mans is far more than its iconic 24-hour race (which celebrates its centenary in 2023). The Gallo-Roman towers, Gothic-Roman cathedral and Vieux Mans are often the backdrop for period films and dramas. Its warren of lanes are a joy to wander at any time of year but in July and August they enjoy an extra sprinkle of magic, with the old town illuminated in a kaleidoscopic display each evening during July and August.
History
As with much of France, the Atlantic Loire Valley has a colourful and chequered history, particularly relating to the city of Nantes. Once the capital of a Gaulish tribe, the Namnètes, it was later ruled by the Dukes of Brittany who built their Château des Ducs de Bretagne in the heart of the city. They dreamed big and Nantes subsequently became the Breton residence for the French monarchy who proceeded to build dozens of châteaux throughout the region. Now, you can soak it up slowly...
Take a journey through time at Puy du Fou
Located south-east of Nantes is Puy du Fou, twice voted the ‘Best Park in the World’. This is no ordinary amusement park, however, because it does not possess a single roller coaster or ride. Instead, Puy du Fou, which is set over 200 hectares of forest, stages elaborate shows based on moments in European history and French legends.
Puy du Fou started in 1978 with an amateur re-enactment of the history of France’s Vendée region but it is now a unique park where over 2.3 million visitors come every year to live an unforgettable journey through time, from the Roman era right up to the 20th century. From gladiators to Vikings and musketeers, the park stages a total of 20 spectacular shows each with incredible special effects and stunts.
At the heart of Puy du Fou's centuries-old forest there are also authentic period villages to discover the ancestral know-how of artistic craftspeople and local culinary specialities to enjoy. If you don't speak French, don't worry: thanks to the 'live translate' feature on the park's mobile app, you can experience its shows in English, Spanish, German or Dutch.
Spend time in a Loire châteaux
If it’s castles that you’re after then you’re in luck, the Atlantic Loire Valley enjoys an abundance of palatial châteaux tucked amid the woodlands and vineyards. Many are open to visitors and offer a wonderful glimpse into a bygone era.
Some of the must-see châteaux in the region include the ninth-century Château d'Angers that houses the Apocalypse Tapestry, six tapestries detailing 90 scenes that was recently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The two guest rooms at Château de Brissac will see you staying with its namesake family who still live there and produce wine from their 500-year-old vineyards – you can try some on a wine-tasting tour in the château's cellar. Guests to Château de Brézé can explore the castle’s underground tunnels followed by contemporary art at the Château de Montsoreau. The Château de Saumur houses the Museum of the Horse, a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the ancient local horse-riding style Le Cadre Noir, which you can see put into practice at the shows performed at the Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation on the outskirts of Saumur.
Visit its villages
A bounty of delightful villages pepper the Atlantic Loire Valley countryside brimming with history, heritage and legends. There are medieval villages and seaside towns; hilltop fortresses and cave dwellings; villages with a Mediterranean flair and others famous for their artisanal crafts. Many have remained unchanged for centuries offering welcome respite from modern urban life.
Among the many highlights is the fortified town of Vouvant, said to have been built in a single night by the fairy Melusine. The 11th-century hilltop village of Sainte-Suzanne in Mayenne famously defended itself against William the Conqueror’s troops and the charming village of Asnières-sur-Vègre in Sarthe is brimming with historic monuments including mediaeval murals. Don’t miss the troglodytes facing the Loire River in the area of Saumur, caves carved into limestone cliffs where locals once lived. Today these unique dwellings are museums, restaurants, wine cellars and even places to stay.
Nature
When it comes to the great outdoors, the Atlantic Loire Valley has all bases covered from leafy countryside strolls and rural bike trails to a stunning coastline that’s perfect for both sunbathing and surfing. This is somewhere you can dream big yet live slow and the region's landscapes are as large as your imagination. It's home to four bucolic regional nature parks: Parc Naturel régional Normandie-Maine (which includes Alpes Mancelles), Parc Naturel régional Loire Anjou Touraine, Parc Naturel régional de la Brière and Parc Naturel régional du Marais Poitevin, as well as dozens of idyllic islands and endless rows of vineyards.
Cycle the Loire River
One of the best ways to explore the Atlantic Loire Valley is on two wheels and, with over 3,400km of bike routes criss-crossing the bucolic region, you have plenty of pedalling possibilities. One of the best places to start, however, is along the Loire River, France’s last great wild river.
The most popular bike route is La Loire à Vélo, the first official, way-marked long-distance cycle route in France. The trail forms part of the EuroVelo 6 (EV6) route linking the Black Sea to the Atlantic and, in France, runs alongside the Loire River through 900km of traditional French scenery.
If that sounds like too much time in the saddle, content yourself with the final section that runs through the Atlantic Loire Valley, passing through picturesque towns and past rows of verdant vineyards before meandering through the city Nantes and then finishing at the ocean.
Relax in the Bocage Vendéen
Escape to the ancient landscape of the Bocage Vendéen where the rugged granite outcrops and steep hills of the ‘haut bocage’ provide a dramatic backdrop to the famous theme park, Puy du Fou. The ‘bas bocage’ by contrast, is a land of gently rolling hills, hedge-trimmed fields and narrow lanes snaking their way through quiet villages and small towns populated with stone houses topped with terracotta-coloured roofs.
Numerous rivers and lakes dot the region offering visitors the chance to explore by kayak, canoe or even stand up paddleboard. Stick to dry land and adventure along country trails by horseback, lace up your shoes for a hike along the region’s sunken lanes or take to the skies and soak up the scenery from a hot air balloon.
Explore the Atlantic Coast
To truly escape it all head to the Atlantic Coast for a wild mix of untouched wildernesses, creamy beaches and splashes of medieval magic. Top of your list should be the bird-rich wetlands of Marais Poitevin, an 800 sq km web of canals, waterways and marshlands where you can spy cattle egrets, northern lapwings and many more species. Make your visit extra special by visiting during spring and summer, when the duckweed sprinkles an emerald-green coating on its waterways.
Your cruises are interspersed with sightings of medieval villages and ruins like Maillezais Abbey, a nod to other villages along the coast like Guérande, whose impressive ramparts are the result of generations cultivating the surrounding salt marshes. The Atlantic Coast has its fair share of beaches, too, and one of its most handsome is La Baule, whose 9km-long stretch of sand is one of the longest in Europe.
Go birdwatching in Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Nature Park
A wild tapestry of thick forest, sprawling floodplains and the glittering Loire, the Loire-Anjou-Touraine Regional Natural Park is like the Atlantic Loire Valley's own Garden of Eden. Shaped by the Loire's changing flow, where one area could be flooded one moment and revealing a pristine sandy bank the next, the park is an exciting, ever-changing environment. This has led to over 200 birds calling it home, including sand martins, ospreys, little bustards and more. You can spy them from a boat cruise or by treading the paths which vein its wilds, the latter an excellent way to spy its varied flora like orchids and fritillaries.
The park isnt only blessed with abundant nature but some of mankind's finest handiwork, too. The park is pocked with pretty medieval villages and châteaux like Château de Montsoreau and Château de Saumur.
Escape to the Alpes Mancelles
A heart-pumping combination of plunging gorges, cloud-baiting mountains and snaking valleys, it's hard to believe the Alpes Mancelles are on the doorstep of Le Mans. But this epic natural playground makes for a great way to immerse yourself in the Atlantic Loire Valley's outdoors and the best news is there are so many ways to explore this mountainous region. You can tread along forested trails, pedal along greenways and through strings and historic villages and even go horse-riding along routes through sun-dappled woodland.
Perhaps the best way to explore the Alpes Mancelles is by canoeing or kayaking along the Sarthe River, where you can glide among its dramatic gorges and cut through its bucolic countryside.
Food
To be fair, you’d be hard pressed to visit anywhere in France and come away feeling hungry but what’s particularly special about the Atlantic Loire Valley is how many sustainable foodie specialities it offers. Yes, it’s home to excellent wines and flavourful cheeses but this sun-filled corner also boasts delicious oysters, succulent sardines, artisanal salt from the Atlantic coast, and many award-winning bottles of wine.
Soak up its viniculture
The Atlantic Loire Valley has a well-deserved reputation for producing some truly exceptional wine. It’s the third largest region in France when it comes to AOC (controlled designation of origin) wines and is home to more than 350 wine cellars.
A total of 17 set itineraries and tours wind their way around the countryside on the Loire Valley Wine Route taking in some of the best winegrowers and vineyards as well as some of the region’s most prized sights. Feel the sand between your toes while you try a glass of rosé from the Fiefs Vendéens vineyards; tour the cave-dwelling village of Rochemenier and then sample a glass of sparkling wine from Saumur; and wander the streets of Lavardin in the Loire Valley, ranked among the most beautiful villages in France, and then relax with a glass of the area’s famed Vin Gris.
Sample fine seafood
It’s almost inevitable that a region located along the Atlantic coast would be home to tasty seafood treats but the array of freshly caught fish and shellfish available in the Atlantic Loire Valley still delights.
Oysters are the star of the show with plump, juicy Vendée-Atlantic oysters grown in protected salt flats called claires. These are best served freshly shucked from an oyster shack sprinkled with white wine vinegar and finely chopped shallots, and accompanied by a glass of crisp Muscadet.
Sardines are also a big deal, particularly in the village of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie where close to 2,900 tonnes of sardines are caught annually. Sardine fishing is such a part of the town’s identity that it’s been listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of France. Enjoy yours grilled with lemon, marinated or made into rillettes.
Try fouées from Anjou
Of the many foodie delights that await you in the Atlantic Loire Valley you can’t leave without trying fouées. These airy bread rolls look not dissimilar to Middle Eastern pitta breads although they’re smaller in size and their origins are quite unique.
For centuries locals in the Touraine and Anjou region would bring their freshly kneaded dough to the village oven ready to bake. Before cooking could begin, however, the baker would test the temperature of the wood-fired oven using small pieces of dough. Eventually, these small pieces of baked bread became a treat in themselves.
Still today, fouées are served piping hot from the oven, filled with toppings including local pork rillettes, salted butter and local Vendée mogettes (white beans).
Feeling inspired?
For more information and to start planning your visit to the Atlantic Loire Valley, head over to the official tourism board website.
For more information on the region and how to get there with Brittany Ferries, visit their official website below.
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