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Regions à la carte
Western France - Western Loire Valley Region
Western
Loire Valley region at a glance |
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 Major city:
Angers,
Nantes
Chateaux and manor
houses
Atlantic coastline, with quaint bays and islands
Loire river which flows through lush countryside
This region includes 300
kilometers of Atlantic coastline, long sandy beaches,
enchanting bays and little islands like Yeu and
Noirmoutier contrasting with the lush, green, countryside
through which flows the magnificent Loire River.
This part of France has always been popular with kings
and nobles, who built their elegant châteaux throughout
the region. Many châteaux have been restored and are
inhabited by their owners who open them to the public.
Other châteaux open their homes and gardens to the
production of "Sound and Light" shows.
Exploring beyond the busy valley, tourists can drive
deeper into a quiet hinterland where châteaux, abbeys
and mansions reveal the testimony of a rich past.
At Le Mans, the annual 24-Hour Car Race attracts visitors
from all over the world. Traditional cities such as
Angers, Saumur and Nantes provide castles, museums and
picturesque winding, narrow streets where vacationers can
lose themselves amid provincial markets and busy shops.
The Western Loire Valley is also a good place for
cycling, hiring house-boats on the Loire tributaries or
enjoying a typical candle-lit dinner on a comfortable
modern excursion boat.
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Places of
interest |
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Angers |
Art town, medieval castle and its tapestries,
cathedral, Pince Museum |
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Brissac |
15th century castle |
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Cholet |
Vendée War Museum |
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Le Croisic |
Little fishing-port, Naval Museum |
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Fontevraud |
11th century Royal Abbey |
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Goulaine |
15th-16th century castle with beautiful furnished
apartments |
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La Baule |
Lovely beach on the Atlantic |
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La Roche-sur-Yon |
Archeological Museum |
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Laval |
Castle, "Douanier Rousseau" Art Gallery, boat trip
on the Mayenne |
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Le Lude |
Medieval fortress, Sound and Light show |
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Le Mans |
Known for its 24-Hour Car Race, Car Museum, old
town, cathedral, Tesse Museum |
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Le Puy du Fou |
15th-16th century castle, sound and light
representations involving over 700 participants |
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Les Sables d'Olonne |
Fishing port and seaside resort |
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Nantes |
Castle of the Dukes of Brittany, Jules Verne
Museum, Naval Museum on the frigate "Maille Breze" |
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Noirmoutier |
Linked to the mainland by a 3-mile bridge, Musée du
Chateau |
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Sablé |
Castle
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Saint Joachim |
Maison de la Mariée
(Bride Museum), "chaumière Brieronne" |
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Saint Nazaire |
Espadon Submarine
Museum, port view from the panoramic terrace |
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Saumur |
13th century castle,
Cadre Noir National School of Horse riding, wine cellars,
Mushroom Museum |
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Solesnes |
Abbey |
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Yeu |
(Island) - visit on
foot or bike, old castle. |
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Cuisine |
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In the Western Loire region one can sample
such specialties as rillettes, andouillettes,
tripes, mushrooms and the regional cheeses of
Trappiste d'Entrammes and Cremets d'Angers, Petit
Sable & Ardoises d'Angers cookies.
The white and red wines of Anjou and Saumur are of infinite
variety. The white wines may be dry or sweet. There are also
fruity rosés, both dry and sweet, produced mainly from the
Cabernet grape which has given its name to Cabernet d'Anjou
and Cabernet de Saumur. Among the whites, Coteaux de Saumur
are lighter and drier and preserve their quality well, Coteaux
du Layon and Coteaux de l'Aubance, very fine and sweet, are
richer and age very well. A large proportion of the production
from the Saumur region is made by the Champagne method.
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