French Regions Pays de la Loire

Best Things to Do in Pays de la Loire, France

29/06/2023

Article written by Elisa - Travel Writer & Local in France
This article may contain compensated links. Please read disclaimer for more info.

One of the lesser-known regions of France abroad, Pays de la Loire in Western France offers an extraordinary diversity of landscapes and rich heritage. From the Loire Valley to the Atlantic Ocean, explore historic cities, charming villages, fairytale châteaux, natural parks, and 450 km of stunning coastline.

An ideal destination for those searching for a breath of fresh air, the region of Pays de la Loire is very appreciated by families and bike lovers. Here, we are never far from the water: the Atlantic Ocean and the Loire River with its tributaries (18,000 km of waterways in the region) and picturesque canals and wetlands.  

People looking for a cultural getaway will find an abundance of extraordinary sites: the cities of Nantes, Angers, Le Mans, Saumur, but also impressive Renaissance châteaux and the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud.

The region of Pays de la Loire is not one of France’s historic regions but a recent creation. Indeed, the regional capital, Nantes, was once the capital of Brittany to which it no longer belongs. The region is composed of five departments: Loire Atlantique, Vendée, Mayenne, Sarthe, and Maine et Loire.

Haven’t you visited this wonderful French region yet? Go on reading for the best things to do in the Pays de la Loire.

Related posts

Pays-de-la-Loire Travel

BY PLANE: if you want to fly to the Pays de la Loire, the Nantes Atlantique Airport (NTE) is your best option. Nantes is definitely not one of the busiest international airports in France but it has regular and seasonal international flights to many European countries, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Turkey (seasonal flights), and Montréal in Canada (seasonal flights).

Book your flight tickets to Nantes

BY TRAIN: Traveling in France by train is straightforward. Cities like Nantes, Le Mans, or Angers are very easy to reach from Paris by fast TGV trains. From these cities, you can use the TER rail network (regional trains), which sometimes is completed by coaches.

Book your train tickets to Pays de la Loire

Pays-de-la-Loire by Car

For extended trips in the Pays de la Loire region, the best way to get around is by car. This region is a great place for memorable French road trips. With a car, some good tunes, and the best company, you are set for one of the best adventures in your life. Driving in France is very easy, and with the car, you can go off the beaten path to visit small villages and lesser-known sites.

Recommended road trips in Pays de la Loire:

If you don’t have your car, we recommend booking in advance through platforms like RentalCars. This site takes all major rental companies, such as Hertz, Avis, etc., and compares prices for you. Check out our best tips for renting a car in France.

Browse Car Rental Companies Available in Pays-de-la-Loire

What to Do in Pays de la Loire

Let’s explore the best things to do in Pays de la Loire. The list of tourist attractions in Pays de la Loire includes vibrant cities, stunning landscapes, fairytale châteaux, and history.

1. Visit Angers

Located by the river Maine, Angers is a beautiful medieval city to explore, with unique gothic buildings, half-timbered houses, and an impressive château.

In the heart of the town, visit the Château d’Angers, a massive schist and limestone construction built from 1230 onwards. Here, the Dukes of Anjou held court during the 14th and 15th centuries.

This impressive château houses the Apocalypse Tapestry (14th century). Measuring 103 long and 4.5 meters high, it features 71 scenes of the Apocalypse, and it is the largest Medieval tapestry series in the world.

Click here to book your hotel in Angers

2. The Royal Abbey of Fontevraud

This gothic abbey, unique in many aspects, was founded in 1101 as a mixed-gender monastery placed under a woman’s leadership.

The abbey found favor in the eyes of God and men, including the Counts of Anjou and, notably, Henry II of Plantagenet and his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine. She made Fontevraud a royal burial place for the Plantagenets.

One of the main Pays de la Loire attractions and listed UNESCO World Heritage since the year 2000, Fontevraud is today home to a contemporary art center, a stylish hotel, and a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Don’t miss the polychrome tombs of the Plantagenets: King Henri II, Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, Isabelle of Angouleme, and King Richard Lionheart.

MAKE IT SPECIAL: sleep in the Abbey of Fontevraud for a unique experience!

3. Les Machines de l’Ile in Nantes

Mechanical Elephant - Nantes

Nantes, the capital of the region, is an excellent destination for a cultural getaway near Paris. Nantes’ main attraction is Les Machines de l’Ile, a unique project by a group of artists and machinists that consists of an ensemble of quirky machines built in the former naval workshops of Ile de Nantes. 

Amongst these machines in Nantes outstands the Giant Elephant, who likes to wander around the Ile de Nantes. This cheeky elephant can carry up to 50 passengers on his back, and he likes to spray people with his trunk!

There’s also the giant Carousel of the Sea Worlds (almost 25m high), an incredible mechanical aquarium of disturbing marine creatures.

We can’t wait to see the company’s latest project, the Heron Tree. When finished, people will be able to wander through the branches of this giant metallic and vegetal tree and meet different creatures living on it.

Join France Bucket List Facebook Group

4. Relaxing Days at Iles d’Yeu and Noirmoutier

Disconnect from the world Iles d’Yeu and Noimoutier, located on the Atlantic coast in the Vendée department. Enjoy their typical landscapes, endless sand beaches, and many outdoor activities for all the family.

Are you feeling hungry? Noirmoutier island is well known for its shellfish and oysters, with their delicate flesh. Taste the islands’ gastronomy, with delicious dishes made with fish mainly pollack, sea bream, and striped mullet, but also the sole and line sea bass.

Book your hotel on Noirmoutier | Book your hotel on Ile d’Yeu

5. Pays de la Loire by Bike

biking in Pays de la Loire

The Pays de la Loire geography (mainly flat) and varied landscapes make it ideal for day trips or longer trips by bike.

There is the world-famous Loire à Velo route, which every year attracts more than one million bikers. This 900 km itinerary connects the village of Cuffy, in the region Centre-Val-de-Loire, to Saint-Brevin-les-Pins, on the Atlantic coast in the Pays de la Loire. Along the way, expect picturesque villages, magnificent châteaux, and great regional food and wines.

La Vélo Francette is a lesser-known bike route that also crosses the Pays de la Loire. This 600 km bike itinerary from Ouistreham in Normandy to La Rochelle in Nouvelle Aquitaine, crosses the departments of Mayenne, and Maine-et-Loire in the Pays de la Loire. What is more, part of the section Angers-St-Mathurin is shared with the Loire à Velo’s itinerary, so you can always say to have tried both bike routes 🙂

6. The Marais Poitevin

The Marais Poitevin is a natural area of marshes shared by the regions of Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Pays de la Loire. This is the second-largest wetland in France after the Camargue, covering an area of approximately 100,000 hectares.

This artificial landscape developed in the 11th century to mitigate the effects of seasonal rainfall variations is made up of three large groups related to its hydraulic operation: the maritime marsh, the dry marsh, and the wet marsh. The wet marsh, nicknamed the green Venice, owns the label Grand Site de France.

The best way to explore the Marais Poitevin is by sailing the canals on a traditional boat or a kayak. You can also explore the area by bike.

7. Clisson (and Other Picturesque Villages)

The Pays de la Loire is dotted with many picturesque villages, all worth a detour.

Head to Clisson in Loire-Atlantique for a bit of Tuscany in France! This oh-so-romantic town with a medieval chateau was transformed in the 19th century into a town à l’italienne, with architecture inspired by the Tuscan towns.

In the same department, there’s also Le Croisic, with its picturesque port and its unique villas built at the beginning of the seaside tourism in the area. Or Piriac-sur-Mer, a former fishing port, marina, and renowned seaside resort that retains its Breton identity through its heritage and its typical granite architecture.

Have you been to Pornic? Visit the port, formerly known for its trading activity around salt, tiles, and wine, and explore the town’s steep streets, cute shops, and fortified remains.

For something different, head inland to the village of Sainte-Suzanne (Mayenne). This medieval village perched on a rocky peak overlooking the Erve Valley is listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France, and it has a double-walled enclosure and a rich heritage.

8. Parc Naturel Régional de Brière

photo courtesy: ©Alexandre Lamoureux

The Brière National Park, in the department of Loire-Atlantique, is a large area of marshland, great for birdwatching. Indeed, the Brière is a popular stop-off point for birds migrating between Northern Europe and Africa.

In the past, Brière was a center for peat digging and reed picking. Today, it is a great place for a relaxing getaway, with many outdoor activities like horseriding, hiking, or biking.

©Alexandre Lamoureux
photo courtesy: ©Alexandre Lamoureux

You can also explore the park’s canals and islands on a chaland, the typical flat-bottomed boat of the region.  These guided visits usually last 2 hours, and they are a great way to learn more about this area and feel the nature.

Don’t miss the village of Kerhinet, a well-preserved hamlet of thatched cottages (named chaumières) typical of the region, where visitors can see how the locals once lived and the clothes they wore.

TIP: some traditional chaumières in the area offer bed & breakfast accommodation for a unique stay in Brière. Escapade en Brière in Saint-Lyphard always has excellent reviews.

9. The Salt Marshes of Gérande

The Guérande Salt Marshes are a vast wetland zone between the mouths of the rivers Loire and Vilaine.

Here, salt is harvested since the year 868! The salt workers (called paludiers) harvest Guérande salt daily with the tides. They use the same techniques as their ancestors, without machines, obtaining a salt 100% natural, unwashed, and without additives.

The Guérande salt is very rich in magnesium and trace elements. In 2012 it obtained its IGP (Protected Geographical Indication), which guarantees the origin and quality of the salt from Guérande. It is the first time in Europe that this distinction is granted for salt!

If you want to visit the beautiful salt marshes, then head to Terre de Sel. With their tour (also available in English), you’ll learn how the famous Guérande salt is formed and see how the water circuit operates.

10. The Fishing Huts on the Atlantic Coast

The traditional fishing huts along the Atlantic coast are a scene straight from a postcard. These huts are built on pontoons that jut out to the sea and are used for net fishing.

In France, the technique of pêche au carrelet is practiced in the estuaries of the Loire, Charente, and Gironde. This kind of fishing uses a square dipping net with an area of ​​a few square meters stretched over a flat frame and lowered horizontally using a winch from the pontoons. After a few minutes of waiting, to dissipate the disturbance caused by the descent, the net is brought up fairly quickly, trapping the fish between it and the surface.

In the departments of Vendée and Loire-Atlantique these constructions are named pêcheries and they are something to see! You can see pêcheries in Saint-Nazaire, Corsept, La Plaine-sur-Mer, Saint-Brevin, Préfailles, and Pornic.

11. Fortified City of Guérande

Guérande is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in France. Explore Guérande’s fortified ramparts (12th to 15th centuries) and linger in its quaint restaurants and craft shops. If you are more interested in a cultural visit, don’t miss the Porte Saint-Michel Museum, the Saint-Aubin Collegiate Church, and the Notre-Dame-la-Blanche Church.

Guérande is also an excellent base to explore other tourist attractions in Pays de la Loire, like its salt marshes or the Brière Regional Nature Park. You will also find many prehistoric remains in the region, like thirteen dolmens, five menhirs, and some petroglyphs.

And there you have it, the best things to do in Pays de la Loire, France. We hope that you enjoyed these Pays-de-la-Loire attractions. If you want to learn about other regions, head to this article on the Regions of France, where we have summarized the highlights of each region.

Click here to Explore the French Regions

Back to Homepage