France > France travel > Western Loire

Pays de la Loire, France tourist information

Pays de la Loire is found between southern Brittany and northern Poitou Charentes, on the western side of France. The departments in Pays de la Loire are: Loire-Atlantique; Maine-et-Loire; Mayenne, Sarthe and Vendée.

Often you will be in this region, when you think you are in the Loire Valley or Brittany so see also those areas. Note that Nantes, formerly the capital of Brittany, is in this region. Equally confusingly, the Loire Valley, containing most of the Loire valley chateau, is officially in the region called Centre, not in the Pays de la Loire!

See also our dedicated Vendée travel guide

 

The east - Maine-et-Loire, Mayenne and Sarthe

- tapestries at Angers

- the popular town of Saumur deserves a visit (see also the Château de Saumur)

- in addition to the Château de Saumur (above) the Château d'Angers and Château de Brissac, most western of the renowned Loire Valley chateaux, fall in the Pays de la Loire region, as does the Chateau Plessis-Bourre.

- the Abbey at Fontevraud

Visit Le Mans...not just a race track!

Visit Montsoreau, a classified most beautiful village

See also Chateau Montreuil-Bellay in our French castles section and a note about why the Loire Valley is now listed UNESCO World heritage Site

- the town of Baugé is also a recommended place to visit

The west - Loire-Atlantique

Visit Guerande, a lovely walled town on its own peninsula

The popular Loire-Atlantique coastline west of Nantes includes the Jade Coast (around Pornic, south of the Loire estuary); and the Cote d'Amour (which itself includes the Cote Sauvage, Le Croisic and La Baule) to the north of the Loire estuary.

 

The south-west Loire - Vendée

Best known for its beaches and seaside resorts such as Sables d'Olonne, a couple of the other most well known highlights of the Vendee region are:

- the island of Noirmoutier

- the marshy region north of La Rochelle at Marais Poitevin - is a peaceful and unique marshland region

- the ruined abbey at Maillezais is on the border of the marshes. and the abbey at Nieul-sur-l'Autise is also in the Vendee.

- the village of Vouvant, a classified most beautiful village, is found in Vendée, as is the town of Fontenay-le-Comte.

But these don't explain why the Vendee is such a popular region with visitors! See our section dedicated to the Vendee department of France here: Vendée, France to discover more.

Visit Loire (west) - travel information

Map of Western Loire, France