11 Best Things to Do in Pays de la Loire

Cité Plantagenet is the well-preserved old town of Le Mans, the capital city of the Maine rural province. The area is surrounded by a Roman wall and features narrow cobbled streets, in which you’ll find Saint-Julien de Mans Cathedral, gothic mansions, timber buildings, quaint restaurants and arts and craft boutiques. The old town was entirely renovated in the mid-1970s and offers an enjoyable journey through history.

Get a map at the tourism office and go explore Cité Plantagenet. Don't miss the Carré Plantagenet Museum if you’re interested in the era of the House of Plantagenet. You can also join a guided tour of the old town for a small fee.

Guérande, one of France's best-preserved medieval towns, offers a rich tapestry of cultural and natural attractions. Fully surrounded by a 1,500-metre-long granite rampart, the charming old town is a maze of narrow streets bustling with arts and crafts boutiques and food shops, many offering the local delicacy of sweet and salty crepes.

Iconic landmarks like the Porte Saint-Michel Museum, Saint Aubin’s Church and Notre-Dame la Blanche Church are must-sees, as well as a guided visit of the salt marshes just west of town. Another area that you should not miss is the Brière Regional Natural Park, a 7,000-hectare wetland haven, perfect for tranquil rowboat rides.

Dating back to the 13th century, the Château des Ducs de Bretagne, or Castle of the Dukes of Brittany in English, is a fortress boasting 7 towers linked by a sentry walkway. Converted into a municipal museum in 1924, it now hosts an urban history museum, offering a captivating exploration of Nantes and the Pays de la Loire region.

Its several permanent exhibitions present a blend of historical objects and multimedia installations, ensuring a fun and educational experience. Keep an eye out for temporary events, such as live music and art shows.

The Passage Pommeraye is a covered street built in 1840 in the centre of Nantes. It offers a route between La Fosse and Santeuil Streets, featuring splendid Renaissance-style architecture, with staircases and statues sheltered by a glass ceiling. Spanning approximately 100 metres, this shopping street gives you the feeling of stepping back into the 19th century.

The Passage Pommeraye is a lively shopping street that hosts numerous elegant boutiques and coffee shops in a 3-level shopping arcade. From fashion to interior decoration and from local food to jewels, the boutiques here are rather upscale, in line with the classy appearance of the place. Beautiful and pleasant all year round, the Passage Pommeraye is especially appealing at Christmas time.

Fontevraud Abbey is a UNESCO World Heritage site near Saumur, in the Loire Valley. Built during the 12th century, the abbey was disestablished as a monastery during the French Revolution and became one of the toughest prisons in France during the 19th century.

Nowadays, Fontevraud Abbey is one of the most notable historic sites in Pays de la Loire. Covering 32 acres of parkland, it’s the perfect place to take a break for a few hours, strolling around the Romanesque kitchens, the cloisters and the abbey. The majestic architecture of the edifices and the importance of the abbey throughout history makes it a must-see place.

Inspired by Jules Vernes, Leonardo Da Vinci and the industrial history of Nantes, the Machines of the Isle of Nantes are an attraction that blends fantasy, technical skill and imagination. This artistic and cultural project is in a vintage covered shipyard toward the western end of Beaulieu Island, just south to the centre of Nantes.

Take a ride on a life-size, mechanical elephant, enjoy a tour on the Marine Worlds Carrousel and climb on the Heron Tree. You can also visit the workshop to see how the machines are built. The Great Elephant ride is so popular that it’s best to pre-book it online if you don't want to queue too long, particularly during summer months.

Stretched between Le Pouliguen and Pornichet, La Baule Bay boasts almost 9 km of white, powdery sand, making it the longest beach in Europe. This chic seaside resort is known for its prestige hotels, first-class restaurants, vintage luxury villas and casinos. Like all coastal destinations in south Brittany, La Baule is busy from May to September, but it never loses its stylish atmosphere.

La Baule Beach is the main attraction from dawn ‘til dusk. Here, you’ll spot horse riders, joggers and cyclists in the morning, beachgoers all day long and gamblers in the evening. Most leisure and sporting activities available in La Baule are located around the beach.

Le Puy du Fou is one of the most popular theme parks in France, taking you through the history of the country. There are 20 breath-taking shows played throughout the day in the Grand Parc, including the medieval battle re-enactment, The Secret of the Lance and the captivating swordplay of Richelieu's Musketeers.

The main show, the Cinéscénie, is performed in the evening on one of the largest stages in the world, telling the story of the area through the past 700 years. Featuring over 2,000 actors, hundreds of horses and impressive pyrotechnic effects, the Cinéscénie is an incredible performance, and one of the world’s biggest theatrical evening shows. The Grand Parc and the Cinéscénie shows can be booked separately.

Head to Zoo de la Flèche to see over 1,500 animals representing about 120 species. Settled on about 44 acres of lush land, Zoo de la Flèche ranks among the most popular attractions in Pays de la Loire, featuring different areas for each type of animal. It is famous for its animal shows, performed throughout the day. Don’t miss the sea lion show at the Marine World section of the zoo or the free-flight bird show.

For an additional fee, you can become a keeper for a day at the zoo. You’ll do what pro zookeepers do on a daily basis, including feeding the animals and cleaning their enclosure.

Pays de la Loire, located on the western side of the Loire Valley, is renowned for its 2 wine-producing areas: Nantais, around Nantes, and Anjou-Saumur, between Angers and Saumur. The crisp white wines produced near Nantes, Muscadet and Gros-plant, pair perfectly with seafood, whereas Anjou-Saumur features a broad range of white, red and rosé wines with varying degrees of sweetness.

From Vignoble Marchais in Thouaré sur Loire to Domaine du Closel in Savennières, there are many vineyards that can be visited. Here, you’ll meet passionate producers, learn how they work and taste their wines in a friendly atmosphere. It’s best to rent a driver or use public transportation if you go for a wine-tasting day in Pays de la Loire.

Head to Les Sables-d’Olonne to sample fresh langoustines at one of the restaurants located near the marina, particularly along Quai René Guiné. Situated in the southwest part of Pays de la Loire, Les Sables-d’Olonne is a seaside town especially renowned for being the departure and arrival point of the Vendée Globe, the famous round-the-world yacht race held every 4 years.

The marina is a lively place to wander around. It contains many cool places where you can try a wide variety of seafood, all caught fresh daily. Take a table with a view of the marina and watch people passing by while enjoying some delicious langoustines with mayonnaise, accompanied by a chilled glass of Muscadet. It doesn't get much better.