Beautiful region in France: the Pays de la Loire
Ocean liners in Saint-Nazaire, mold cheeses to die for and a maritime museum where you'd almost want to live. The Pays de la Loire is one of the most diverse regions in France.
The Pays de la Loire, also known as the Atlantic Loire region, is located on the west coast of France, below Brittany. It is a popular holiday destination due to its coastal location, with beautiful beaches and popular seaside resorts. Deeper inland you discover authentic France, with regions such as Maine-et-Loire, Mayenne and Sarthe. Also interesting is the Brière nature park, which largely consists of marshes: an ideal breeding ground for birds.
The tastiest cheeses
During a car trip through the interior you drive through sleepy villages and past small farms. Here you can also score the tastiest cheeses. Famous in this region is the Crottin de Chavignol, a creamy soft mold cheese made from goat's milk. And if you're already reading your shopping list to the cheesemonger... Cendré d’Olivet, Curé Nantais and a Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine. Pack up and go!
Saint-Nazaire
Back on the coast, you shouldn't miss Saint-Nazaire. At the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard, ocean giants were built, including the legendary passenger ship SS Normandie, which later capsized in New York after a fire, when the Americans wanted to use the ship in World War II. At that time, the Germans had transformed Saint-Nazaire into a submarine base, which was then bombed by the Americans. After the war, the shipyard built the passenger ship France in 1962. In 2003, the 345-meter long Queen Mary 2 followed.
The Ecomusée is now located in the enormous concrete bunker of the submarine base. There you can learn everything about the history of Saint-Nazaire, the shipyard and you can also board the ss Escal’Atlantic and the submarine Espadon. Oh, and shopping – we almost forgot – is fun in Nantes, in the Graslin district. Nice fashion stores and much more!
Must do
Cycling! A cycling path of no less than 800 kilometers is La Loire à vélo, almost three-quarters of which runs along the river Loire. The complete route connects six departments and you pass countless castles. More information: www.fietsen-loire.com
With the kids
You imagine yourself in the Middle Ages, in the historical theme park Le Puy du Fou. Watch Roman gladiators fight each other, flee from the Vikings and join the Knights of the Round Table. More information: www.puydufou.com/nl
Must try
A specialty from this region: rillauds d’Anjou. A stew of simmered pork. Delicious with mogettes, a dish with white beans. You drink a glass of Jasnière with it, a fresh white wine from the region.
Large selection of campers and caravans
Explore the Pays de la Loire from your own camper or caravan? On our website you will find a large and up-to-date selection of new and used campers and caravans. View the offer here. Even more interesting camping areasview here.
