Beautiful region in France: the Pays de la Loire
Ocean liners in Saint-Nazaire, blue cheeses to die for and a maritime museum where you almost want to live. The Pays de la Loire is one of the most varied 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 location on the coast, with beautiful beaches and popular seaside resorts. Deeper inland you will discover authentic France, with regions such as Maine-et-Loire, Mayenne and Sarthe. The Brière nature park is also interesting, 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 find the tastiest cheeses. Famous in this region is the Crottin de Chavignol, a creamy soft blue cheese made from goat's milk. And if you do read your shopping list at the cheesemonger... Cendré d'Olivet, Curé Nantais and a Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine. Pack and go!
Saint Nazaire
Back on the coast, don't miss Saint-Nazaire. Sea giants were built at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard, 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 the Second World War. At that time, the Germans had turned 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. The 2003-meter-long Queen Mary 345 followed in 2.
The Ecomusée is now located in the enormous concrete bunker of the submarine base. There you will 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 shops and much more!
You must do it
Misuse! La Loire à vélo has a cycle path of no less than 800 kilometers, almost three quarters of which is along the Loire River. The complete route links six departments together and you pass countless castles. More information: www.fietsen-loire.com
With the children
You imagine yourself in the Middle Ages, in the historic theme amusement park Le Puy du Fou. Watch Roman gladiators battle each other, flee from the Vikings and compete with the Knights of the Round Table. More information: www.puydufou.com/nl
You 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 it with a glass of Jasnière, a fresh white wine from the region.
Wide range of campers and caravans
Explore the Pays de la Loire from your own camper or caravan? Our website contains a large and current range of new and used campers and caravans. View the offer here. Even more interesting camping areas view here.
