The area around Pornichet is full of surprises and places to discover. La Baule and Saint-Nazaire are not to be missed. The latter has a whole palette of visitor attractions: the submarine base, the shipyards... Closer to the town, the Côte Sauvage or Wild Coast runs from Pouliguen to Le Croisic. Visit the Océarium, Le Croisic harbour, Guérande and its salt marshes... or enjoy a boat trip on the canals of La Brière, France’s second largest regional nature park. If you are a good sailor, take a boat trip to Belle-Île, Houat or Hoëdic and discover the pearls of the Golf du Morbihan. And before you set off for home, make sure you visit the fine capital city of the Dukes of Brittany: Nantes.
La Baule-Guérande Peninsula
No need to introduce La Baule, a reputed seaside holiday destination in Southern Brittany, which attracts both families and the jetset. Nestled at the far-end of the Pornichet-La Baule Bay, is Le Pouliguen with its bustling promenade—ideal for a seaside stroll. For those in search of inlets and secluded beaches, the wild coast of Le Pouliguen and Le Croisic offers of string of magical places. Farther to the North, Piriac and Mesquer allow nature-lovers to discover quaint villages which characterize the style of southern Brittany. On the other side of the Bay, explore Batz-sur-Mer’s traditional promenade which runs along the wild coast between Le Pouliguen and Le Croisic. Discover the amazing Pen-Bron Point from La Turballe with its forest nestled between the sea and the salt marshes of Guérande. Art and history culminate in the medieval walled city of Guérande (meaning white country in Breton) whose collegial church overlooks the salt marches.
The Brière Nature Reserve
Second only to the Camargue in Southern France, the Briere Nature Reserve creates a mysterious atmosphere with its intertwining system of canals and unique ecosystem.
Best explored on foot, by horse and carriage or by flat-bottomed boat.
Get a panoramic view from the bell towers of the churches in Saint-Lyphard, Batz-sur-Mer and La Turballe.
Saint Nazaire
In Saint-Nazaire, embark on a trip for another world. You have the choice between: the dreamlike world of cruise liners, the mysterious secret world of submarines, or the industrial world of the shipyards. For those who aren’t sailors, take a flight in the cabin of the A380, the supersize jet created in St Nazaire and finished in Toulouse.
Saint Nazaire, one of the cities in Southern Brittany with the richest industrial heritages.
Nantes
What a shame it would be to pass up a visit to the capital of the Ducs of Brittany! Nantes has everything to fulfill your expectations. From the castle and its museum which recounts the history of the city, to the Machines de l’Ile and its giant elephant, all creatures inspired by the world of Jules Verne, to the Lieu Unique, a former factory turned cultural Mecca of all sorts, to the quaint neighborhoods such as Bouffay. Nantes--a city worth visiting !
