Situated in the Pays de la Loire region, between the Guérande peninsula and Nantes, the historic capital of Brittany, the town of Saint-Nazaire offers a coastline with more than 20 beaches. One of them is the beach of Monsieur Hulot, immortalised in Jacques Tati’s famous film Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday.
Its seaport, Port Atlantique Nantes Saint-Nazaire, is the largest on the French Atlantic coast.
Here are some of the places to visit that tell the story of the city, its port and its maritime past:
For more information on Saint-Nazaire: www.saint-nazaire-tourisme.com Tourist Office***: Tel. +33 (0)2 40 22 40 65
From Saint-Nazaire to La Baule, from Le Croisic to the Côte Sauvage, from Guérande to the Brière, from Pornichet to Le Pouliguen and from La Turballe to Piriac-sur-Mer, South Brittany has something to all lovers of the countryside, traditions and heritage.
Every day, in a different atmosphere, never tiring, the South of Brittany (united with the Pays de la Loire) offers its landscapes, its harbours, its beaches and its towns. To love it, you must love the sea, the sailors and the navy too. This is where liners, trawlers and pleasure boats set sail. Some opt for the open sea, others for the estuary and sail all the way to Nantes. For those who prefer to stay put, there is plenty to do, from swimming and fishing to exploring the area and savouring its salty gastronomy.
From Le Pouliguen to Le Croisic, cliffs, caves and rocks cut into the coastline overlooking the sea. The Côte Sauvage invites walkers to make as many stops as possible to discover the treasures of our local heritage. These include the beach at Port-Lin, the Pointe du Fort and the Pierre-Longue menhir at Le Croisic, Plage Valentin, the Chapelle Notre-Dame-du-Mûrier and the church of Saint-Guénolé at Batz-sur-Mer, the beach at Pen-Bron and the Plage des Bretons at La Turballe. Along the way, visit the Océarium in Le Croisic or the Salt Marsh Museum in Batz-sur-Mer, as well as the typical villages of La Turballe, Le Pouliguen and Le Croisic. The Côte Sauvage defies the vagaries of the weather and is open to the most intrepid visitors even in the worst of conditions. An exceptional setting for scuba diving, its waters are teeming with life but often turbulent, so beware of reckless lone divers.
For more information on Bretagne Plein Sud: www.labaule-guerande.com
Nantes Atlantique airport is the closest and easiest to reach due to its geographical location, but other airports are also accessible, such as La Baule airport, Lorient airport and Rennes – Saint-Jacques airport.
Direct connections within 1h30 from Nantes Atlantique airport: Toulouse, Lyon, Strasbourg, Geneva, Amsterdam, London, Madrid.
NAVairport provides a shuttle service between Nantes Atlantique airport and Guérande, La Baule, Pornichet and Saint-Nazaire.
For further information: Nantes Atlantique Airport: www.nantes.aeroport.fr – Tel. +33 (0)2 40 84 80 00
NAVairport: www.navairport.com – Tel. +33 (0)6 61 67 00 44
