Your discovery of Loire-Atlantique begins in Nantes, a city of art and history and the largest city in western France. Culture, heritage and urban excitement are on the agenda! 

Things to do: 

• Stroll along the Allée des Nefs to discover the machines of the Île and its giant elephant.  
• Stroll through the Passage Pommeraye, dating from the late 1840s, with its shops, classified as a historic monument.  
• Step back in time through the streets of the medieval quarter of Bouffay and visit the emblematic Château des Ducs de Bretagne. 

Hop on a bike and follow the green line that runs through many streets for a real ‘Voyage à Nantes’ and discover Nantes' sometimes surprising and unusual treasures. 

Continue this route in Bouaye and enjoy a rest area near Mévellière Park in the heart of the town, with its lake, wooded setting and meadows. This stop will delight nature lovers. 

Things to do: 

• Hike the 3 to 9.5 km ‘Discover Bouaye’ trail.  Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes to 3 hours 45 minutes. 
• Admire the unique landscape of the Lac de Grand-Lieu nature reserve and visit the Maison du Lac de Grand-Lieu. 
• Explore the paths of the Planète Sauvage safari zoo. 

Take a bike ride on a 23km loop starting from Bouaye towards La Pierre Aigüe and admire the view of the Grand-Lieu lake. 

This stage takes you to Rouans in the Pays de Retz, in the heart of the estuarine marshes shaped by the Cistercian monks of Buzay Abbey. From the Rouans rest area, the view of the Acheneau River offers a peaceful, bucolic setting. 

Things to do: 

• Get out your binoculars or open your eyes wide to watch the storks that have made their nests in the marshes between Rouans and Vue. Some even stay here in winter. 
• Go fishing on the banks of the Acheneau or Blanche rivers and enjoy this peaceful moment. 
• Admire the Buzay tower, the only remaining vestige of the Cistercian abbey of Buzay. 

Cycle in the footsteps of the film Le Grand Chemin with the circuit of the same name. A 21.4km loop for about 1 hour 45 minutes of cycling in the countryside.  

Take advantage of this trip to stop off at Saint-Père en Retz or do your shopping in Saint-Viaud. On one side is Saint-Viaud, perched on Mont-Scobrit, which boasts a rich and varied architectural heritage including castles, mills, chapels and calvaries. On the other hand, Saint-Père-en-Retz, where you can stroll around and discover its fully restored wash house, built in 1871. Ideal for enjoying a day at Légendia park, just a few kilometres away! 

Things to do:   

• Ride on the lake at the Saint Viaud leisure centre, or simply relax and go fishing.  
• Walk through the Vitalian and Pérecian countryside. 
• Visit the cave of Saint-Vital and its crypt. 
• Visit the conservatory of old crafts and the Maison du Lavoir to immerse yourself in the past. 

Head to the banks of the Loire and cycle along the ‘Loire à vélo’ cycle path from Paimboeuf to Saint-Brevin via Corsept. You can stop off at the Observatoire des Géants Industriels, a covered pontoon accessible to all, to enjoy the breathtaking view of the port of Nantes-Saint Nazaire and its various terminals. 

You are now on the Jade Coast, named after the colour of the ocean. This short stop will give you the opportunity to discover Pornic and its wild coastline. This port city is home to the castle of the Lords of Retz, including the famous Gilles de Rais, known as Bluebeard. 

Things to do:   

• Stroll along the quays of Pornic's old port and explore the steep streets of the town centre. 
• Sail aboard the Corsaires de Retz or the Evasion III to discover the Jade Coast from the Atlantic Ocean.
• Walk along the customs officers' path and let yourself be carried away by the sound of the waves, the pretty seaside villas and the landscapes of the wild coast. 

Enjoy a 9.6km bike ride along the Ria de Pornic and the Haute Perche canal. Download the Baludik app and set off on the treasure hunt ‘La Ria de Pornic au fil du Canal de Haute Perche’ (The Ria de Pornic along the Haute Perche Canal), a fun way to discover nature and history. 

Continue this tour in Préfailles and stroll past its seaside villas, each more stunning than the last, in a preserved natural environment. Be careful, if you fall under its spell, you may want to extend your stay. ‘Once you arrive, you'll never leave’ is the motto of the town that welcomed the first sea bathers to the Jade Coast thanks to its ferruginous water source. 

Things to do:  

• Visit the Pointe Saint Gildas semaphore station and enjoy its landscaped grounds with a reproduction of a semaphore mast. 
• Look up and fall under the spell of the unusual kites dating from the 1900s hanging from the ceiling of the century-old family shop, Le Grand Bazar. 
• Stroll through the Pointe Saint Gildas nature reserve and discover the local flora and fauna intertwined with the historical past of the Second World War. 

Take the Vélocéan, a cycle path that crosses the Loire-Atlantique along the ocean, and join the cycle paths of La Plaine sur Mer to admire the Plaine countryside. Ideal in spring, a multitude of colours are revealed thanks to the fields in bloom. 
Take advantage of this getaway to discover the shellfish farming area of La Plaine sur Mer and taste oysters, mussels and spirulina. 

The final stop on the Jade Coast is Saint Michel-Chef-Chef, also known as the Jade Pearl.  The town has two sides to it: one is coastal, with the seaside resort of Tharon-Plage, and the other is rural.  

Things to do:

• Indulge your sweet tooth and succumb to the delights of the famous Saint Michel galettes created by the Grellier family in Saint Michel Chef Chef.
• Get your fill of thrills with a water sport on the large beach at Tharon, choosing from: coastal walking, sand yachting, windsurfing or paddleboarding.
• Descend the large white and blue staircase, walk on the sand, marvel at the blue fishery and drink water from the spring. 

Hop on your bike and  follow the 21.7 km ‘tour of the commune’ circuit for about 2 hours and enjoy both the charm of the coastline and the gentleness of the countryside.  

(Re)Discover this fortified town with its famous ramparts, also nicknamed the ‘Carcassonne of the West’, you're in Guérande la Médiévale! Between the beaches and salt marshes, the villas of La Baule and the thatched cottages of Brière, have a good time exploring the many facets of the Guérande peninsula, which you can discover by bike, on foot or by boat!

Things to do : 

• Start with the must-see salt marshes of Guérande, as well as its beautiful walled town!
• Continue with a nature break in the Brière Regional Nature Park. This wetland covers 56,500 hectares and is one of the most biologically rich in Europe.
• Here you'll find the village-museum of Kerhinet, a journey into the land of authenticity with its 18 thatched-roof houses, a typical Brière technique since the 17th century.

Continue this tour in the famous seaside resort of La Baule-Escoublac. Once buried under sand in 1751 by a storm, this small village has become an essential stop on the Guérande peninsula. In addition to its iconic pine forest, La Baule, one of the most beautiful bays in the world at 9 kilometres long, hides some architectural gems. 

Things to do:  

• Go cockle fishing in La Baule Bay.  
• Sail the Atlantic Ocean with one of La Baule's sailing schools. 
• Leave the seafront and deliberately lose yourself in the adjacent streets of the La Baule Les Pins district to marvel at  the 19th-century seaside villas in Art Deco, ocean liner or Belle Époque styles. 

Set off on a bike ride to soak up nature by following the ‘la petite marchande’ circuit, a 10km loop for a 2½-hour ride in the footsteps of Pauline Antignac, an iconic local figure and her travelling haberdashery shop. Bucolic setting, Escoublac forest and bocage countryside. A feast for the eyes. 

This next stop is located north of the Guérande peninsula, in La Turballe, known for its fishing port, the largest in the department. Sardines made La Turballe famous thanks to the booming canning industry in the 19th century.

Things to do:   

• Stroll around the harbour and let yourself be lulled by the lapping water and colourful boats. 
• Explore the natural area of Pen Bron, a protected dune massif, and watch the birds. 
• Try your hand at fishing through the many fishing-related activities, the ‘Maison de la Pêche’ museum, fish auctions and meetings with fishermen. 

Set off on a 20km loop starting from the centre of La Turballe. With salt marshes in a thousand and one colours, the Pointe de Pen Bron and the countryside, this walk will take you on an emotional journey along quiet roads and greenways. 

Stone houses, streets lined with hydrangeas... you're not in Brittany, although its past is strongly linked to the region, but in Piriac-sur-Mer. This charming little town takes its name from ‘Pen kiriak’, which means ‘bad point’ due to its dangerous coastline for sailing. Contrary to the origin of its name, this village is steeped in poetry. 

Things to do:  

• Follow one of the tourist office guides and discover the history, nature and heritage of Piriac. 
• Stroll through the flower-filled streets of the village for a peaceful moment. 
• Walk on the sand at La Mine beach and listen to the legend of Almanzor's tomb. 

Hop on a bicycle for a two-hour tour of the charming town of Piriac-sur-Mer in Guérande. Don't miss the thousand-year-old salt marshes, home to a wide variety of flora and fauna.