Discover the banks of the Loire: our favourites

The Loire River is a veritable green pillar of the department, and an ideal location for your stay in the Loire-Atlantique region. From its banks, sailing on its waters or travelling along its tributaries, you'll discover remarkable sites and villages, all imprinted with the river. Discover our favourites from the kilometres of river that dot the Loire-Atlantique.

Le pays d’Ancenis

Among the towns living in harmony with the Loire, Ancenis is the perfect example and therefore an ideal town for a day out on the banks of the Loire! With its bridge linking the two banks of the Loire between the north of the Loire-Atlantique and the Mauges, Ancenis is a lively place to visit all year round. There are many shops and restaurants in the centre, and a market is held twice a week. You can visit its chateau, and it's also a perfect starting point for nature walks on the banks of the Loire (circuit de l’Île Mouchet, l’Île Delage, Marais de Grée). 

Ancenis also offers some great activities on the Loire. Go canoeing with the equipment hired by Plein Air Ancenien (from 15 euros). Or, more unusual, you can climb aboard a yole with the association Fille de Loire. This type of wooden boat combining rowing and sailing will ensure you have a unique souvenir of your stay in Loire-Atlantique! For more traditional cruises, other simpler cruise boats, lasting just a few hours a day, set sail on the Loire around Ancenis (Détours de Loire, L’Anguille sous Roche, Loire Escale Nautique, La Luce). 

Take a trip on land near Ancenis and discover the village of Oudon. With its medieval castle, it offers a lovely setting for strolling and relaxing. You can enjoy the banks of the Loire as well as the Rivière du Havre, which can be explored by boat or canoe. For more information, contact the office de tourisme : 02 40 83 07 44.

Discovering the village can also be done as part of a turnkey day out thanks to the Un Jour Un Village box, which can be found in our Holiday Pass (a stroll around the village, a visit to an ancient masonry castle, a tour of an artisan soap factory, a cruise on the Loire). An opportunity to get a taste of this beautiful Loire-Atlantique village.

Séjourner à Ancenis: for a holiday by the Loire and in the heart of the Ancenis region, opt for le gîte Loire Escale: located in the historic centre of Ancenis, shops and restaurants, you'll be à two steps opposite the château and à 80 m from the banks of the Loire. This former barn, now an Ecogîte, has been restored in keeping with the original materials and offers you a living space combining comfort and modernity.

La levée de la Divatte

For a beautiful stroll along the banks of the Loire, set off on the path of the Divatte levee on the south bank between Ancenis and Nantes. This dyke, used to protect the land from flooding by the river, has been upgraded with a road and a footpath for cyclists and walkers. For 15 km, you can admire the full width of the Loire and make the most of attractive places to stop off. The site de la Pierre Percée à Divatte-sur-Loire offers a large park for picnics and moments to nap and/or play. Near the village of La Chebuette, you'll come across the Clémence restaurant, a historic site for the creation of beurre blanc and still the reference for it in Loire-Atlantique. 

La levée de la Divatte is very well known to cyclists as it forms part of the Loire à Vélo (Eurovélo 6) route, which reaches Burgundy à l’océan in 900 km. This sector of Loire-Atlantique is therefore perfect for cycling-loving holidaymakers. 

From Nantes à Trentemoult

If you're staying in Nantes, you won't be passing the Loire. Whether the water is there or not. Several of the city centre's art galleries are former arms of the river, filled in between the wars. A number of districts have kept the name of the river (Île Feydeau, Île Gloriette). Only the Île de Nantes remains, reborn from its maritime past. Boat building has been replaced by the development of the exquisite Machines de l’Île. A must-see for visitors to Nantes.

The city has managed to retain beautiful stretches of nature, veritable invitations to stroll along the tributaries of the Loire. You can walk or cycle along the banks of the Erdre, Sèvre or Chézine rivers.

Board the ferry terminal for an express Navibus cruise. This boat, which is part of the city's public transport network, takes you on a trip along the Loire as far as the village of Trentemoult. Take a stroll through the narrow streets and colourful houses of this former fishing village. It's a real patchwork that will transport you to an atmosphere a thousand miles from the town you've just left! A guaranteed discount! What if we stayed and lived here?”

The Loire marshes

Downstream from Nantes, at the edge of the urban area, there are pristine natural areas where it's great to take a stroll. We invite you to discover the Aubudon marsh in Couëron, on the north bank of the Loire. The marsh is named after Jean-Jacques Audubon, the famous 19th-century naturalist who grew up in Couëron and thus made his first explorations of the marshes. The area is a beautiful natural reserve with a wealth of animal and plant species. This makes it an ideal place to enjoy nature walks and observe the flora and fauna. Walking and cycling routes are available from Couëron and Saint-Etienne-de-Montluc. 

Areas of marshland extend as far as the town of Cordemais. Here a stop must be made at Terre d’Estuaire. This interpretation centre for the Loire estuary provides a better understanding of the river and its surroundings. A unique visit during your stay in Loire-Atlantique! Opening in 2019, it offers a highly interactive tour, suitable for all ages. Don't miss the balloon ride for a 360-degree view of the surrounding area! 

Paimboeuf, a town full of colour 

If you're staying in the Pays de Retz, on the south bank of the Loire, Paimboeuf will offer you a lovely walk full of colour. This town was an important outport of Nantes, where ships arrived from the Atlantic and transferred their goods to smaller vessels to sail up the Loire. However, the port was abandoned in favour of Saint-Nazaire in the second half of the 19th century. Today, however, there is still a pretty harbour atmosphere that you need to discover: a quay on the banks of the Loire where you can stroll and admire the colourful facades of the barns. You will no doubt be interested to see the house of artist Dominique Leroy, 20 du quai Boulay Paty. He changes the look of his house every year (wood, tyres and electronic equipment are all used).

The town is also dotted with street-art works initiated by the local association 13ARTS. They have called on artists from the Loire-Atlantique region and the local bénévoles to colour certain walls in the town. The Paimboeuf town council asked them to embellish and modernise the public space. This gives a red thread à la découverte de la cité port. 

Finally, the end of the artistic trail, at the eastern end of the city, with a site taken over by artist Kinya Maruyama: Le Jardin Etoilé. Commissioned as part of Voyage Nantes' Estuaire art trail, the site offers a variety of perched viewing points from which to observe the garden and the Loire. It's a great place to spend some quality family time.

If you want to enjoy water sports in Paimboeuf, you'll need to get away from the Loire. The Loire estuary is not designed for leisure boating. However, there are a number of places in two neighbouring communes where you can enjoy the pleasures of the water. In Frossay, head for the Quai Vert. The town has set up this multi-activity centre on the banks of the Canal de la Martini, offering canoe hire and other services. In Saint-Viaud, you'll find more thrills and spills than you can shake a stick at the wakeboarding activity installed on the lake by TSN44.For more water-based activities, you can also head to the coast and discover the beautiful beaches of Loire-Atlantique.

For your holidays on the banks of the Loire, discover all our gîtes and B&Bs around Paimboeuf.

For a rich and unforgettable day out in Loire-Atlantique, simply follow the river! The Loire will become a fully-fledged companion that you won't be able to do without for your walks and visits.

Photo credits: A.Lamoureux 

Text credits: Ma Vie en Loire-Atlantique