Things to see and do Loire-Atlantique

12 hectares of wood and gardens with several buildings dating from the th to the th century welcome you to the Plessis Park. You can follow a guided tour of the site, taken by a knowledgeable guide, the owner who is a landscape architect. But this place is much more than just a park, it's also a full place of animation. Children can walk through the pony park and take part in all kinds of themed days. Special days are organized around theatre, music and singing. Ornithomlogiques outings are also organized, as well as various courses and conferences. You must contact the Park for these contingencies. Remarkable: you can imagine here the croquet game that comes back to fashion, a mandatory canotier!

Originally, it is a chapel belonging to the lords of Bretesche. Amended in 1803, it became the parish church. The carillon houses two bells Marie-Aimable and Saint Vincent, brought back from the Napoleonic countryside.

A soil rich in iron ore, a territory covered by forests and water favored the birth of metallurgy in the country of Châteaubriant in the seventeenth century. The Hunaudière forges, the site of La Forge Neuve… the beautiful houses of the master are the nostalgic remains of an industry that knows its apogee in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. But the invention of the forged forge in English competition the metallurgy to wood. The use of coke in blast furnaces and the appearance of steel sound like the ice. In 1884 the last furnace, that of the Hunaudière, ceased its activity.

Former village of nantais shipowners with beautiful residences. The th century hold is to be seen. If you are on foot or by bike, you can borrow the Loire ferry free of charge.

There was a plaque on the occasion of the 500 th anniversary of the death of François II, who died in this house. With Charles VIII, he signed the peace treaty between Brittany and France in 1488. In the church, just next door, stalls, classified in historical monuments, would come from Buzay abbey, located on the other bank of the Loire.

The Bord de Loire is the ideal place to relax and enjoy a pleasant stroll from the Walkers, with its lead tower, cycling paths, port and esplanade open onto the river.

This Gothic manor house of the 1588 th century was the time of a stage, the future Henri IV, in. It was acquired by the commune.

Many hiking connections with neighboring municipalities invite the discovery of the country of Herbauges: vineyards, lanterns, ponds and lake Grand Place. Five walking circuits are possible from the commune: The Landes (7 km), Mévellière/Bocage (7 km, the name of a castle of the eighteenth century located on a 55 ha estate), Les Moulins (12 km), Les Vignes (12 km) and the Tour du lac (74 km). Trails are included in the departmental plan for walking and hiking routes (PDIPR) and are registered in GR. Information from the City Hall at 02 51 70 55 55.

Built in the th century, burnt during the wars of Vendée, it was finally restored on order of Napoleon I who wanted to pacify the spirits.

By visiting the Château de la Motte-Glain, we will stop at the church of the Old Hamlet, classified as a historic monument and located in Saint-Sulpice-des-Landes (D 878). It houses, the largest painted ensemble of the Gothic era of the Loire-Atlantique. The bright windows of the southern facade with windows lime suggest that its construction would take place at the beginning of the th century. Like the paintings using the wet process - hot glue paint, carried out on a dry background - in use in the Middle Ages. The Appearances of Christ, The Escape in Egypt, the Résurrection Resurrection… are represented. The chair dates back to 1784 and the curious Roman baptistery with double Tank.

10,6 km (8,9 km with shortcut). This circuit offers its way to the Convent, its Clos de la Fontaine rose, the former mill of La and the Château-Chabot Castle, built in the th century. It was on the Marsoire Hill that the Germans established a battery of DCA to protect the airfield and Usine plant that repairs the Luftwaffe aircraft.

Approximately 5.6 km (1:30). The rostrums on the Loire edges can be seen in turn, many of which are subject to recovery work - the Forks Island which houses the ripple shrike and the shoreline swallow, two protected species. Finally the site of the Sangle where the rich archeological remains have been discovered attesting to a very ancient occupation of the site.

On the Great beacon path, a few hundred metres from the forest trail, you will discover the right-hand oak on the nails. It is a 500-year-old tree that is supposed to have curative powers against espoir of humans. This oak would be the only survivor of a group of oaks slaughtered before 1742, it is now isolated in the midst of younger subjects. With a circumference of 4,20 metres to 1 metres from the ground, it is distinguished by a niche attached to its trunk which houses a Virgin to the Child, and especially by a trunk covered with hundreds of nails. In the past, the word nail designated furuncles; and popular tradition attributes to this oak the power to heal these painful conditions. A former pagan rite was practised: it was about coming alone, at night, sheltered from eyes, rubbing coffin nails against the sick part of his body; Then take seven times the tower of the tree, send a prayer to the soul of the tree, plant the nails in the trunk on the face that never see the sun. The rite ended with hindsight and welcoming the tree.

In a wandering, curious, bucolic or epicurean mood? Whether you prefer vineyards, culture, the seaside, the Nantes-Brest canal, Nantes and its surroundings, alone or with your family, the Loire Atlantique Tourism website is a real playground. Depending on the weather, you can opt for walks, bike rides, seaside activities, cultural visits, or even the discovery of local know-how... The interactive tourist map is very easy to use and offers an overview of the Loire-Atlantique department, its wide choice of outings, points of interest such as discovering the natural area of the Grand-Lieu lake and other local experiences... You can get around in one click. Note also that there is also a "box" to offer, the "Loire-Atlantique Box", to offer all your desires!

Baptism as a coupling, a sports walk or a walk in carriage, the exit you choose will necessarily be successful. At the rhythm of the horses you will discover, for example, salt marshes… A pleasant way of discovering the whole family from the youngest to the greatest. Lovers of horses or not, you will enjoy walking in their company, relaxing, soothing and walking filled with joy and energy. 

At night, the port of Saint-Nazaire lights up to offer a shadow, light and colour choreography, imagined by Yann Kersalé. After sunset, the port, marked with red and green, shines out of all its lights: bridges, submarine base, silos, cranes… Movement of locks, ships and bridges, ballet of cranes and trucks around boats, went and came from men on the port… The Docks Night is orchestrated by the life of the wharves and the basins. A whole range of activities recorded and analyzed by the day allows to compose different light paintings returned during the night, over the seasons. A very beautiful show.

Walking on a footbridge in the middle of the beds and climb at the top of a lookout to observe the Loire, the marshes, the chimneys of the power station of Cordemais, the bridge of Saint-Nazaire, the village of Lavau-sur-Loire, this tells you? Travel is worth a detour: The view is splendid. This observatory is the work of the world renowned Japanese artist Tadashi Kawamata. It was created in 2007 as part of the Biennale of Contemporary Art (now known as the trip to Nantes). The idea is: allow an immersion in the marshes (until then inaccessible), at the closest to the Loire, and thus recreate the link between the men and the places. Specifically, access to this Observatory is made by a footbridge located 40 cm above the wetlands and 800 m long. The tides at the coefficient greater than 90 with a strong west wind can surprise the visitor by covering the footbridge of a few centimetres of water. A walk not to be missed before you go to eat a crepe at Yseult at the Maison du Port.

This former chapel is a place of exhibition all year round. Close to the municipal school of visual arts, this curved room reinforces the artistic vocation of the place. Every year, the Franciscan Gallery transforms itself into a concert hall for a week to host "Consonances", a festival dedicated to chamber music, as well as in January for the Folle Journée.

Here they are not ornithologists, but technicians from the Loire-Atlantique Hunters Federation to make one of the best observations of local wildlife. The hunters are the managers of the site and will reveal to you all the secrets of the reserve, driving you on private roads and their mobile observatory to enjoy the ornithological richness of the lake, located second position after the Camargue. The visit may be canceled according to the level of water. In case of rain, arrange boots.

Snipe of marshes are hardly visible because it melts in vegetation. This great traveller born in northern Europe in the spring, likes to come to Calvados to get there during his migration. Large gatherings are observed in October. The farouche white spatula is not easy to reach. Its white plumage, its large white paws and its long bec shaped bec give its originality. Marshes are a quality pantry for this protected species travelling from the Netherlands to Senegal. It nests every spring in willow groves in the middle of roselière.

Park the streets of Nantes at your pace, with the only directive to follow the Green Line that connects many works of art. From the Unique Place to the tip of the island of Nantes, go to the meeting of a rich cultural and architectural heritage, which combines contemporary art. The castle of the Duke of Brittany, the Cathedral Saint Peter, the Bouffay district, the Nid, the Pomeraye Pass, the Machines of the island, the Carrousel des Mondes Marins, a stopover at La Cantine or the Rings of Buren: The works will surprise you. The city becomes an open-air museum and your ride takes a completely different direction. This Green Line is 12 kilometers long and has no departure or arrival. We'll follow her as he sees fit. At some sites, mediators are present to accompany you in the discovery of works. A paper guide is also available in Nantes Tourism (the Tourist Office). Most sites are free access.

Tariff: free.

Distance: about thirty steps (choice).

Difficulty: easy.

Built in 1902, renovated and enlarged in 2002, its greenhouses are superb, bordered by small red brick walls. These greenhouses cover an area of 500 m² and house century-old exotic plants. They are divided into two large areas: one dry and the other wet. The first one shelters species that need a rest period: jojoba, baobab, kapok... The second one allows to observe spice plants, fruit trees, precious woods, textile plants...

«Growing our curiosities» is the watchword of Regards. To this end, the Nantes cultural association has been organizing conferences in Nantes for 10 years and guided tours in Nantes and Paris. The program varies from volunteers to various profiles (architect, lawyer, art historian, public writer, graphologue…). Objective: better understanding our society. The 2016-217 season offers seven conferences in partnership with today's Knowledge and Life. Among other things, "The man who works: life experience» with journalist Bernard de la Villardière; " Let us do it! We have already started» with the writer Alexandre Jardin, founder of the citizen movement «Blue, White, Zebra». Side tours (guided by professional guides), three themes to explore: the sampled neighbourhoods; the gardens - three centuries of botanical tradition in Nantes; art professions. Each theme includes six guided tours. In addition to this, there is a trio of escapades in Paris (musée d'Orsay, Musée du quai Branly, Montmartre…).

This club chaired by Bernard Renoux and his charming team is opened with all in love ones with nature and the sport (as of five years)! It accommodates all the year most sporting within the club located at the nautical base of Papinière. Independently, one can rent kayaks for one strolls as regards water which constitutes Erdre worthy of Sucked. One will be able also to go up the river or to go down again it by the strength of paddles. And it is an absolutely exceptional environment which is revealed with us... It is possible to come to Sucé-sur-Erdre by the train in twenty minutes from Nantes. Attention, the rental of the kayaks is carried out on reservation by phone or by e-mail; and it is well at the port of Sucé-sur-Erdre that we are invited to recover equipment (not with the club). Various fixed rate formulas are proposed, into individual or group. In addition, within the water sports club, one can practise the following activities: schools of paddle for young people and adults, kayak-sports shirt, left in water-sharp and discovered. Here with Sucked, a shuttle can take us along upstream from Nort-sur-Erdre to Moulin des Vaux, in order to go down again the river. To make in family or between friends, guaranteed pleasure! It any more but does not remain to take along the sunscreen, a quantity of water sufficient and to envisage one hour, one half-day or the day for the excursions!

Parc de la Chantrerie, Parc de Procé, Parc des Oblates, Parc des Chantiers, Arboretum of the Landscape Cemetery, Jardin des Fonderies, Île de Versailles... The list of the multiple parks and gardens of Nantes is long. So much so that Nantes has become the "City of a hundred and one gardens". The maintenance of these spaces is managed by the Nature and Gardens Department. It proposes a set of actions to preserve the environment and develop urban biodiversity with the objective of putting the city in a garden. It also accompanies garden projects in the neighborhoods in partnership with local associations and works with many cultural partners, through various themes and with artistic works integrated into the parks and gardens. Finally, the 5 green corridors link the urban parks to the large natural spaces of the Nantes metropolis, forming a star that is ideal for walks.