Monuments to visit Pays De La Loire

Built by the powerful family of De from the th century, the castle later became the property of the Dukes of Brittany. Neglected by its owners from the second half of the 1793 th century, it burned down in, during the wars of Vendée. The ruins of the old fortress then become a reserve of wood and stone. In 1807, the sculptor Frédéric Lemot bought the monument and incorporated it into his Parc Park, which was being developed. The site was classified as a historic monument in 1924. The Department became the owner in 1962. Restoration work is regularly undertaken. This site still offers many examples of offensive architecture: archères, gunboat, assommoirs… A majestic and essential site.

"It's a famous three-masted mast... "which is the pride of the Nantes people. Born in the Dubigeon shipyards of Chantenay, Belem celebrated its 120th anniversary in 2016 on the Quai de la Fosse, in Nantes, its home port. 58 metres long, with 22 sails, it looks great. The last tall French commercial sailboat of the 19th century inherited its name from its crossings to Belem, Brazil. Classified as a Historic Monument in 1984, it is one of the oldest ships in the world. Owned by the Caisse d'Épargne and managed by the Belem Foundation, it is both a training boat that takes in apprentice sailors for a large part of the year to help them discover sailing and a museum boat that can be visited at each of its stops. The opportunity to get on board, to survey its wooden pontoons, to discover the crew's working spaces, to approach the wheelhouse and the helm, to enter the mahogany lounges... The Belem also regularly takes part in tall ship gatherings and sometimes on more distant trips to fully play its role as ambassador of the French flag.

This historic site is made up of two distinct parts only a few dozen metres apart: a castle and a hospital with a magnificent apothecary. The first was, in the 15th century, the hunting lodge of King René who had it built on the ruins of the 11th century. Enter the place of pleasure of the Good King and meet the various characters who have marked the history of this domain and the region. A projection, followed by a show, presents chivalry and courtly love as practiced by the members of the Anjou dynasty. King René's bedroom, the star room of the visit, has been reconstructed from period documents.

As for the Hôtel-Dieu, it refers to the exceptional 17th century hospital complex, which was in operation until 2001. Note that it is only accessible with a guide. Through the exhibition in the large sick room, you will learn more about medicine at the time of Louis XIV. The visit ends with a visit to the admirable apothecary: 650 jars, flasks and other containers welcome you to this pharmacy dating from 1675, still filled with the products of yesteryear and a true testimony to a crucial period in the development of medicine. Don't miss the baroque chapel with its double choir, as well as part of the conventual buildings. To make the most of these places, theatrical tours rich in twists and turns are regularly scheduled.

It was commissioned on 18 October 1975, after three years of construction, and is one of the largest cable-stayed bridges in Europe. The cable-stayed metal structure is 720 m long; the total length of all the structures is 3,356 m, making the Saint-Nazaire bridge the longest bridge in France. It spans the Loire estuary, rises to 61 m and covers a distance of 3,356 m between Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Brévin. At the time of its construction, it was the longest bridge built in France and also held the world record for a cable-stayed bridge. The bridge replaces the old ferries that used to cross the Loire. Remains of the pier can still be seen on both sides of the river. Access has been free since 1994. The speed limit is 70 km/h. Some or all vehicles may be prohibited from driving in strong winds. The General Council has set up a bridge lane management system, which makes it possible, depending on specific events, to dedicate a second lane to the most heavily used traffic direction. Unique in France, this system went into service on August 25, 2010. The second edition of the race Les Foulées du Pont took place on September 30, 2018. There were already nearly 1,800 runners the first time.