Where to stay..Nantes region

Fancy That

Hello,

I am thinking of flying to Nantes for a week. I would like to stay somewhere in the countryside that's quaint and has some cycling and running roads. Can anyone recommend an area that would be nice and also accessible by public transport if possible??

Thank you for your help....

Yamanoto

If it's quaint spots you're after OP, Brittany's a teriffic choice.

I'll recommend the area I know best, but there are countless other places that'd meet your criteria across the region.

It's a small little town called Piriac sur Mer, 60 miles west of Nantes, right on the coast.

It's full of charm in a quiet and understated kinda way, surrounded by small beaches and headland walks & connected by the LILA bus network to other smashing towns such as Le Croisic (connected to Nantes by train), La Turballe, the popular beach resort of La Baule and close-by inland, the walled medieval town of Guerande.

The area mapped below is part of the historical Duchy of Brittany, and contains what many people still consider to be its real capital, Nantes. However, when the system of French Regions was created, the department was excluded from Brittany and included in the newly-created Pays de la Loire. That's nothing more than a technical anomaly however, as the area is Breton through and through.

As for cycling, the 'Vélocéan' route links Piriac with Mesquer to the North & La Baule to the South. The whole of the region seems well served in this respect.
http://www.ohlaloireatlantique.com/images/stories/documentation/thematique/velo/velocean/fiche_velo_piriac_st_nazaire_fr.pdf

http://sedeplacer.loire-atlantique.fr/jcms/c_5006/velo (use Chrome to translate)

LILA map (Piriac on line J):
http://sedeplacer.loire-atlantique.fr/upload/docs/application/pdf/2012-04/reseau_departemental.pdf



Piriac


Le Croisic


La Baule

P. Breathnach

I agree with Yamanoto about the area, although I don't know Piriac-sur-Mer. I was thinking of recommending Batz-sur-Mer or Guérande, both in the same locality. There has been a huge effort in the area to develop cycle and pedestrian paths, and there are lots of interesting places/things to see:
- the walled town of Guérande;
- several attractive ports;
- salt beds for the production of sel de mer;
- the primitive marshland of La Brière natural park (boat trips possible);
- La Roche Bernard is an interesting old town on the estuary of the Vilaine, on which you can make a river cruise;
- lots of etc.!

losthorizon

Definitely if you can try and take a boat trip in the Brière. A lot of the places people have mentioned are quite widely spaced out so you will have to be good on the old bike.

Fancy That

Thanks very much people! Do you think it's necessary for me to rent a car or can I get a bus/train from the airport to these towns? I want t to avoid driving if possible!

Thanks for your help, looks and sounds like exactly what I am looking for..

Yamanoto

Fancy That wrote: »

Do you think it's necessary for me to rent a car or can I get a bus/train from the airport to these towns? I want t to avoid driving if possible!

You'll have to make your way into town to catch the local train or the TGV Atlantique, as both serve Le Croisic to the west. Journey time on the train's about an hour & shouldn't cost more than €17 or so. Some local services involve a change in St. Nazaire, so take a little longer. I was in Nantes last month on business & took a taxi from the airport to my hotel beside the station for €37. I'm sure a bus service does it for considerably less, but my flight from Paris was in at 10pm & I was lazy!

Le Croisic is 12km give or take from both Piriac-sur-Mer & Guérande & even closer to Batz-sur-Mer. It may be worth renting a car to go further afield for a day-trip but if you're fit, a combination of good roads, extensive cycle routes & a relatively low volume of traffic make the bike an excellent way to get about.

P. Breathnach

I can't top Yamanoto's advice because I used a car when visiting the area.

Driving in that area is fairly easy. If your budget is not too challenged, I think you should consider it.

When are you thinking of travelling? Coastal resorts in France tend to be fairly crowded in August, but quiet in September.