Pays de la Loire

There will be many surprises in store for you in this fascinating region, once home to Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, such as the troglodyte dwellings in Maine-et-Loire or the huge historical open-air park at Le Puy du Fou, the first of its kind in Europe.
Altogether, 400 kilometres of navigable waterways will provide many exciting boat rides along the Mayenne, the Sarthe, the Maine and the Loire, whose banks are the backdrop to fine abbeys, châteaux, Romanesque churches and famous vineyards.
Faced with so many sights worthy of interest, you may have trouble choosing a suitable excursion: Brière and its romantic canals, the châteaux of Pouzauges and Tiffauges, where Bluebeard reigned supreme, and Fontenay-le-Comte, which bears the influence of the epicurean author Rabelais. On a scorching summer's day you might want to take refuge in the troglodyte caves of Rochemenier or inside the Mine Bleue, whose strata are prettily streaked with slate. Regional capital cities too are the perfect excuse for an outing. You will certainly appreciate the old medieval district and Automobile Museum in Le Mans, the stunning tapestries displayed in Angers or the Jules Verne Museum and Pommeraye Passage in Nantes...
To widen your horizons, head for the sea and the sweeping beaches running from La Baule to Saint-Jean-de-Monts. Take the children to see the Océarium in Le Croisic or spend the day exploring the islands of Yeu and Noirmoutiers. The bracing sea air charged with iodine will prove to be a real tonic and you will be eager to visit the local golf course or try your hand at sailing. Then, as a reward for your exertions, settle down to an extravagant spread of seafood, accompanied by a glass of Muscadet, followed by salmon and pike served in a butter sauce or a pot of rillettes from Le Mans.

Get more tourist information: http://www.westernloire.com/