France’s vast Atlantic Loire Valley combines the best of both worlds: a dramatic coastline of hiking trails and oyster shacks, and a majestic river snaking inland past châteaux and vineyards offering tempting wine tastings. You’re spoilt for choice of tempting destinations here, just a four-hour drive from the north coast after arriving in port with Brittany Ferries.
Seeking a city break? Regional capital Nantes (External link) is a major arty hotspot. Its Fine Art Museum houses over 13,000 works, while imaginations have run wild with the Machines de l’Île, merging Jules Verne with the mechanical universe of Leonardo da Vinci. Vibrant Angers (External link) is a tangle of architecture, gardens and vineyards plus the world’s only educational theme park dedicated to plants. And though renowned for car racing, Le Mans (External link) is a beautiful medieval city in its own right: admire the half-timbered houses, awe-inspiring St-Julien cathedral and dine in style at the Michelin-starred Auberge de Bagatelle.
Look out for the region’s famous châteaux (External link) along this route: Angers with its extraordinary ‘Tenture d’Apocalypse’ tapestry; Saumur and its multiple attractions devoted to horses, including the famous Cadre Noir; Brézé with its vineyards and underground fortress; Montsoreau with its contemporary art collection. And a little way off the beaten track, the Chateau de Brissac is a ‘real-life’ chateau with modern residents, owned by the Dukes of Brissac since 1502. Walk alongside the underground river, sample the three AOC red and rosé wines produced here, and stay overnight – it’s also a bed and breakfast.
Sample the Atlantic Loire Valley’s world-class wines along the road. The Loire Valley itself is the third largest appellation area in France with a UNESCO-listed wine route of over 800km (External link) , where 250 million bottles of wine are produced each year. You might fancy a romantic cycling trip through the Fiefs Vendéens or Anjou-Saumur vineyards, sampling local delicacies and chatting to winemakers en route. You can even eat among the vines at the 1 Michelin star restaurant La Table de la Bergerie, south of Angers.
Out on the Atlantic coast (External link) , there are plenty of spots where you can indulge in seafood – look out for rustic oyster shacks for an unmistakeable taste of the local area. A staggering 13,000 tonnes of oysters are produced each year from the Loire estuary to the Bay of Aiguillon. If eaten raw, the traditional dressing in the Atlantic Loire Valley is white wine vinegar and finely chopped shallots, and accompanied by a dry white wine such as Muscadet. In Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, the sardine is king, served simply grilled with lemon or made into rillettes (coarse-textured pâté).
The best way of exploring? In the comfort of your own car, packed with everything you need. Atlantic Loire Valley is easily accessible via Brittany Ferries’ choice of routes from Portsmouth, Poole and Plymouth. What’s more, their superb choice of holiday breaks, make getting there great value too!
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