WORDS & PICTURES: Imogen Green
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Whilst many are already well-versed with the historical Northern region of France, its cousin in the North-West is now due its share of the spotlight. Loire-Atlantique is a region that offers city, coast and country, and is as traditional as it is unspoilt.
The region’s heritage is also home to a culinary repertoire that sings with the flavours of land and sea. With a focus on local agriculture and seasonal produce, you can expect everything from freshly caught oysters plucked from the Atlantic to Muscadet wines sparkling with the essence of the terroir.
CITY
Nantes
While the cities of Paris, Bordeaux and Cannes get their fair share of press, Nantes still remains unknown to most. Historically one of the main maritime and industrial ports in France, many would expect this renown to hang tentatively over the city – but not Nantes.
In 2013, the city won the European Green Capital in 2013: an award recognising their efforts in making the city more sustainable, offering an exceptional quality of life and paving the way to an ecological future. Nantes is home to 300,000 people, but a fresh breeze from the Loire River, clean city roads and an abundance of tree-lined avenues and green spaces such as the Jardin des Plantes would suggest otherwise. What renders Nantes special is a lack of rush or urgency as you meander through the streets; the city moves at its own pace.
At first glance, you can see how art is woven into the very fabric of Nantes. From the historic buildings and public squares to the street art and contemporary installations, the city is a vibrant and ever-changing canvas. In the summertime, The Voyage à Nantes, an annual summer arts festival, transforms the city into a giant open-air museum with temporary installations popping up all over town. But by far, the Green Line trail is one of the most exciting pieces: a free and self-guided trail which will take you around the over 58 art installations and projects. It’s an accessible way to see all the art the city has produced. You can also visit more traditional collections in the Musée d’arts de Nantes which is home to over 9 centuries of art alongside living artists from the present day.
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COAST
Pornic
Away from the sounds of the city, a short 50-minute scenic drive through the open roads and rolling fields of the French countryside leads you to Pornic. What strikes you first are the jade-green waters that surround the town, dotted with fishing boats, old and new.
One of the stars of this destination is the medieval Château de Pornic, or as it’s known locally, the “Château de Barbe Bleue” (Bluebeard). This nickname is owed to its previous owner Gilles de Rais, and marks the location of where many of his atrocities. The castle is now privately owned and, while not open to the public, has long been a symbol of the town.
The exterior of the chateau is a blend of traditional and more modern architecture, and is home to many touristic shops and eateries; keep walking to the end, however, and you’ll reach one of Pornic’s most surprising features.
La Fraiserie sits on the edge of the hill, next to the boardwalk; but don’t let its small-scale exterior fool you. This eatery has been home to gourmet sorbets, ice creams and jams for over 40 years (if you opt for one thing on the menu, look no further than the traditional strawberry sorbet, celebrated for its unique formulation). The delicacy is made using 65% pulp from strawberries grown in Pornic itself, and is without artificial flavourings, colourings or preservatives; every bite will ignite a symphony of flavors across your palate.
Pornic is a tranquil seaside town steeped in history and charm that offers a restorative escape on the Côte de Jade.
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COUNTRY
Château de Coing
After exploring the history of the city and the calm of the coast, your final stop is situated not far away Vertou: the Vignobles Günther-Chéreau Château du Coing. An hour’s trip by car or a little longer by canoe along the river Maine (a tributary of the Loire) leads to Château de Coing – a beautiful, family-run, 15th-century castle located in Saint-Fiacre-sur-Maine, a small village just outside of Nantes, at the confluence of the Sèvre and Maine rivers.
Set against endless stretches of verdant meadows, the Château stands proudly, its stately towers and turrets piercing the sky. Below, tiny black goats graze beside the Maine, alongside rolling land with weeping willows and sycamore trees and pink roses which sprout delicately from the outbuildings. It is as bucolic as you would expect, with a small pond at the bottom of the garden, a canvas safari tent on its banks.
Muscadet is their speciality, a wine known for its lightness, freshness, and acidity. Inside the castle, they offer wine tastings of several varieties – some more full-bodied, others a little drier – whilst sharing the history of their tipples and how they’re made.
Château du Coing is a sanctuary where the outside world fades, a place to escape and press pause on the relentless rhythm of everyday life.
Uncover the idyllic Loire-Atlantique at their official website, https://www.atlantic-loire-valley.com/.
