Will be spending most of our travels in Brittany and the Western part of the Loire Valley. We have visited the major chateaus in the Loire Valley and will be flying out of Nantes. We are looking for a scenic, charming town in the area Nantes to stay and play. We will be staying in Dinan the previous few days. Any suggestions, please?
Posted by
Somerville, MA
607 posts
Peg,
I would be interested in your itinerary. I am planning 8 nights in the area and would like to compare notes, if possible. We are planning 2 nights in Amboise area, 4 nights in Dinan, 2 nights near Carnac.
Thanks,
Matt
Posted by
OP
Palatine
9 posts
Matt, we will be in Quimper/ Ste. Marine for 3 nights, then Dinan for 5 nights, the most likely Clisson while in the Nantes area. If you have never been to the Loire Valley, 2 nights is not enough. The chateaus, gardens, biking, small villages, history etc. is so beautiful - 1 more night would easily be justified. Happy travels!
Posted by
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
14 posts
Angers is a beautiful city. It has a medieval castle home to the stunning Apocalypse tapestry. It makes for easy day trips to Tours or smaller chateaux, also the cute town of Clisson. Closer to the ocean Pornic has beach access and is easy to access Nantes by train but I haven't been. To the north Vannes is a gorgeous old town and is accessible to Carnac (rivals Stonehenge with a good guide to bring it to life) and the adorable Ile-aux-Moines. You could also make a day trip out to Rennes or St Malo. Don't miss out on Nantes either, the chateau downtown and cathedral are nice. The restaurants in the historic district are excellent. If you are a history or architecture junkie find a guide to give you a walking tour of downtown. I lived in Nantes for 4 months and I always feel it is neglected!
Posted by
151 posts
In addition to the previous suggestions around Nantes, I would advise Le Croisic and Guerande, where you can see a traditional Breton port and beautiful landscapes in salt marshes. You can find some information about Guerande / Le Croisic / Nantes there http://visite.bretagne.free.fr/index.php/en/towns/guerande.html
Nantes (historically part of Bretagne) is also worth spending some time. There's definitely much to see in Brittany!
Posted by
IJzendijke, The Netherlands
1980 posts
Ellen – are Les Machines de l’île and Musée Jules Verne not a reason too to visit Nantes?
I agree with you korriganed (can you say where you come from, make things easier, thanks), Le Croisic and Guérande are nice places and La Baule has a very pleasant climate and atmosphere for a visit to the beach and/or a stay. Although visited the area 30 years ago, think it hasn’t really changed much. Visited Angers a month ago and stayed near lovely Brissac-Quincé.