Pays de la Loire, Administrative region in western France
Pays de la Loire is an administrative region in western France stretching from the Atlantic coast to the middle river valley and covering five departments. The region combines sandy beaches, salt marshes, wooded hills and flat fields with vineyards climbing the riverbank slopes.
The region was created in 1955 as an administrative unit grouping several old provinces under a new name. During the revolutionary wars, republican armies fought here against rebel peasants and nobles who supported the king.
The regional name connects the historic Anjou, Maine and Vendée territories with the river that flows through several departments. Local vineyards along the valley open their cellars to visitors who come to taste dry white wines and light reds directly on the hillsides.
High-speed trains link several cities in the region to Paris in under two hours, while regional lines serve smaller towns inland and along the coast. Roads cross flat terrain and make travel between cities and rural areas straightforward.
The 24 Hours of Le Mans race has taken place since 1923 on a circuit that combines public roads with a permanent track. During the race, some sections remain closed to regular traffic while drivers speed on the same roads that residents use the rest of the year.
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The Pays de la Loire region is full of lesser-known sites revealing the history and diversity of this western France region. Beyond the typical tourist routes, these sites provide an authentic insight into local heritage, craft traditions, and preserved natural landscapes. Among these destinations...
Puy du Fou
58.6 km
Château de la Motte-Husson
89.9 km
Halles de Niort
125 km
Circuit de la Sarthe
99 km
Futuroscope
124.4 km
Fontevraud Abbey
72.9 km
Zoo de La Flèche
67 km
Marais Poitevin
121.4 km
Stade de la Beaujoire
53.9 km
Saint-Nazaire Bridge
100.4 km
Château de Villandry
103.2 km
Château de la Mothe-Chandeniers
75.8 km
Machines of the Isle of Nantes
58.8 km
Château d'Angers
22.6 km
Passage du Gois
110.7 km
Château des ducs de Bretagne
57.3 km
Nantes Cathedral
57.3 km
Chinon Castle
86.5 km
Apocalypse Tapestry
22.6 km
Château d'Azay-le-Rideau
100.8 km
Château de Fougeret
166.9 km
Serpent d'océan
101 km
Château de Clermont
37.9 km
Château d'Ussé
88.1 km
Bugatti Circuit
99.5 km
Paimpont forest
119.1 km
Musée des Blindés
61.8 km
Radiant city
59.9 km
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