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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