Pays de la Loire (all)

Pays de La Loire lies in the west of France, stretching from Sarthe to Loire-Atlantique on the Bay of Biscay. The region has a varied landscape of beaches, marshes and granite coasts, though it’s most popular for the lush vineyards of the Loire Valley.

The valley’s must-visit wine areas are the Nantais and the Anjou-Saumur. Other popular sites include the Château de Saumur, a hilltop medieval fort with a city museum, and the 7-storey Château de Brissac. While you’re in the Loire Valley, you should also pay a visit to the Royal Abbey of Our Lady of Fontevraud, a UNESCO World Heritage site near Saumur.