Nature, right in the heart of the city of Nantes!
The Erdre Valley is a complex blend of marshland and magnificent properties, known as les folies nantaises, with enormous English-style gardens.
If you would like to get the best view over the Erdre and one of the finest buildings on its banks – the Château de la Gascherie, then a visit to the Gachet site at Carquefou is a must.
Why not take a break to recharge your batteries at the quiet and peaceful little port of Sucé-sur-Erdre? A little higher up, the Plaines de Mazerolles and the surrounding marshlands are visited by many migratory birds (ducks, waders, etc.). In spring and autumn, the osprey, a magnificent bird of prey, can also be seen in the area.
The Erdre is also the first reach of the Nantes-Brest Canal. At Nort-sur-Erdre, be sure to take a walk at the Arcades site. Just a few yards away, Mont Juillet, in the commune of Les Touches, also offers a magnificent view.
You can explore the Erdre on a boat trip or by hiring a boat with an electric motor.
The Sèvre and Maine Valleys
These two rivers flow through the Nantes Vineyards Region, passing vines and windmills and providing wonderful walking routes through the heart of their enclosed valleys.
In the past, river barges sailed up and down them, transporting wine, flour and sand. There is still a festival atmosphere on their shores, recalling the open-air dances and Sunday picnics of times gone by.
At Vertou, stop off at the Loiry park, a good place for walking or spending some leisure time, and don't miss the Chaussée des Moines ancient dam, which created an unusual landscape when it was first built in about the year 1000 AD.
The Brivet Valley
This little river winds between poplars and willows before joining the Brière. At one time it enabled a lot of traffic between the marshes and Pont-Château.
The Don takes you into the heart of the Châteaubriant region with its quarries of famous blue slate, and from there it joins the Vilaine. A free-flowing wind blows over these often sheer and wild landscapes, covered with moorland and pine trees. From the tops of these slate hillcrests you are master of the entire valley!
Why not take a break to recharge your batteries at the quiet and peaceful little port of Sucé-sur-Erdre? A little higher up, the Plaines de Mazerolles and the surrounding marshlands are visited by many migratory birds (ducks, waders, etc.). In spring and autumn, the osprey, a magnificent bird of prey, can also be seen in the area.
The Erdre is also the first reach of the Nantes-Brest Canal. At Nort-sur-Erdre, be sure to take a walk at the Arcades site. Just a few yards away, Mont Juillet, in the commune of Les Touches, also offers a magnificent view.
You can explore the Erdre on a boat trip or by hiring a boat with an electric motor.
The Sèvre and Maine Valleys
These two rivers flow through the Nantes Vineyards Region, passing vines and windmills and providing wonderful walking routes through the heart of their enclosed valleys.
In the past, river barges sailed up and down them, transporting wine, flour and sand. There is still a festival atmosphere on their shores, recalling the open-air dances and Sunday picnics of times gone by.
At Vertou, stop off at the Loiry park, a good place for walking or spending some leisure time, and don't miss the Chaussée des Moines ancient dam, which created an unusual landscape when it was first built in about the year 1000 AD.
The Brivet Valley
This little river winds between poplars and willows before joining the Brière. At one time it enabled a lot of traffic between the marshes and Pont-Château.
The Don takes you into the heart of the Châteaubriant region with its quarries of famous blue slate, and from there it joins the Vilaine. A free-flowing wind blows over these often sheer and wild landscapes, covered with moorland and pine trees. From the tops of these slate hillcrests you are master of the entire valley!
