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As the Loire River runs west towards
the Atlantic, the traveller enters a peaceable region of lush countryside, vineyards, long sandy
beaches and salt marshes, dotted with many small undiscovered castles, manor houses and hunting lodges. Bucolic pleasures
are mixed with fascinating cities, stunning artwork and cultural festivities. The famous 24-hour car race
and "rillettes", a local gastronomic
speciality, have, in their different ways, assured the reputation of Le Mans. The town is a shop window for progress but it
also knows how to maintain its traditions. While speed rules on the
Bugatti racing track, vintage and more recent cars
can be found in the Musee
de L'Automobile. Enclosed within high gallo-Roman walls outside the
town is the 13th century Abbaye de L'Epau and its vast Gothic Cathedral, a monument to the memory of the Plantagenet Kings of England. Not
to miss: the neighboring medieval fortress of the Lude. The chateau de Lude is the only chateau in France uniting three architectural styles: medieval fortress, Italian Renaissance and French Classicism.
The chateau is open to the public for guided visits. Laval, an historic art-filled town set on the banks of the Mayenne river,
was the birthplace of Douanier Rousseau. Highlights of the town include the medieval castle (transformed into a fine arts
museum), the churches Notre Dame des Cordeliers and Notre Dame de Pritz, and the Public School Museum.
Saumur
is France's military and equestrian center. For nearly two centuries the cavaliers of the re-enactment of Cadre Noir have
been the pride of this city, which is also home of the National Riding School. The town's castle, a
luxurious residence for the Dukes of Anjou in the Middle Ages and bastion of Protestantism in the 17th century, overlooks
the majestic river and seems to watch over the Old Town, one of the most beautiful in the Loire Valley. Extending over nearly 37 acres, Fontevraud is the largest group of monastic buildings anywhere
in Europe. Of the five abbeys founded in the 11th century, three still exist. The English Plantagenet Kings chose as their
final resting place and the recumbent figures of
Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard the Lionhearted and
Isabel of Angoulême can be admired in Abbey Church. The kitchen, built in the Romanesque style, is the best known and
the most curious of the recently restored buildings.
The Maine river flows
peacefully at the foot of the imposing Chateau d'Angers, which, together with the towering Cathedral,
protects the Old Town and its half-timbered houses. Angers is a great benefactor of the arts and is at the
forefront of tapestry design. The world-famous liqueur, Cointreau,
is produced in Angers. Moreover, Anjou boasts a great number of wine producers
and chateaux owners offering wine tasting of the extremely
diverse local production.
Gateway to the Atlantic and capital of Western Loire,
Nantes is the historical capital of the Dukes of Brittany.
A fascinating and varied town, Nantes’ various quarters are steeped in history and its museums are rich in art collections.
Don't miss the Gothic Cathedral with its ducal tombs, the passage of Pommeraye or the
Graslin neighbourhood and the rue Crebillon
with its chic boutiques. Jules Verne, who was born here, has his own museum. To the
south of the Loire, Gros Plant and Muscadet wines are produced.
Although the island of Noirmoutier and the Ile d'Yeu are fairly close
to each other and both are
unspoiled and peaceful, they are quite different.
With its Chateau and abbey,
the island of Noirmoutier is linked to
the continent by a bridge. Another approach to the island; at low tide only; is the "Gois", the
causeway across the sea. Further to the south and some twenty miles from the
mainland, a small granite projection, the
Ile d'Yeu, rises from the Atlantic. Accessible by sea
and air, the island is dominated by the
fortress of Pierre Levee and the 11th century church. Its coastline is rocky,
its climate so mild that
mimosa and laurel grow abundantly.
From La Baule, the most beautiful beach in Europe, to Le Croisic, a fishing and salt marsh region, the treasures
of Cote d'Amour face the Atlantic Ocean.
For centuries, Guerande, a medieval town, has hidden
behind its ramparts. Near it lies the Natural
Regional Park of La Briere,
a preserved space of 100,000 acres with a seductive network of canals, islets, lagoons and marshes. St-Nazaire is the city where the France and the Monarch of
the seas were built; today the frames of the Airbus planes are assembled here.
In the heart of the Vendée, between Cholet
and La Roche sur Yon, is the second most popular tourist attraction in France after Disneyland in Paris. Puy du Fou ("Hill of the Beech") is a historical theme park which attracts some 1.45 million visitors every
year. The park is split into five separate attractions, each running
for approximately 30/40 minutes:
The Secret of the Lance
is set in front of the battlements of a Middle Age Castle. It relates the story of a young shepherdess who must defend alone
her donjon from the English knights, helped by a lance with supernatural powers.
The Vikings is set in a reconstructed
1000 year old fortress that is attacked by a Viking Longship.The story begins with a marriage in the village, just before the arrival of a
Viking Longboat. Special effects include the emergence of a Longboat from underwater, and a saint walking on the water.
Gladiators is set in a replica of an amphitheater that is 115 meters long and 75 meters wide and
recreated the atmosphere of Gaul during Roman
times. It features a traditional parade of people and animals, gladiatorial combat, chariot racing and executions. It is set during the time of Diocletian, when there was great unrest.
The Phantom Birds Dance. Dozens of birds of prey surge from the ruins and swoop low over
the heads of the visitors. The falcons are placed on the heads of some visitors wearing hats by the falconer.
Richeulieu's Musketeers features
Musketeers performing swash-buckling sword fighting and Gypsy girls Flamenco dancing in water. Horses also perform special
trotting/ jumping techniques. This is the only show that is staged indoors, in complete darkness.
Also, you
can see other spectacles only in French. These spectacles are : - Le Magicien
Ménestrel
- Le Carillon Animé(musical show)
- Les Musiciens Traditionels(musical
show)
- Le Chemin de la Mémoire
- L'Odyssée du Puy du Fou
- La
légende de Martin
- Les Automates Musiciens du Bourg 1900(musical show)
The Cinescenie:
The main show takes
place in the evening on a huge outdoor stage behind the ruined castle. It tells the story of the 700 years of history in the
area. The Cinescene boasts the largest stage in the world, thousands of actors, hundreds of horses and about 400 fireworks
per performance. All of the dialog is in French, but English and Dutch dialog is provided via headphones. All of the actors
and actresses (even the children) come from the local villages and are volunteers.
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