Pays de la Loire

This region boasts numerous prominent monuments and diverse landscapes

Regional capital: Nantes

Departments: Loire-Atlantique, Sarthe, Vendée, Maine-Et-Loire, Mayenne

Main cities: Nantes, Angers, Le Mans

Nantes,Aerial,Panoramic,View.,Nantes,Is,A,City,In,Loire-atlantique — The Château des ducs de Bretagne sits in the city center of Nantes

Nantes, the historic capital of the ancient kingdom of Brittany, is not actually in Brittany. Since 1958, it has been the capital of the neighboring region of Pays de la Loire.

If that is not confusing enough, most of the romantic châteaux of the Loire Valley are in the neighboring Centre-Val de Loire region and not the Pays de la Loire, despite the reference to the river in the name.

Even so, it does boast numerous prominent monuments, such as the castles of Angers, Laval, and Mayenne, and the Nantes Château des Ducs de Bretagne, the Royal Fontevraud Abbey, and the old city of Le Mans – not to mention a giant mechanical elephant built in honour of one of Nantes’ most famous sons, the author Jules Verne.

Property prices

Median prices per m2 for non-newbuild apartments in the third quarter of 2025: Nantes €3,440 -1.1%, Angers n/a

Median prices for non-newbuild houses in the third quarter of 2025: Nantes €330,000 0%, Angers €310,000 0%

(figures taken from the most recently available French property report (Jan 26) from the Notaires de France, % year-on-year change: July 1, 2025 to September 30, 2025 / July 1, 2024 to September 30, 2024)

Character of the region

The Loire Valley and its river extend beyond the Centre-Val de Loire region to the Pays de la Loire, reaching an end on the Atlantic coastline from which estuarine Nantes sits some 50km inland as the capital.

The area was once the 11th Century kingdom of the Plantagenets, and is home to diverse landscapes that span the valley with its vineyards and châteaux, through to the coast with its sandy beaches in the Vendée department and capital further north.

Population/density

3.9 million people across 32,082 sq km (Insee figures 2023 [latest available]) = approx. 5.7% of the population

Fact: the region is the eighth largest in France

Weather

An oceanic climate marked by moderate rainfall, with mild winters (January average 6C) and warm summers (July average 20C).

Local industries

Agriculture, naval and nautical industries, healthcare, tourism.

Cities and towns

The larger cities of Nantes, historic Le Mans (known for motor racing) and Angers (the seat of the Plantagenets) sit by La Roche-sur-Yon, Cholet, and Laval as important industrial and population centers. Smaller towns and seaside resorts include La Baule, Les Sables d'Olonne, and Pornic among others.

Food and drink

Wine (crémant de Loire, Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Muscadet, Vouvray, Saumur), Cointreau, seafood, jambon de Vendée, Port Salut cheese, beurre blanc sauce, rillettes (shredded slow-cooked pork), brioche Vendéenne, salt.

Cultural points of interest

Nantes is synonymous with the Machines de l'île de Nantes, cultural and artistic project on the site of the former shipyards with large-scale ride-on mechanical machines such as the Grand Éléphant and the Carrousel des mondes marins (a nod to the city’s famous son Jules Verne), as well as historical spots such as the Château des Ducs de Bretagne.

Further afield, the Royal Fontevraud Abbey and islands of Île de Noirmoutier and Île d’Yeu offer picturesque opportunities for exploration.

Major transport points

Airports: Nantes Atlantique (NTE)

Trains: Nantes, Angers Saint-Laud, Le Mans, Laval, Saint-Nazaire

Motorways: A11, A28, A85, A83, A87