Jade Coast | |
Pornic, city of the Côte de Jade | |
Information | |
Country | France |
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Location | |
Touristic site | |
The Jade Coast is a part of the Atlantic coast located on the department of Loire Atlantique, in Pays de la Loire.
Understand
The Côte de Jade is located on the coastal part of Pays de Retz, 50 km southwest of Nantes, between theLoire estuary (South of Saint Nazaire) and the limits of Vendée. The southern part of the coast, south of Pointe Saint-Gildas, is washed by the bay of Bourgneuf.
To go
By plane
International Airport Nantes Atlantic located 30 min of Pornic
There are shuttles between the airport and Nantes SNCF train station.
On a boat
Prepare your arrival by boat around Pornic :
- Official nautical guide 2011 of the Community of Communes of Pornic, all the information to prepare your arrival in the port of Pornic
By train
All year round: 4 daily round trips between Nantes SNCF station and Pornic (bicycle transport possible on certain trains) The towns served are: Saint-Mars-de-Coutais / Port-Saint-Père / Sainte- Pazanne / Saint-Hilaire-de-Chaléons / villeneuve-en-Retz / Les Moutiers-en-Retz / La Bernerie-en-Retz / Pornic
Paris / Nantes: 2 h from TGVParis / Saint-Nazaire: 2 h 40 TGV
SNCF information and reservations: 3635 (0,34 €/ min) or on SNCF official website
By bus
Of Nantes : Lila network: 0 825 087 156 (0,15 €/ min) Baco bus station, Nantes-Sud and Pirmil SNCF stations
Of Saint Nazaire : Lila network: 0 825 087 156 (0,15 €/ min) Bus station at Saint-Nazaire SNCF station
By car
- Paris : take theA11 L'Océane to Nantes then take direction Nantes Atlantique Airport and Pornic direction.
- Bordeaux : take theA83 then theA10 Bordeaux-Niort-nantes.
Then take the direction of Nantes Atlantique Airport and direction Pornic.
- Nantes approx. 60 kilometers: on the ring road, follow direction Noirmoutier, exit Porte de Bouguenais then direction Pornic / St-Brevin.
- Saint Nazaire approx 30 kilometers away: via the Saint-Nazaire bridge (free) then follow the blue road RD 213.
Circulate
Lila on demand, transport service on demand in the territory: Official site of the Community of Communes of Pornic
See
Historical, cultural and natural heritage
- Saint-Brevin-les-Pins[1] :
- The Marine Museum
- The Loire estuary
- Mindin esplanade
- The forest of Pierre Attelée
- Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef[2] :
- The Red Lands
- La Plaine-sur-Mer [3] :
- The Tara
- Prefailles [4] :
- Pointe Saint-Gildas and its semaphore [5]
- The Grand Bazaar and its permanent exhibition of kites
- Pornic[6] :
- The castle: castle of Gilles de Rais, the famous blue beard
- The old Town
- The English cemetery: 399 graves of Commenwealth soldiers following the Sinking of the Lancastria on
- Les Moutiers-en-Retz [7] :
- The chapel of Prigny
- The Lantern of the Dead
- Bourgneuf Bay and the Breton marsh
Across the Côte de Jade [8] :
- 19th century seaside architecturee century
- Megaliths
- The gardens
Make
Visits and discoveries
Guided or dramatized tours, on foot, by bike or by tourist train on the Pays de Retz Atlantique [9]
Walks and hikes
- Official map of hiking trails around Pornic edited by the Community of Communes of Pornic Official site of the Community of Communes of Pornic
- Official map of hiking trails in the south of the Estuary published by the Communauté de Communes du Sud-Estuaire [10]
- Official map of hiking trails in the heart of the Pays de Retz published by the Communauté de Communes Cœur Pays de Retz [11]
- Ideas for hikes throughout the Pays de Retz: Official tourist site of the Federation of the Pays de Retz Atlantique
Leisure and nautical activities
- Around PornicOfficial nautical guide 2011 of the Community of Communes of Pornic
- On the whole coast of the Pays de Retz Atlantique: [12]
Outdoor activities
- 18-hole golf course Pornic [www.formule-golf.com/pornic Official site]
- Paintball, quad rental, Méhari rides [13], bike rental, ULM [14][15]
- Course in the trees: Pornic Aventure [16], Nature Challenge [17]
- Horse riding
- Mini golf
- Tennis
Indoor activities
- Playground: Royal kids at Saint-Brevin-les-Pins (P.A. de la Guerche)
- Bowling: Jade Bowling in Saint-Brevin-les-Pins (P.A. de la Guerche) [18]
- Swimming pools:
- Well-being and fitness: Thalasso de Pornic [www.thalassopornic.com Official site] (with seawater swimming pool)
Animal parks
The Grand Parc des Légendes in Frossay [21]Planète Sauvage in Port-Saint-Père [22]
Buy
Know how
- Salt: also called "white gold", salt has been one of the great economic traditions of Moutiers en Retz, where even today you can visit the saltworks.
- Oysters: presence of oyster-growing areas at Bernerie en Retz or Moutiers en Retz, oyster culture is one of the skills of the Côte de Jade in the Pays de Retz Atlantique.
- Mussels: mussel culture developed on the Côte de Jade, particularly in the town of La Plaine sur Mer.
- The wine: Muscadet and Gros-plant produced in Pays de Retz Atlantique, accompany the gastronomic know-how of the Region.
- Earthenware: the earthenware factory of Pornic is a family business since 1948 which continues a 3 centuries old tradition. Inventor of "Petit Breton", the earthenware industry remains one of the last to make artisanal painting by hand.
Art
- Crafts :
- The earthenware factory of Pornic[23]
- Atelier Piverre, glassblower at La Plaine sur Mer: 06 76 46 83 29 Official blog of Atelier Piverre
- Craftsman upholsterer and decorator from Sainte-Pazanne [24]
- Artist studios:
- In Cheméré: Françoise Toulemonde: internationally renowned sculptor working with bronze, polyester, steel and cement Francine Toulemonde's official blog
- Aux Moutiers-en-Retz: Atelier d'Édouard (paintings, engravings, sculptures, photography and art ceramics), Mati's workshop (oil paintings), Joce's workshop (paintings and sculpture)
- In Pornic: Malavaux workshop (watercolor), Senlis workshop (watercolor, acrylic and sketches)
- In Rouans: Anne Le Louarn (sculptor) [25], Latelier88 (contemporary or floral works) [26], Toof (contemporary works) [27]
- At Saint Michel-Chef-Chef: Mr. and Mrs. Poirier (painting, sculpture and basketry)
- Art galleries:
Eat
Eat in the Pays de Retz Atlantique and discover the flavors of the region Official tourist site of the Federation of the Pays de Retz Atlantique
Culinary specialties
- Biscuit: Galettes St Michel, created in 1905 by Joseph Grellier in the town of Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef.
- Cheese: the Curé Nantais, made in Pornic and a cheese specialty from the region.
- Fruits and ice cream: La Fraiseraie, located in Pornic, produces its strawberries and creates gourmet ice cream recipes, coulis, jams and fruit pastes.
- La Brigantine: beer from the Pays de Retz Atlantique produced in Pornic by the Brasserie de la Côte de Jade.
- La Petite Maison dans la Prairie: production of millstone flour, manufacture of fouées and bread cooked over a wood fire.
Have a drink / Go out
Nightclubs
- Les Enfants Terribles nightclub in Pornic (Sainte Marie-sur-Mer)
- Aqualimba nightclub in Saint-Brevin-les-Pins (P.A. de la Guerche)
Cinemas
- Joan of Arc at La Bernerie en Retz
- Le St Gilles at Pornic
- Le St Michel in Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef
- Le St Joseph in Pornic - Ste Marie-sur-Mer
- The Cinéjade at Saint-Brevin-les-Pins
Concert halls / shows
- Espace du Val St Martin from Pornic[30]
- The educational and cultural amphitheater of Pornic [31]
- Jade Star Room Saint-Brevin-les-Pins[32]
- The Brévinois from Saint-Brevin-les-Pins [33]
- The Préfailles Cultural Space [34]
- The Coeur en Scène performance hall in Rouans [35]
Casino
- The Casino of Pornic facing the old port [36]
- The Casino of Saint-Brevin-les-Pins facing the ocean [37]
Some key events
- The Carnival of Pornic in April
- Art takes to the air in April
- The Theater and Song week of Saint-Brevin-les-Pins in spring
- The Spring Break on Pornic and Saint-Brevin-les-Pins
- Concertino de Pornic from spring to autumn
- The musicals of Préfailles in summer
- Pornic summer carnival in July
- The International Pyrotechnic Festival of Saint-Brevin-les-Pins in August
- Feast of St Gilles in Pornic (end of August)
- The Grandes Marées festival of Bernerie-en-Retz in September
Housing
Around
- Pornic
- Saint-Brevin-les-Pins
- Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef
- Machecoul
- Bourgneuf Bay
- Grandlieu Lake
- The Acheneau Marshes
- Breton Marshes
- The Valley of the Logne