Around the seaside resorts

La Baule derives its charm from its villas, constructed in different architectural styles, and its beach, famed for its many sports and sailing activities.

You can also relax in one of its thalassotherapy centres or try your luck at the casino in the evening.

The first resort to earn the Station Kid label in South Brittany, Pornichet has lots of facilities for children: play areas, roller skating, beach clubs.  The plage des Libraires is the most family-friendly, and also busiest, beach. A jam-packed day for your little ones!

End your day with a coffee at the Décobroc Café (92 av du général De Gaulle) while browsing through the myriad of advertising gimmicks, small items and old toys for sale in the antique shop. A café which sells everything.

One of the most beautiful towns in the region. ake a stroll along the little paved streets, visit the ramparts or the collegiate church of Saint-Aubin to fully appreciate how Guérande was in its heyday, at the end of the Middle Ages, when it enjoyed a flourishing trade in salt.

In summer, take a seat on the lovely terrace of the Goût Thé (30 rue de Saillé) and try a Cuperdon,  a sweet which is said to take 7 days to make, 7 seconds to eat, 7 minutes for the flavours to leave your palate and 77 years to forget!

What better place for a quiet stay than a village with 700 thatched cottages?

Book into the delightful B&B run by Anny Hulcoq (23 rue des Aubépines), take a boat trip on the Marais marshlands with Brière Evasion (www.brière-evasion.com, port de la pierre fendue) and enjoy the region's splendid beaches!

Tip: Pénestin beach, 18 km south of Saint-Lyphard, is Brittany's best-kept secret. It's quite a find! Imagine a beach stretching over 2 km under 15 m high cliffs in a protected natural environment, all this just for you!