Page 218 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Brittany

216  BRIT T AN Y REGION B Y REGION

0 Clisson
Road map F5. 20 km (12 miles) south
of Nantes via the D59. * 5,900.
£ Place du Minage; (02) 40 54 02 95.
( Tue. _ Les Italiennes de Clisson
(theatre, music & film, Jul); Les
Médiévales (Jul, every two years from
2017). ∑ levignobledenantes
tourisme.com
A romantic dream led to the
development of Clisson. In
the 19th century, the Cacault
brothers, natives of Nantes who
The thalassotherapy centre on Plage de l’Alliance, in Pornic loved Italy, built themselves a
Tuscan-style villa here. This set
8 Pornic name to two 11th-century a trend, and ochre-walled, red-
monasteries. Vestiges of these can roofed houses, in contrast to
Road map E5. * 14,000. £ @ g
n Place de la Gare; (02) 40 82 04 40. be seen in the Église St-Pierre, those roofed in the customary
( Thu & Sun. _ Fête de St-Gilles built in the 16th century in the slate, began to spring up.
(traditional music and dance festival, Gothic style. Close to this Although it is in ruins, the
Aug). ∑ ot-pornic.fr church is an 11th-century lan- Château de Clisson here, built in
tern whose flame was intended stages between the 13th and the
This small fishing port is also to cast light into the darkness 16th centuries, well illustrates the
a coastal resort with yachting for the benefit of the dead. evolution of military architecture.
harbours and a thalassotherapy The Lac de Grand-Lieu, to La Garenne Lemot, an estate
centre. The lower town, with the east, is an unusually rich near the town’s eastern exit, has
brightly painted fishermen’s bird sanctuary. The Maison du two further examples of the
houses, is dominated by the Lac here documents the local Italianate style: the estate office,
outline of the castle, which was wildlife, including 225 species of by the architect Crucy (1815), and
owned by Gilles de Rais (see p47) birds. Built in the 9th century, the Villa Lemot, designed by the
in the 15th century. It was the Carolingian abbey church sculptor Lemot (1824). The
remo delled by Viollet-le-Duc of Abbaye de St-Philbert, at St surrounding parkland is decorated
in the 19th century. The coast Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu, is one with antique columns, obelisks,
road beyond Pornic is lined with of the oldest churches in France. follies and other ornaments.
19th-century villas where the In the crypt lies the tomb of St Muscadet and Gros Plant vines
writers Michelet and Flaubert and Philbert, the abbey’s founder. are grown in the vine yards
the painter Renoir once stayed. between Clisson and the Loire.
St-Michel-Chef-Chef, E Musée du Pays de Retz
9 km (5 miles) further north, Rue des Moines, Bourgneuf-en-Retz. + Château de Clisson
is re nowned for its biscuits Tel (02) 40 21 40 83. Open Mar–Jun: Place du Minage. Tel (02) 40 54 02 22.
made with salted butter, and Tue–Sun pm; Jul–Aug: 10:30am–1pm Open Oct–Apr: Wed–Sun pm; May–
for its wide beach. & 3–7pm daily. Closed Oct–Feb. & 7 Sep: Wed–Mon. & 8
O Maison du Lac Y La Garenne Lemot
Rue du Lac, Bouaye. Tel (02) 28 25 19 Gétigné. Tel (02) 40 54 75 85. Park:
9 Pays de Retz 07. Open Jan–Mar: Wed, Sat–Sun pm; Open daily. Estate office: Open May–
Apr–Jun & Sep–Oct: Wed pm, Sat–Sun;
Road map E5. Machecoul. Between Jul–Aug: Tue–Sun; Nov–Dec: phone Sep: daily; Oct–Apr: Tue–Sun pm.
the D751 and the D13. £ @ Nantes. ahead to check. Villa Lemot: Open temporary
n 3 Chausée du Pays de Retz, La exhibitions May–Sep.
Bernerie en Retz; (02) 40 82 70 99. R Abbaye de St-Philbert
∑ paysderetzatlantique.fr n St-Philbert de Grand-Lieu;
(02) 40 78 73 88. Open daily.
Machecoul, once the capital
of the Pays de Retz, was the
fiefdom of Gilles de Rais, the local
Bluebeard (see p47). The ruins of
one of his castles still stand here.
The Musée du Pays de Retz
at Bourgneuf-en-Retz, 12 km
(9 miles) further west on the D13,
describes the local salt-panning
and fishing industries, as well as
traditional crafts. Les Moutiers-
en-Retz, on the coast, owes its Château de Clisson at Place du Minage
For hotels and restaurants see pp229 and p243

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