'LE CHARDON'

THE BAY OF LA BAULE boasts one of the finest beach in Europe with its fine sands. Promenade the embankment, magnificate views, many activities. fashionable resort, Loire-Atlantique département, western France. It lies on the Atlantic coast near the mouth of the Loire River, west of Saint-Nazaire and Nantes. Facing south and protected from the north wind by 1,000 acres (400 hectares) of dune-stabilizing maritime pines, it is on a crescent-shaped bay in the centre of a fine sand beach 5 miles (8 km) long. Headlands at each end of the bay shelter the resort. Created in 1879, it and Biarritz are the best-known Atlantic resorts. Behind the line of the seafront hotels, luxurious villas are dotted among the pines. The town has parks, good shops, a casino, golf and tennis clubs, and a yacht marina. Nearby are salt marshes.

THE SALT PANS Fascinating 2000 acres produce the famous Fleur de sel ("Flower of salt" in French) is a hand-harvested sea salt collected by workers who scrape only the top layer of salt before it sinks to the bottom of large salt pans. Traditional French fleur de sel is collected off the coast of Brittany (most notably in the town of Guérande - Fleur de Sel de Guérande, hand harvested from salt marsh water being the most revered),and is slightly grey due to the sandy minerals collected in the process of harvesting the salt from the pans. Fleur de sel is one of most expensive salts in the world and is usually sold in jars as it is slightly damp.

GUERANDE in French and Gwenrann in the Breton language, (meaning : "white land"). It lies close to the Atlantic Ocean. Guerande sits high looking over the salt pans and beyond to the Bay of Biscay, to the east lie the Briere wetlands and National Park and to the north the Vilaine river. The old walled town (known in French as vieille ville) is surrounded by intact ramparts and has four fortified gates (the largest of which is a 15th century châtelet known as Porte Saint-Michel) and ten towers. It's the capital of the Pays Guérandais, an ancient region of the Duchy of Brittany. The residents are called Guérandais. Guérande is almost surrounded by the sea at the West, the Brière swamp at the east and the Vilaine river by the north. At the south extends the sea resort La Baule. Guérande is known by the salterns which produce a very fine, traditional salt called fleur de sel, and by the old town with fortifications. The town has a very rich history, full of important events.

THE BRIERE WETLANDS A veritable labyrinth of islands and water, la Brière is the second largest marsh land in France, after the Camargue. With its nearly 40,000 hectares of peat bogs, ponds, and canals the National Regional Park is home to an exceptional variety of animal life. As you walk through the park you'll get a chance to see the "tourist" villages of Saint-Malo-de-Guersac (lock-keeper's house) on the island of Fedrun, and the restored village of Kerhinet. Since the 1500s, the 17,000 hectares of la Brière have belonged to 21 independent communities. If you would like to wander off the "beaten path", take a stroll through the hamlets of Pentille,
Camerun, and Mayun... But to get the most out of your visit to the park the best way to go is by boat (chaland). These small boats are available for rent (with a guide) in the little ports of: île de Fédrun (Saint-Joachim), Port de Bréca (Saint-Lyphard), Port de la Chaussée Neuve (Saint-André-des-Eaux), Port des Fossés Blancs (La Chapelle-des-Marais), Port des Prises du Coin (Herbignac).

MESQUER-QUIMIAC The nearest quality beaches, salt pans and activities to the house - minutes away. Situated in the landscape of remarkable beauty, amoung pine forrests. The family resort of Mesqquer-Quimiac offers families a choice of lesuire activities for all ages,from bathing to more energetic water sports, there is something for everyone. Stroll through the salt pans and gp bird watching. Enjoy the panoramic view of the bay at the headland. Buy the very freshest sea food