Just 15 minutes by car, 25 minutes by bike, or 10 minutes by train, the seaside resort of La Baule is very close to la Maison du Traict in Le Croisic. It’s an ideal day trip to discover one of the most beautiful bays in Europe, between Le Pouliguen and Pornichet.
I recommend going by bike, following the coastline between Le Croisic and La Baule. You’ll pass through the charming and colorful little port of Batz-sur-Mer with its yellow beach huts. Then, a cycle path along the sea will take you to Le Pouliguen and the Plage du Nau, an ideal spot to take in the entire bay of La Baule.
Behind the seafront with its 1960s and 70s buildings, you’ll discover several neighborhoods of magnificent Belle Époque and Anglo-Norman style villas surrounded by gardens and maritime pines.
These villas tell the story of the town’s seaside resort history and the lifestyle associated with it at the end of the 19th century, coinciding with the arrival of the railway.
Hundreds of villas sprang up in the dunes and under the pine trees between 1880 and 1930. The architecture is free-flowing, reflecting Norman influences with their half-timbered construction, medieval influences, and sometimes Basque features such as colorful facades, floral decorations, decorative finials, and gardens planted with pine trees.
Many of them bear poetic names, and the fun lies in wandering the streets to discover their sometimes exotic names: Villa Clair de Lune, Villa les Libellules, Villa les Anémones, Villa Pamplemousse…
To discover them, you have to venture into the town, behind the seafront where many disappeared in the 1960s, replaced by high-rise apartment blocks.
You should get lost walking through the winding streets of the Quartier des Oiseaux near the market or the Quartier Benoît.
After this stroll among these elegant villas and luxurious hotels with their bold architecture, hop back on your bike and head towards the bay, riding to the end of the Pornichet marina to admire the spectacular expanse of the bay, 9 km of sand and beach.
The sunset there is remarkable at the end of the day.
