In Loire-Atlantique

To taste the winds of the open sea, we head for Saint Nazaire harbour where Félix invites you to take a seat on board the Mister Sam. This beautiful catamaran has made the journey from Abidjan around the Azores like a migrating bird, to navigate along the Charente and Brittany coasts. For each sea trip, the skipper takes about ten people on board without any selection criteria. If you have sea legs, he will even show you how to drive the boat and point out the manoeuvres. But before registering for the Route du Rhum, remember to book your trip online!

The Voyage à Nantes (or VAN) is first and foremost a journey through the city, along a green line. It takes in museums, parks, heritage features, a collection of open-air artworks, the Machines de l’Ile and the Grand Éléphant (12 metres of fantasy). The VAN is also a succession of artistic and atypical places scattered along the Loire Estuary between Nantes and Saint Nazaire, including the Villa Cheminée in Cordemais (a gîte which is unique of its kind) the “Ocean Serpent” in Saint Brevin les Pins and around thirty other equally unusual stops.

15 minutes from Nantes, yet far from the hustle and bustle of the city, Alexis and his team offer you the chance to get away from it all on a canoe or kayak. You can also take the helm of one of the three aptly-named electrically-powered boats in the fleet: Libellule (Dragonfly), Aigrette (Egret) and Heron. Or try navigating the River Acheneau by force of arms, hoisted onto a stand-up paddle. Don’t forget to book online to enjoy the bucolic calm of this green oasis in the heart of the Pays de Retz.

For a successful kite session, you need a good spot; recent, reliable, top-of-the-range equipment and an attentive, professional and friendly instructor. In short, you need to contact Romain (alias “Bouclette”). Line Up offers introductory sessions and advanced courses along 8 km of coastline at Saint Brevin les Pins or in La Baule Bay, and also landkite courses if you want to keep your feet dry. And when the wind dies down, Romain organises stand-up paddleboarding trips to Pornic and Saint Nazaire.

La Bernerie en Retz has a large sandy beach which is ideal for sand yachting. This leisure sport is accessible to all and a must for thrill-seekers. You’ll be exhilarated by the sea spray and guaranteed adrenalin rush at the controls of a machine launched full speed on hard sand at low tide, your sail inflated by the wind. If you’d like to try the experience for a session or a summer course, go to the SRB (Société des Régates de La Bernerie) and ask for Gauthier.