And here I am in the region just south of me. This time will tell you a bit more on Le Croisic in the Loire Atlantique dept 44 of Pays de la Loire region, formely Brittany…I have come here a couple of times and it has been magical by the ocean and good times with the family. Let me tell you a bit more on Le Croisic
Le Croisic is located on a granite island which remained separate from that of Batz-sur-Mer (see post) and the mainland until the 9C, it is now part of the wild coast of the Guérande (see posts) peninsula. With the exception of the narrow isthmus which links it to Batz-sur-Mer to the south-east, the territory of the town is surrounded by water, alternating beaches and cliffs exposed to the Atlantic Ocean and a port protected by the pier of the Tréhé and open to the traict.
We went on by car to Le Croisic the end of the peninsula where the sea is king and we just the servants. We found for a Sunday plenty of parking for free in all the towns. Le Croisic is 22 km from Saint Nazaire,(see posts) bordering Batz-sur-Mer to the southeast; La Turballe (see post) to the northeast and Guérande to the east are separated from the town by the Traits du Croisic. Access to Le Croisic by road is via the D245 from the village of Batz-sur-Mer. Oriented along an east-west axis, it constitutes the only road axis leading to the town. On the Croisic, it follows the periphery of the peninsula under the names of D245 and D45.
For info, never taken it. The town has its own colorful SNCF station, by the harbor, the terminus of the line from Saint-Nazaire, itself an extension of the line from Tours; it is currently served by the TER Pays de la Loire, and the TGVs, notably from Paris-Montparnasse. More info in French: TER Pays de la Loire on Le Croisic
Lila Presqu’île bus network with line 5 to Océarium and 6 to train station gare takes you from Guérande to Le Croisic par bus. More info in French here: Aleop pays de la loire on bus network to Le Croisic
We came for the beaches , the ambiance and the market! Open air market or Marché de plein air. Every Thursday mornings at place Dinan. The covered market or halle , every Tuesdays in july and August, Thursdays and Saturday mornings all year .
Things to see in Le Croisic: Saint-Goustan Chapel 11C to 19C, Menhir de la Pierre Longue (neolithic); Notre-Dame-de-Pitié Church 15-17C; Chapel of the Crucifix 16C; Kervaudu Cross 17C; Hôtel d’Aiguillon 17C: Manoir de Kervaudu 15C: the House at 14, place Dinan 16C: the houses at 33-35, rue Saint-Christophe 15C: the house at 28, rue de l ‘église 16C , and the house at 5, quai de la Grande Chambre 17C.
The City of Le Croisic has 3 lush green spaces, open to walking. Mont Lénigo with an area of 1.5 ha, Mont-Esprit with 3 ha and the Penn Avel park with 9 ha. Penn Avel Park is open to the public from 8h to 20h . from April to mid-October and outside this period from 8h to 17C. Mont-Esprit and Mont Lénigo are former shedding mounds formed over the centuries by the deposit of materials used as ballast for merchant ships that came to get Guérande salt. The two sites were converted into gardens in the 19C.
North of Le Croisic, the Traict constitutes a unique natural landscape. The Traict is a mixture of sand and water. This wetland allows salt water to enter deep into the land and in particular to feed the Guérande salt marshes. During low tide, it almost completely empties, leaving only two navigable arms. The two traicts ,the small and the large are separated from the salt marshes by a dike. it is also classified as a “Natura 2000″ area.
There are 10 beaches! at Le Croisic ! Baie de jumel with 120 meters; Castouillet – 280 m ; Crucifix – 100 m ; Fort de la Pointe – 70 m ;Le Sable-Menu – 50 m ; Port aux rocs – 140 m ; Port Lin – 180 m main beach on the wild coast or côte sauvage route; Port-Val – 208 m ; Saint-Goustan – 360 m opposite the tip of Pen Bron in La Turballe ;and Saint-Jean-de-Dieu – 520 m ! And you know it the hightlighted beaches above are our favorites.
My favorite beach webpage Plages tv on Port Lin in English!: Plages tv on Port Lin beach at Le Croisic
And a pleasure marina and fisherman port more info in French: Pleasure and fishing marina at Le Croisic
There was an exposition going on at the house of the rescue or Maison du Sauvetage right by the harbor. The fishing harbor and the pleasure boat harbor are sublime picturesques beautiful. More info in French here from the : Tourist office of Le Croisic on Maison du Sauvetage
A little bit of history I like
If up to the 13C nothing distinguishes Le Croisic administratively from the rest of the Batz peninsula, in the 14C the locality undoubtedly acquired the status of a town. It was from Croisic that in June 1386, the flotilla of three ships armed with cannons and commanded by Pierre de Lesnérac, constable of Nantes to fetch the future 3rd wife of Jean IV of Brittany, Jeanne de Navarre, who then lived in Pamplona (Spain). In the 15C, Le Croisic was the vassal direct from the crown of Brittany and enjoys privileges subsequently confirmed by the successive kings of France, from Charles VIII to Louis XV. These are exemptions from excavation taxes, support for war and defense costs and ordinary and extraordinary contributions. Le Croisic, like Guérande and forty other cities in Brittany, was represented in the 17-18C in the parliament of Brittany , sovereign court of the duchy with mainly financial powers.
The city of Le Croisic is name as one of the Petites Cités de Caractere or small villages of character in France for its picturesques quaint architecture, ambiance more here in French Petites cites de caractere on Le Croisic
The Le Croisic tourist office : Tourist office of Le Croisic
There you go this is wonderful coastal France on the Atlantic ocean and very close to me and yes part of the Breton traditions. This is Le Croisic, enjoy it fully.
And remember, happy travels, good health , and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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