And back on my local road warrior mode, this time going south to old Brittany in the Loire Atlantique dept 44 of the new Pays de la Loire region. A wonderful coastal trip of my belle France just south of me with plenty of architecture, history, and beaches, Let me tell you about the curiosities of Pornic !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
Pornic is located in the Loire-Atlantique department 44, in the Pays de la Loire region. The town is part of historic Brittany, in the traditional country of the country of Retz and in the historic country of the Nantes. Located on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, the city is known for its castle and old port. Pornic is located on the coast of Jade, on the banks of the Baie de Bourgneuf, 45 km from Nantes ,20 km from Saint-Nazaire and 143 km from my house, The town is crossed by the road RD 213, called Route Bleue (blue road), connecting Guérande to Moutiers-en- Retz which allows access to Pornic via three interchanges. The other main axis is the RD 751 which connects the city to Nantes. It runs along the Loire on her left bank. The RD 13, former main axis, crosses the town from east to west and links it to the La Bernerie-en-Retz and the Plaine-sur-Mer, the Pornic train station is the terminus of the Sainte-Pazanne line-Pornic and the Nantes-Pornic line. The town is connected to Nantes, chief town of the department by eight daily round trips provided by the TER Pays de la Loire, The crossing of the Baie de Bourgneuf is reborn in 2021 and makes it possible to connect the port of the Noëveillard de Pornic to the port de l’Herbaudière, located in the town of Noirmoutier-en-l’île (an island).
The Pays de Retz or country of Retz extends to the department of Loire-Atlantique 44. It is one of the traditional countries of Brittany of the Ancien Régime (monarchy), erected as barony then as a duchy. The country of Retz was the stronghold of the different families of the lords of Retz, most of whom were not Breton, and who have followed families since the 11X, The Pays de Retz was one of the main fiefs of Gilles Retz, companion in arms of Jeanne d’Arc and Maréchal de France. It was also the stronghold of the Gondi family, of Italian origin, located in France under the regency of Catherine de Médicis in the 16C, and for whom it became duchy. It was still one of the main places of deployment of the Vendée wars during the French revolution. The country of Retz is currently made up of 40 towns, therefore, Villeneuve-en-Retz, composed of the old town of Bourgneuf-en-Retz, itself encompassing the ancient village of Saint-Cyr-en-Retz, and the old town of Fresnay-en-Retz, Also, La Bernerie en Retz, Pornic and Préfailles,(see posts on these towns).
Some of the curiosities of Pornic I like for its architecture and or history are:
The Domaine de Monplaisir, has the story that when Louis XIV took on decree decided that each city was to have a hospice or hospital, this one was donated, The Retz hospital in Pornic in 1721 was created by ordered from Louis XV. today the church has been transformed into a senior home , the hospital is a medical retirement home, and the chapel is today an exhibition hall.
The wonderful architecture of the Marius restaurant : The historic building is now available in 3 levels, each of them tells us a story, Located on the top floor and its roof terrace, Marius offers you an unprecedented experience under the stars, New gastronomic table where the bright and elegant room embraces the sky and the sea as far as the eye can see, through its bays where the Pornic castle is emerging, While the city’s tops dominate the kitchen with charm and elegance for a unique experience …
It was in 1883 that the Moulin de Pornic was born. At that time, the installations operated in steam and to produce this energy, it is necessary to receive coal which comes by boat from Wales. The Moulins de Pornic joined Moulins Soufflet in 1997 as the Moulins Soufflet Pornic at quai du commandant L’Herminier.
Relais Saint-Gilles, 7 rue Fernand-de-Mun a stone’s throw from the Pornic castle and the historic center, in a quiet setting but close to the animation of the Old Port , From Recouvrance, this former post relay is initially intended to house a delayed diligence relay, before being transformed into a passenger hotel by the Gautier brothers, around 1860-70 . Then the establishment becomes a village hall before being arranged as a opulent formula. On the pediment of the post relay, you could read “correspondence with the Paimbœuf boats and ,,, “. We still see in the courtyard the old stables. A lodging place now definitive closed.
The Place du Marchix , name come from old French “place where we take the
walking ” because it was the main entrance to the city. It opens up rue Tartifume, old way leading to Chauvé and in the heart of the country of Retz. See the unique modern seafarer’s fountain and lighthouse.
Maison des Arts , former Salle Macé at Place Jean Macé, It is an exhibition hall for paintings and sculptures and various other exhibitions.
Passage du Rocher ,from the rue de la Marine, the new building with the architecture of the 1930s Paqueboat or cruiseliner effect, This beautiful building of a highly successful architectural achievement is at the height of the city’s nerve center . In the 11 -meter elevation between the bottom and the top, the new building allows you to discover a superb panorama. The first and second levels are devoted to shops, tea room, delicatessen, leather goods shop and games. Its large staircases allows them to connect the upper town and the quays to allow as many people as possible to discover the upper city.
Some other things to see in Pornic are: the Cliffs of Sainte-Marie Sur Mer and the Clion Sur Mer have been occupied for millennia as proven by the many Megalith which are erectéd there such as the -Dolmen of the Joselière and the Predary, Tumulus of the Mousseaux , etc. We can still admire several Megaliths on the town. The Château des Brefs is a fortified castle built in the 12C in the old town of Clion-sur-Mer, first of wood, it served as a quarantine house for the port of Prigny. Rebuilt in stone the following century, it kept its medieval aspect until the 17C, the date on which this property of the princes of Condé was razed under the reign of Louis XIII. On the vaulted cellars was rebuilt a pleasure castle in Louis XIII style. The castle was then restored in 1830 in the Clissonnais style, very in vogue at that time in the region. The castle then abandoned, until it is ruined and looted. In 1989, the castle was restored by an association, chaired by the storyteller Éric Chartier, with the assistance of local authorities, and the city of Pornic. Since then, the place has been a center of art and culture, where each year takes place, art exhibitions, and literary evenings. The Church Saint Pierre of Clion sur Mer (part of Pornic) dates from the 13C or the beginning of the 14C, and was revised in the 17C and 19C. Its bell tower, has a mechanical chime from 1857 which can ring a complete octave. There are only vestiges of the old Sainte-Marie abbey of Pornic, in the cure of the ancient town of Sainte-Marie-sur-Mer, where the Sainte-Marie Church, of neo-Gothic style, date of the end of the 19C; It conceals a tombstone, dating from the 14C. The most recent religious building is the Chapelle Notre-Dame de Gourmalon chapel, inaugurated in 1909.
A bit of history I like tell us after three centuries of struggle between Francs and Bretons, the countries of Retz, Nantes and Rennes are integrated in 851 into the Breton kingdom, under the Treaty of Angers, birth certificate of historic Brittany. In 938, Duke Alain Barbetorte chased the Vikings to Pornic and released the country of Retz. He built a castle on the site of the one we know to defend the southern march of the Duchy and the bay of Brittany, the current Bourgneuf bay and Marais Breton. From the 1830s, the city was a privileged destination for foreigners (Parisians, Nantes, Angevins !) ,Thanks to its ferruginous sources of water and its beaches conducive to Sea Baths. The arrival of these resorts generated construction Infrastructure to welcome them. The wealthiest built sumptuous residences along the coast between the Castle Beach and that of La Noëveillard. Pornic became a very popular resort and frequented by personalities from letters and arts, of which at that time were wrriters like Gustave Flaubert, Paul Léautaud, Michelet, Robert Browning or Julien Gracq ; and many painters such as Auguste Renoir, Edgar Maxence, Henri Lebasque, Charles Leduc, Jean Henri Choupe, Charles Jacque, Émile Guillaume, Fernand Lantoine, Félix Thomas, Gustave Quenioux, Charles Fouqueray, Edouard Porquier, Armand Guillaumin, Gustave Loiseau, Raoul du Gardier and Max Ernst. Magnificnet seaside villas were built between Pornic and Sainte-Marie, and in the Gourmalon District where we also come to take the waters at the source of Malmy. The construction of the Mole Casino in 1908 consolidates the reputation of the increasingly frequented beach station.
The town of Pornic on its heritage : https://www.pornic.fr/pornic-ma-ville/decouvrir-pornic/patrimoine/
The Pornic tourist office on Pornic : https://en.pornic.com/pornic-destination-pornic-sainte-marie.html
There you go folks, a short but pleasant trip to the beautiful old Bretagne, that is Loire Atlantique dept 44. The sea at its best, nice monuments, and pleasant road warrior driving were all that was needed, we have been back !!!! Again, hope you enjoy the post on the curiosities of Pornic as I.
And remember happy travels, good health,and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 