Instead of arriving by train, we could have sailed down the Loire River—which runs through Nantes (the city featured in last week’s blog post)—out to the Atlantic Ocean and onward to today’s two destinations. To the south, we’d read that Pornic was “a classic seaside resort town,” with its harbor, beaches, and coastal walks offering a relaxed atmosphere and beautiful scenery. North of there was Le Croisic, a working port town that “provides a more rugged coastal experience,” as you might expect from a fishing harbor and wild coastline. Despite their differences, both towns charmed us, each offering a distinct experience within a similar coastal theme.

It’s not often that we can walk out of a train station and be right at the water but that’s definitely the case in Pornic. As with many destinations in France, our inspiration for this visit came from the TV show “Les 100 lieux qu’il faut voir” and today’s featured photo at the top of this post is the scene that opened the show and drew us to this picturesque harbor. The Château de Pornic has been protecting the port since the 10th century although the current privately-owned building looks dramatically different from that original stone tower. After 900 years of defensive service, the city’s deputy mayor bought what was by then a ruin, restored it, and introduced sea bathing to the community in 1831 to attract tourists who still come today even if it’s just for the view.

We continued walking beside the harbor on the Corniche de Gourmalon walkway, passing by rocky outcrops and small, sheltered beaches. Once we got past the Pointe aux Chevaux it was time to look for some wooden huts on stilts above the ocean with distinctive square nets called carrelets projecting from them. With this traditional fishing method, the nets are lowered into the water where they rest momentarily and are then quickly hauled back up to trap the fish inside. Since we were now about a half-hour walk from the station and we had a train to catch, we headed back into town. More photos in the gallery below.

The next morning we were back on the train for the 1-hour ride to another port town, Le Croisic. Until the 9th century, this was an island but its strategic coastal location persuaded the local residents to complete the work that nature had begun of filling in the channel to connect it to the mainland. The Office of Tourism for Le Croisic lists “15 Top Activities” in or (sort of) near the city but we went with just their first suggestion: “Listed as a Small Town of Character, it’s well worth just a walk around.” 

It was an easy stroll along the harbor from the train station down to the walkway that goes 700 meters (2300 feet) out into the sea to a lighthouse where we could have continued. However, with a review that said the pier, “can seem endless and a little dangerous” we turned inland. There we were met with cobblestone streets and thick stone walled buildings that are practical for withstanding storms from the Atlantic Ocean and still provided a charming ambiance. For lunch we went back to the waterfront where there was an amazing selection of well-rated restaurants, many featuring a fresh catch of the day. Next time we’ll be back in Nantes for some inland visits.