Guérande – give your holiday a salty flavour!
View itineraryFamous for its salt and marshes, Guérande has plenty for visitors to see and do. This magnificent medieval town in the Loire-Atlantique, often referred to as the “Carcassonne of the West”, is worth a visit for its extraordinary heritage. If you are staying at our Le Ranch open-air hotel, make sure you take some time to explore Guérande!
Guérande through the ages
Guérande is the kind of place that inspires dreams. You might recognise some of the city’s features in the writings of Balzac or Flaubert, because it also moved and inspired these celebrated authors.
However, the area’s history goes back to Ancient times and the Romans who came for its “white gold”, the salt that is harvested here. The 1,300 metres of ramparts were then built in the 14th century to protect the town. Today, Guérande boasts the prestigious “Towns and Regions of Art and History" label.
To start your tour and immerse yourself in the town, enter via Saint-Michel gate. This is one of the town’s four gates, but it’s undoubtedly the most impressive! The gate, once home of the town captain, houses two temporary exhibitions that will immerse you in its history.
In Guérande intra muros, you can also admire the beautiful Notre-Dame-la-Blanche chapel and the Hotel-Dieu Saint-Jean.
Salt marshes to be explored at will
Besides the beautiful medieval town, what makes Guérande’s reputation is, of course, its salt marshes. A mosaic of sparkling colours awaits at the foot of the city. The 2,000 hectares are divided into two parts: the Guérande salt marshes near the Le Traict du Croisic inlet and the salt marshes of Le Mès.
We highly recommend a walk to explore the saltworkers’ villages of Mesquer and Saint-Molf. Stop at the Musée des Marais Salants in Batz-sur-Mer and the Maison des Paludiers in Guérande to find out all you need to know about the harvesting of this white gold.