introduction

Western France has a long coastline on the western part of the France and consists of four regions: Brittany, Normandy, Loire Valley and Western Loire.

Western France has a population of approximately 5 million residents and is widely known for their touristic attractiveness. Western France’s GDP is comparable to Portugal or to the American states of South Carolina or Louisiana. It is half the GDP of Austria, and half the GDP of Norway.

surfing

The Atlantic coast receives the best swells and this is where the action is. This part can also  split into 3 main surfing areas - Brittany (furthest north), the Coast of Light (Cote de Lumiere) which stretches from Brittany down to La Rochelle and then the Silver Coast - the straight coast that joins with Spain in the south.

The Coast of Light is the main coastal region of Western France and needs bigger swells to start working due to its coastline but still offers a wide variety of waves. It has some great beginners spots for summer surfers and is generally less crowded that the Silver Coast surf spots.

travel

There are many ways of travelling France: by plane, train, bus, motorcycle, bike, thumb or car.

France has a well-developed system of highways. Rent a car and you are free to go! Metro is not very cheap in Paris, but will take you, literally everywhere.

Train is a great option to get around France. TGV (Train a Grande Vitesse - High-Speed Train) is fast and extremely comfortable – it truly is a wonderful way of seeing the country.

Hitchhiking is possible as well, just be patient. And your knowledge of French will help you a lot here (and generally in every situation).

where to stay

There are many different types of accommodation available in Western France, ranging from Chateau, Manor, Hotels, Youth Hostels to Bed & Breakfast.

Bienvenue au Chateau - Owning 120 châteaux, manors and attractive country houses in Western France, Bienvenue au Chateau welcomes you in a peaceful and intimate atmosphere in the comfort of their guest rooms.
They treat you like friends rather than guests and you will have the opportunity of tasting their tradition family recipes as well as excellent recommended regional wines. It would be the ideal place to stay at if you want a warming welcome and privacy in your own home.

A list of other affordable and nice places to stay would be:

    * The Novotel hotel - Near the Convention Centre and the train station, close to the castle and the Cathedral
    * The Mercure hotel - A 3* hotel located in city centre, near Nantes' main train station. Ideal for meetings and conventions.
    * Hôtel Kyriad Nantes Centre - inexpensive hotel with a good location in central Nantes; Canal Satellite TV, Wifi
    * Ibis Tour de Bretagne, Covered parking and a bar and restaurant, l'hôtel Ibis is close to the Tour de Bretagne.
    * Hotel Pommeray - A hotel located next to the Passage Pommeraye (shopping), free Wifi (and PC to use) in the lobby

what to pack

Pack according to the season, but the general rule would be to pack some warm and cool clothes and have at least one set of nicer clothing for more formal occasions.

Take all the gear if you plan to camp: a good sleeping bag and a waterproof tent that are good for low temp; special gas container u can use for heating food and water; a sturdy backpack or a cargo pack with a good daypack. Invest in a portable water filter or at least take some puri-tabs or boil the water.

And of course, bring a camera, there're plenty of photo opportunities here to impress your mates with back home. And take a good protection for your camera from the sand.

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