Pornic

Visit Pornic, Pays de la Loire

Pornic is a coastal harbour town situated in the centre of the Jade Coast, as the Atlantic coast south-west of Nantes is known.

Exploring Pornic

It is the port that forms the heart of the town, and this old centre is the most interesting part of a visit as you amble long admiring the boats in the harbour, watching the fishermen, and perhaps spending some time on the beach in the town centre (the small beach can become rather crowded but plenty of other beaches are available along the rocky coast nearby).

There is a large modern casino and several 'belle epoque' villas to see, and Pornic is a very pleasant one to explore. There are few 'outstanding' monuments but a couple of churches in Pornic (Church of Sainte-Marie and the Church of Saint Gilles) and the 'English cemetery' should feature on your itinerary.

The gardens at Jardin de Gourmalon provide a shady respite from the crowds and have pretty views across the harbour.

The Chateau de Pornic stands at one end of the port. It dates from the 13th century but was significantly altered in the 19th century. The chateau is also known as Bluebeard's castle because it was owned by Gilles de Rais, the famous bluebeard, in the 15th century. The castle is not open to the public but forms an impressive sight when illuminated at night.

Attractions nearby

No visit to this part of France would be complete without visiting some prehistoric megaliths and several are nearby, including the Dolmen de la Joseliere, the dolmen du Predaire and the Tumulus des Mousseaux.

Note: photo shows the Jade Coast near to Pornic. You can explore the coastline along the old customs path.

See Pays-de-la-Loire and Loire-Atlantique (the region and department for Pornic) for more travel ideas...

Suggested places to visit near Pornic, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: La Baule 29km; Le Pouliguen 31km; Batz-sur-Mer 34km; Guerande 34km; Cote d'Amour 37km; Le Croisic 37km; La Turballe 40km; Nantes 43km; La Roche-Bernard 47km; Saint Gilles Croix de Vie 48km;

Pornic tourist information: sights and attractions nearby

Pointe Sainte-Gildas - site of natural beauty (11km) : Loire Estuaire - site of natural beauty (19km) : Marais de Machecoul - site of natural beauty (25km) : Lac de Grand-Lieu - site of natural beauty (32km) : Notre-Dame-de-Monts - ville fleurie 4* (32km) : Briere - regional natural parc (34km) : Saint-Jean-de-Monts - ville fleurie 4* (36km) : Marais Salants de Guérande - site of natural beauty (39km) :

See more places and a map at places near Pornic