Cordemais: Wetlands, walking trails and culture

Cordemais brings together a variety of visitor attractions: an interactive visitor centre at the small harbour, wetlands, walking trails and cultural and historical landmarks. If you are looking for a hotel for your stay, you can plan your days around the attractions that interest you most. The options range from wildlife watching to a balloon ride and historical details at the church and cross. This gives you specific ideas for how to balance nature, outdoor activities and local history during your stay.

Terre d’Estuaire at the small harbour

Terre d’Estuaire is an immersive, interactive visitor centre at the small harbour of Cordemais. The visit lasts 1.5 hours and is designed to be both fun and educational. At Terre d’Estuaire, visitors can ascend to a height of 25 metres in a balloon. The time needed fits easily into a day’s itinerary, while the balloon ride offers another way to experience the centre. If you are looking for an informative activity, you will find a combination of interactive exhibits and a ride up into the air here.

Wetlands at the Plan d’eau de la Côte

The wetlands are the main attraction at the Plan d’eau de la Côte. The landscaped pond was designed as a restored wetland to encourage wildlife and plant life along the Loire. Sand paths, footbridges and boardwalks lead visitors into the reed beds. An ornithological observation point and an exhibition about wetland wildlife and plant life add to the site. Wildlife watching and learning about the habitat go hand in hand here: you can observe birds while also learning about wetland flora and fauna. The focus is therefore both on observing nature and on information about this habitat.

Walking trails with different highlights

For walks, you can choose between a trail focusing on the harbour landscape and a long-distance trail that continues towards Savenay and the Loire estuary. The Sentier des Cigognes runs through the marshes and drainage ditches in the heart of Cordemais harbour. It offers the chance to discover the wildlife and plant life, as well as the birdlife, of the Loire estuary. The GR 3 long-distance trail crosses Cordemais from the Coulée du Chaud to the Mont Tiéber stream. It then follows the Sillon de Bretagne towards Savenay and the Loire estuary. The Sentier des Cigognes puts the harbour’s natural environment in the spotlight, while the GR 3’s route through Cordemais and its continuation as a walking trail provide useful points of reference.

Church and historical landmarks

The Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste is built in the Neo-Gothic style. Its choir windows depict the life of John the Baptist and were installed in 1897. The design and the subject matter of the windows offer two specific ways to explore the building. The Croix de Saint-Samson dates from the 11th century and is the only surviving remnant of the Priory of Saint-Samson. It points to a former religious institution, while the choir windows provide a dated detail of the church. If you are interested in religious architecture and traces of history, Cordemais offers a range of features, each linked to a specific building or historic site.

Villa Cheminée: art and views

The Villa Cheminée in Cordemais is a work of art that can be seen at any time. Visitors can climb up to the viewpoint only on weekends; as access arrangements may change, check before visiting. From the viewpoint, you can see across the entire Loire estuary to the ocean; on the other side lies the green Sillon de Bretagne. A visit therefore offers two different perspectives: the Villa as a visible work of art and the panorama from the viewpoint. If you plan to take in the views, bear in mind that access to the viewpoint is limited to weekends.

Discover more destinations: Cheix-En-Retz, Grandchamps-Des-Fontaines, Sainte-Anne-Sur-Brivet, Geneston, Le Loroux-Bottereau, La Meilleraye-De-Bretagne, Pornic, Treillières.

For the main travel overview: Loire-Atlantique.