Pays de la Loire : châteaux, îles de Loire & villages de tuffeau – Les villages de nos régions – MG
Discovering France
means wandering its cobbled streets, climbing to the top of its most beautiful towers,
tasting its specialties, climbing its trails or sailing on its rivers. It also means meeting its inhabitants,
those who, every day, maintain and strive
to bring our heritage to life. Discovering our country
means immersing yourself in the villages of our regions. In the Great West,
let’s explore the Pays de la Loire, a region made up of five
departments around Nantes, its capital. The Pays de la Loire region offers many
attractions and a significant diversity of landscapes. From bucolic settings to
maritime atmospheres, passing through cities steeped in history. With the Loire as a backdrop,
we will visit the most authentic, sometimes the most unusual, villages
of this beautiful and vast region. From Sainte-Suzanne, a village that will immerse you in the Middle Ages. On the island of Béhuard,
also known as the little Venice of Anjou,
Puy de 30 Moues, a former fishing hamlet that has become a haven for artists. In Vouvan, a city of art and history
in the heart of the Vendée countryside. To finish on the banks of the river,
in Montsoreau, a village which harmoniously blends stone and water. Let’s begin our journey in the north
of the region, in Mayenne, to discover one of the
most authentic villages in Maine, Sainte-Suzanne, located
35 kilometers from Laval. A medieval city with
narrow streets steeped in history. Juliette is a Susanaise by adoption. A few years ago, she fell
in love with this charming town. It’s hard not to fall in love with Sainte-Suzanne, its authenticity, its heritage, its stone houses
, its narrow streets, everything is bucolic. It’s really very beautiful. The heart of the town
is of course the castle, which, over the centuries,
has always protected the people of Susannah. Great. There you are in front of one of the oldest monuments
of Sainte-Suzanne, in any case the oldest within the city walls. So, a dungeon built at the beginning of the 11th
century and which resisted
the troops of William the Conqueror for almost four years at the end of the 11th century. For the pride of Sainte-Suzanne
is to be the only fortress in Europe to have stood up to
the terrible king of England. So, the dungeon. And this, thanks to its dungeon. There, we may not be very, very high,
we are between 15 and 20 meters high, but that is more than enough to be able to
monitor the surroundings, and therefore spot a possible troop
advancing from the castle, indeed. And then, we are dealing with very
resistant masonry, where all the conditions were met to be able to
effectively resist the troops for several years. To bring the history of the city back to life,
the people of Susannah organize guided tours in medieval costumes
for young people. Come on, let’s go to the rampart,
see if the enemies are attacking us. So be careful, we’re going to try.
All right ? Yeah. It’s a change from our usual clothes
because we have a T-shirt and they had a few things to do on them. There were lords that we,
now, it’s the president, it’s not the same. In addition to activities reserved
for children, the Suzannes work all year round to maintain
the heritage of their town. Hello brave ones. What was wrong with this little wall? He wasn’t straight.
Wasn’t he straight? Was it the wear and tear of time?
The wear and tear of time. I believe we are all driven by the same
passion, the same desire, to see these walls rise from the ground again. So, the result is there,
I believe that with a little passion and above all friendship,
we managed to do a good job. I was born in Sainte-Suzanne. My village is the most beautiful in the world,
so we do everything to make it even more beautiful. There’s no denying it, in Sainte-Suzanne,
we have a sense of hospitality and celebration. Every summer, volunteers organize
events to the rhythm of the local brass band. Atmosphere guaranteed. And if you prefer to discover the village
in peace and quiet, you can also choose a horse ride. Very popular in Sainte-Suzanne. Good evening, Mr. Henri.
Good evening, children. So, are you back from your walk? Yes, it’s a nice weather. We have walls that have been oozing life
for at least a millennium. Everyone feels that way. And there is a special communion between
nature, the sky and human beings. Well, we say to ourselves that this place is
absolutely magical and that there it is, it has no limits. The horizon is endless
and it’s pure happiness. Let’s leave the Susannes to their happiness
and resume our route. They leave. Let’s now head to the banks of the Loire,
towards Béhuard, a village unlike
any other, located 15 km from Angers, in Maine-et-Loire. Here, when you’re on the street,
you’re never far from the water. Normal, Béhuard is one of the many
islands that dot the Loire. Good morning. Good morning.
So, are you preparing for training? Are you ready? For Marie-Françoise, a
resident of Béhuard, the condition for settling in the
village is knowing how to steer your own ship. And it’s not an image. Because what makes this island a
unique place in France is that it is very often invaded by water. I only encourage. That’s already not bad, you
also need some to encourage you. I think our
arms are going to hurt when we get out. During your stay on the island,
take the opportunity to try your hand at flatwater racing. Come on, let’s go to these flat-bottomed boats,
typical of the banks of the Loire. In August, the Fête
de la Plate, an event in Béhuard, was not to be missed. But here, water is not
always a pleasure. On this panel, there you have it,
it explains everything about Béhuard. And right away,
we let people know. It’s a specificity. We are an island and there is water. So, the flood, here,
it is exposed everywhere. That’s 1910. So we go to 1910 here, 6.78 meters. That was still quite a bit of water. This is 1904. You see, people came
to the church by boat. Floods punctuate life in Bébarn. We are exposed to floods. We are not proud of it,
because we are not responsible, but it is
something we accept. Here, I have a photo from 1995. When water floods this street,
we know that it is a flood which is still quite significant. There you have it, the photo from 1995. That’s Venice there. We travel through the streets by boat. Béhuard, the little Venice of Angers,
as it is called around here. In the village there are
only 125 inhabitants. Among them, André. Good morning. The living memory of the village.
I’m doing well ? Well, yes. The two friends met
in front of the statue of the Virgin and Child. A monument in the heart of the village
that you cannot miss. Its particularity
is the fact that it is placed, in principle, above the flood of 1910. To say that it must be unsinkable. Since the 5th century,
the island has been a place of worship dedicated to the protection of the sailors of the Loire. Every year in August,
a large pilgrimage brings together thousands of faithful to this small island. One day of a great pilgrimage,
when there were 50,000 people on the island, there was a lady
who was afraid and said to herself: Oh dear, so many people, so many people
in the streets of Béuard. Are n’t you afraid the island will tip over? Because we’re all on the same side. It was very funny. It must be said that Béhuard is firmly
anchored to the rock which supports the church. It is part of your life, the Rocherie. It’s a monument,
and it’s also a place to play. We all climbed as
children, we all climbed on this rock. And it’s true that we were lucky
to have both the beach and the mountains. Above the rock, the church is
another symbol of the town. It was after narrowly avoiding
drowning near Béhuard that King Louis XI, as a sign of gratitude,
had it built. This rock is truly the basis of the
construction of the church, of this church. And we can clearly see that the rock serves as a wall. The whole eastern part is rock. And inside,
the decor chosen by Louis XI mixes the symbols of royalty with those
of the Loire, right up to the ceiling. The vaults of this church
are in the shape of an inverted boat hull. And in 2003,
the Fine Arts moved into the interior of the church and surprisingly rediscovered
all the flowers of Louis, which date from Louis XI. Even today,
the inhabitants are very attached to this church which, symbolically,
continues to watch over the shipwrecked of the Loire. When floods occur in Béhuard,
islanders can also count on solidarity and the D system. It’s worth seeing
when there are floods. But now I am in demand. The people who ask me, there,
they took them, they brought them back. And then, otherwise, the same,
when they arrive and they don’t have a boat, they call me
that they are at the station. So I go with my boat,
I pick them up, I bring them home. I take another turn
to get the… To play mailman. And I am in demand because I have
the time and I never refuse. I don’t mind, but
there’s one thing to say. It connects everyone a little bit. You will certainly feel this strong bond between the inhabitants
while strolling along the banks of the Loire,
because in Béuard, we never miss an opportunity to get together.
So, there you have it. It has to go over it. Yes, 1.80 meters. Béuard, I have a serenity
that I have here, that I don’t have elsewhere. Maybe it’s in our veins. It’s the water that runs through our
veins, it’s not blood. Our future inhabitants also know this life by the water
well. Now let’s embark on another
unusual destination called 30 Mou. We are in Loire-Atlantique,
opposite the port of Nantes. From the city of Nantes, allow ten
minutes for the crossing on this shuttle. An almost daily journey for Annie,
30, adopted by Mousines. I arrived here a bit by chance,
thinking I would stay for a while. And finally,
I’ve been here for almost 20 years. If you only have a few hours
to explore, start by wandering
through the village’s labyrinthine streets and admiring all the
multi-colored houses. Then join the platform. This is where it all happens.
Hi Franck. Ideal for having a drink
and meeting locals. I met my wife
here and I told her that… Ah, that’s romantic. I’d love to join you, but on one
condition: that we live here. And if I came here, it’s because
at high tide, it smells of the sea. The sea, as we say here, is the Loire. If today, 30 mous to shoot especially
city dwellers in search of a change of scenery. Hi Gwen, how are you? The soul of the fishermen who once lived there
is still present. So here, at 30 molds,
the houses were actually built, all from the water to the Loire to
protect themselves from the climate and floods. And if you look up,
you’ll see these metal hooks. They were used to hoist furniture
and provisions during floods. But there are also
some more luxurious residences at 30 from Mou. The houses of the Caporniers,
these long-distance sailors. These are particularly
famous in the village. Jean Carmet again. Oh, that’s in the garden too,
Jean Carmet, on the balustrade. Oh yes, Deneuve had her chair.
He had his armchair. Giraudeau too, for that matter.
Giraudeau too, yes. The team was very large. The team is the
White Queen’s team. A film released in the early 90s. This is Catherine’s entrance. Ah, here is Madame Deneuve’s entrance. The entire decor of the platform has been redone. Yes, yes, completely. I must tell you that the village has
changed a lot since the film was shot. The houses have become
much more beautiful. The population has also changed a lot. Indeed, this film,
almost entirely shot at 30 meters, will bring color back to the village
and attract a whole new population of artists.
Hi Philippe. The most famous here is him,
Philippe, alias Fifi. You can see his productions
everywhere on the walls of the village. He does reverse graffiti. It’s covered in graffiti, it’s a kind
of decreasing street art, you could say. I start with the old walls with everything
on them, impulses, lichen, darkness, and I use them like
a scratch card, in fact. It’s a scratch card. At 30 Mou, street art is everywhere. As a family, have fun spotting
the works of art on the facades. And around the corner, you
might also see this type of gathering. Hello everyone. As soon as the fine weather arrives,
the 30 Mousins invade the squares, like a neighborhood party. There is a really good atmosphere. It’s a cocoon, it’s very nice. Afterwards, I think that you still need
a certain state of mind to live here. Promiscuity, the fact of being able to
want to share with your neighbors. Because we can hear ourselves living
from one house to another, all summer long, with the windows open. It’s reassuring if we’re short of salt,
pepper, or drinks at the neighbors’. A friendliness that will
certainly win you over. Change of department
and change of scenery. A more bucolic destination now awaits you
in Vouvant, one of the most beautiful villages in Vendée. Vouvant is 70 km from La Roche-sur-Yon. A very well-preserved city,
protected for many centuries by its fortified walls. When you come,
you might be welcomed by Jacky, the happy owner of a
guesthouse in the village. Would you like a little
bit of travel, salesman? Because we live in a place as beautiful
as Vouvant, of course, we feel good there.
We’re on vacation. We are on vacation there
ourselves all year round. You see, the view of the
surrounding countryside is absolutely magnificent. We have not only the ramparts,
the river, but also the wooded hillsides. And 1000 years ago, Vouvant was
still just a forest surrounded by water. When William of Aquitaine discovered
the site, he decided to build a church there. Listed as the first historical monument
of Vendée, it is especially famous for its portal. It was therefore built in two stages. The first in the 12th century,
the Romanesque part, which is made up of the two doors of this
church included under the large arcade. And then, the upper part, Gothic,
was built in the 15th century. The beauty of this gate is truly
a source of pride for all the herdsmen. A work of art acclaimed
worldwide. It is therefore no coincidence
that many artists have come to settle in the village. Don’t hesitate to go see them work. I’m doing well ?
Yes. A handsome man, that’s you. He’s still handsome though.
Yes, yes, yes. But what I like
is this ancestral place. It’s very calming to go for a
walk in the village. So that’s where you
find your inspiration. Many visitors come
to Vouvant for its concentration of painting galleries. But not only that. If you or your children love stories about
fairies and knights, then go to the top of the Mélusine Tower. You might come across Beatrice there,
who will tell you about her legend. The good fairy Mélusine,
who built the Mélusine tower in one night, using the stones
she put in her apron. And so she built
many castles. Did you like it, kids?
Yes. What a beautiful legend, Mélusine. Great. From there,
enjoy the panorama of the surrounding countryside, then take
a stroll to the Café de la Cour du Miracle. A place very popular with the Bouvantets. And don’t be surprised if you
hear English spoken there. I’m sorry, I’m not an expert, really. I’ll try, I’ll try. In recent years,
quite a few British people have left their island to come and settle here. Seduced by Vouvant,
they adopted all its customs, such as the traditional game of Palais,
a typically Vouvant game. It’s a nice mix between our
British friends and us. All
these people live together happily and make Vouvant a village that is
both unique and diverse. And to end this trip
to the Loire region in style, it’s hard to resist one last pleasure on the banks of the Loire. Instead, admire this
sunrise over Montsoreau. I love the sound when the boat cuts through the water. How good we feel. Montsoreau is located 15 km from Saumur. A place where you can let yourself be
lulled by the gentleness of Anjou, like Laurence, who lives in the village. It is a village where I feel
in harmony with nature. It is a village where every day,
every morning, every evening, I have
renewed pleasure in rediscovering this tuffeau which absolutely magnifies all
the colors of these flowers, these roses, the irises. In fact, here, all the
houses are built from tuffeau stone. Luminous stones from
the old quarries located on the heights of the village. Don’t hesitate to venture onto the
trails in this part of the village. Ideal for walking or jogging. If you prefer the liveliness of the town,
head to the market square every Sunday. I will prepare them for you. Yeah, same as usual.
As per usual. Here in Montsoreau,
which has always been a convergence zone, a crossroads,
people also come to the market to meet up, to chat. Laurence has a stand there. His specialty: mushrooms. It offers a
very specific variety of oyster mushrooms. Do you recognize that, madam? Yes, it’s the pomponette that has a
particular taste, which can be eaten raw. So that’s it, the famous
pomponette of Montsoreau. And if you want to know more about these
amazing mushrooms, go visit him in his
mushroom farm, nestled in a former quarry. Well, there you go. Some of my little babies. If Laurence enjoys harvesting
her little babies, she also likes cooking them. Today, it will be at Nicole’s,
a friend from Montsoreau, who lives in an unusual house. Hi Nicole.
Oh well, that’s good. Hi.
We’re starting to get a little bit of an ending. Nicole’s house is
a troglodyte dwelling. Gorgeous. A cave setting,
but with all the comforts. An exceptional place
between stone and nature. Montsoreau has 21 houses of this type. Perhaps you will be lucky enough
to stay in one of them during your visit. As for visits to Montsoreau,
there is above all the castle which sits proudly on the banks of the river. A 15th century fortress, once
owned by the Counts of Montsoreau. There was a lot
of navigation on the river. The Counts of Montsoreau gradually became rich
by charging a toll of passage. Some people must have been passing
silently with small oars. Hey, my lad. I spotted you.
Come on. The castle is best known as
the setting for Alexandre Dumas’ novel, The Lady of Montsoreau. In another style,
there is an activity that crosses the shoulders shocks and persists in this village. Hello Jacky. Boule de Fort,
a game invented by Spanish prisoners which caused a sensation when it was played. We come home with slippers,
which we call slippers. A rather quiet discipline, therefore,
with sometimes rather special rules. So, when you get zero points,
custom dictates that you go and kiss the family’s buttocks. In Montsoreau,
naturalness and authenticity are the order of the day. A state of mind that you can
also find at the flea market every second Sunday of the month. This is how, in a friendly atmosphere,
this adventure in Pays de la Loire comes to a close. A region shaped by the presence
of the longest river in France, which is home to many charming villages. A destination conducive to escape between history, nature and tradition.
Cap sur les Pays de la Loire, façonnés par le fleuve et la pierre de tuffeau.
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À Sainte-Suzanne, donjon du XIᵉ siècle, remparts et ruelles de pierre racontent une forteresse restée debout face à Guillaume le Conquérant. En Anjou, Béhuard vit au rythme des crues : île, barques à fond plat, pèlerinage d’août et église dressée sur le rocher par Louis XI. Face à Nantes, Trentemoult déploie ses façades multicolores, l’âme des anciens marins et un street-art joyeux sur les quais. Cap en Vendée à Vouvant : enceinte médiévale, tour Mélusine, ateliers et galeries au bord de la rivière. Final ligérien à Montsoreau : maisons troglodytiques, marché du dimanche, château cher à Dumas et parties de boule de fort dans les cercles angevins. Entre histoire, nature et traditions, un voyage ligérien où l’on flâne, on déguste et l’on rencontre ceux qui font vivre le patrimoine.
Réalisé par Élodie BOUTIT.
© MORGANE PRODUCTION