OFTEN called the Garden of France because of its healthy soil and long, flower-filled summers, the Western Loire is just a hop across the Channel, writes Sylvia Kingsley.

It is dotted with chateaux and vineyards, and dissected by many rivers, a lovely landscape which is always bathed in a soft,gentle light. There's always a tang of salt in the air, from the sea or the salt marshes. Just an hour's drive away is the sparkling Vendee coast, which has a sunshine record which matches Nice, but without the fierce heat.

The area boasts many historic towns and pretty villages, and you can bed-and-breakfast in chateaux, hotels and guests houses. Nantes, the capital, is worth spending a few days in before exploring further. A splendid town on the river, it offers a lot of interest for families. The birthplace of novelist Jules Verne, it has a museum to honour his memory.

The town lies at the junction of two rivers, the mighty Loire and the meandering Edre, which flows through the city, and in the 18th Century was a slave trading port. It retains its old world charm, but displays many modern influences. Trams run along the filled-in beds of the former waterways which once earned Nantes the nickname, the "Little Venice of France". Its residents now much regret the loss of their canals.

Chateaux stand regally on the riverside, and are open to the public, and after taking in all the history, you can relax on the riverbanks with a picnic.

The Beaux Arts Museum, the first of its kind in France has, among many other works, masterpieces by Georges de la Tour, Ingres, Monet and Kandinsky. The floating Naval Museum and the planetarium are of interest to visitors of all ages, and the ancient St Peter's Cathedral stands in the medieval quarter.

The town's narrow, winding lanes are full of outdoor cafes where you can relax under umbrellas, sipping local cider or Muscadet wines, eating local pastries or pancakes filled with apples and cream. Meals are always leisurely.

From the Place Royale, a grand square with a fountain, lively streets fan out in all directions. This is modern Nantes, flaunting designer shops but including the 19th Century Passage Pommeraye, a three-tiered concoction of speciality shops and art galleries. A few minutes away, the Talunsac food market is a vast, noisy place where the art of buying and selling reaches theatrical proportions.

In the evening, take the floating restaurant along the River Edre and enjoy a fine meal to music, as the boat winds its way past romantic chateaux. The Chateaux Goulaine, about eight miles from Nantes, has fine gardens and a butterfly sanctuary with rare specimens from around the world.

Les Sables D'Olonne, with a huge beach, trebles its population in high season, with a happy, festive air, lots to do and hundreds of eateries. Entertainers keep both adults and children amused.

Reached by a causeway or bridge, pretty Noirmoutier, with its year-round mimosa, is a campers' paradise, with a huge choice of sites and sailing schools. The Ile d'Yeu, reached by boat, is about six miles long, an island for walkers and cyclists. It is scenic and sophisticated, with a quiet nightlife, and its hotels are unpretentious. Whitewashed cottages can be rented by the week or season.

The tiny main town, Port Joinville, has a daily seafront market where the daily tuna catch is sold, along with mouth-watering cheeses and farm produce. St Jean de Monts, a large modern resort, has enormous flat sands for sand-surfing. Set against pines and lovely countryside, there is a lot of space and a busy holiday programme for children between five and 15.

Pornic, with tall cliffs and grand villas, was once popular with the writers Flaubert and George Sands, and even Lenin. Prettily set against a hillside, it is overlooked by a turreted castle and the old harbour runs right into town. The seawater spa is highly regarded for the relief of stress.

Fact File

Sylvia flew with Brit-Air to Nantes (01293 502044). Air France also serves the airport (0845 0845111).

For an information pack on the Western Loire, call the National Tourist Office on 0906 824 4123 or the Vendee Tourist Board (00-33-251 478820, www.vendee tourisme.com).

Reading: Insight Guide, Brittany; Rough Guide, France; Lonely Planet, France.

Reproduced from Limited Edition magazine, exclusive guides to living in Hertfordshire, Middlesex and the London Borough of Barnet (01923 216295).

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