Our local favourites in Villeneuve-en-Retz

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Combining heritage, nature and local expertise, Villeneuve-en-Retz offers a wealth of treasures to discover.
This town, part of the Destination Pornic region, invites you to stroll through its charming villages, explore its unspoilt natural areas, meet passionate local producers and enjoy authentic experiences. Whether you’re a fan of walks, curious about the local heritage or on the lookout for great places to eat, Villeneuve-en-Retz has some wonderful surprises in store for you. Join us as we discover our local gems, for a getaway full of discoveries in the heart of the Destination Pornic region.

Epicureans
Explorers of culture and know-how

Presentation

Our favourite walks in Villeneuve

How about a bike ride

?
Villeneuve-en-Retz offers a wide variety of landscapes, from marshes and hedged farmland to typical villages. There are some real local nuggets to discover along these routes:

The cycle route between land and sea: it enables families to explore the varied landscapes, ranging from marshes to Bourgneuf Bay and the rural countryside characterised by agriculture, wine-growing and craft industries (20.3 km in Les Moutiers and Villeneuve)
The Aigrettes trail : starting from the Villeneuve-en-Retz Tourist Office, this trail is the perfect way to discover the skills of our salt workers and the hydraulic management of the marshes. (By bike: 1 hour; 10.6 km)
The Loyau trail : a pleasant ride through the gentle marshes of Fresnay-en-Retz, providing an ideal natural habitat for a wide range of animal and plant species (40 minutes by bike; 6.9 km).
The Bocage trail : a journey offering a panoramic view over the ancient expanse of the Baie de Bourgneuf, from the Saint-Cyr-en-Retz orientation table (1 hour by bike; 11 km)
The Hauts de St-Cyr trail : this route through hedged farmland and vineyards on the heights of Saint-Cyr-en-Retz is not to be missed! (30-minute cycle ride; 6.1 km)
The Migrateurs trail : the best walk in the heart of the Marais Breton Vendéen, where you can watch migratory birds come and go with the tides (1 hour by bike; 10.3 km).
The Champs circuit : a walk through landscapes of hedged farmland, undergrowth and market gardening that will leave no one indifferent (50 minutes by bike; 8.6 km).

Let me discover !

The historic urban trail of Bourgneuf-en-Retz

Come and discover the history of Bourgneuf-en-Retz in complete freedom!
Accompanied by a small tour booklet, available from the Villeneuve-en-Retz Tourist Office or as a download, wander through the narrow streets of the town to discover the eight points of interest. Take a step back in time

as you discover anecdotes told by various characters who lived in the area around the village... A place, a building, a local anecdote will take you back to the prestigious past of these places...
This one-hour tour is open all year round and can be extended with a stop at the Musée du Pays de Retz.

Going back in time

A must-see destination: the Musée du Pays de Retz

To the north of the Marais Breton Vendéen, the Musée du Pays de Retz is dedicated to local traditions, the arts, history and heritage of the Pays de Retz, from prehistory to the early 20th century.
In Villeneuve-en-Retz, and more particularly in the Bourgneuf-en-Retz area, the emblematic salt-making town of the former ‘Baye de Bretagne’, this place of remembrance, which bears the "Musée de France" label, is a must-see in our region!

Did you know ? The museum is housed in a former outbuilding of the Cordeliers convent. Run by Franciscan monks, it was built in the early 14th century. The building that remains today dates from the 18th century.
In 1790, the convent was sold as national property to a private individual before being acquired by the commune of Bourgneuf.
In 1851, the building became a nursery school for boys. It was Jean Mounès, a French, history and geography teacher, who took the initiative in turning the building into a museum in 1966. Alongside his teaching activities, he was also involved in research into archaeology, folklore and the regional geography of the Baie de Bourgneuf and the Marais Breton Vendéen.

Not to be missed !

Unmissable visits from our Villeretz producers

True lovers of the region and passionate about their craft and know-how, our local producers produce treasures of which we are proud !

Salt : a local nugget to tantalise the taste buds

Situated in the Marais Breton in Villeneuve-en-Retz, the stunning sites of Mélanie Daspremont’s Saline de l’Ileau and Daniel Robard’s Sel de Bourgneuf-en-Retz have more than one treasure to reveal to you.

A ballet of fragrances and colours

La Savonnerie de Marcel produces exceptional soaps 🧼 using the traditional cold-process method. Come and discover the traditional, handcrafted soap-making process through the workshop’s glass windows, from Monday to Friday at 11.00 am, and also on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 2.45 pm during the

Wine titillates all our senses!

Overlooking the Marais Breton and the ocean, Moulin de la Touche has been a family-run wine estate

for 3 generations, inviting you to taste wines typical

of our region. Thanks to his know-how and love of the land, Vincent Hérissé produces AOP Muscadet and IGP Val de Loire wines: 9 grapes varieties to discover on guided tours, available all year round by prior arrangement!

Our local producers

Our tasty nuggets for a local aperitif

To accompany your bottle of Muscadet-sur-Lie that you've just bought at Domaine du Moulin de la Touche, here are a few products not to forget for a guaranteed perfect aperitif !

The Marais Champs farm

Situated in Villeneuve-en-Retz between the marsh and the bocage, the Ferme du Marais Champs has been raising organically-farmed dairy cows and pigs for over 20 years. For a delicious aperitif, the Ferme du Marais Champs offers great organic products such as Breton marsh tomme

, fresh cheese with chives* and dry sausage.

TThe Fresne Educational Farm

Nestled between wooded countryside and marshes, the Fresne Educational Farm is much more than just a farm.
It is a true haven of peace where nature and learning come together to offer visitors a unique experience.
You can also buy local produce in the shop, which stocks fresh vegetables, honey from their own hives, and more...

Traditional markets in Villeneuve-en-Retz

If you still have some shopping to do, Villeneuve-en-Retz hosts two weekend markets. The first is held in the Halles de Bourneuf on Saturdays from 8.30am to 12.30pm, and the second on Sundays in the Place du Marais, from 9am to 1pm. You'll find a plethora of local seasonal produce, including shellfish and oysters from the Baie de Bourgneuf. Psst, Muscadet is a wine that goes perfectly with oysters 🦪 ! Drink in moderation