Why Pays de la Loire is my favourite region

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying Pays de la Loire is one of France's best-kept secrets. After all, the famous River Loire runs its sinuous way through the region and it is home to some of France's most recognisable, not to mention picturesque, châteaux.

However, it is framed by the hugely popular Brittany to the north, and the sun-kissed Poitou-Charentes to the south, so it is little wonder that, when Brits are looking for property along the north-eastern marches of France, their attention is not unreasonably drawn towards Pays de la Loire’s neighbours.

To be fair, Pays de la Loire does borrow more than just a cup of sugar from these neighbours. A relatively recent creation, it incorporates a large chunk of what used to be Brittany and parts of Poitou-Charentes. Occupied by William the Conqueror in 1064, it also includes Norman elements, and is a fascinatingly diverse and disparate region that is pulled together by the Loire river running through it.

Today, the region comprises 32,082km² that are divided between the departments of Loire-Atlantique, Maine-et-Loire, Mayenne, Sarthe and Vendée. And across these five departments are a spectacular array of delights and attractions.