📷 Photo by Olivier Mesnage on UnsplashGuérande salt marshes to the Passage du Gois
From Nantes to the thatched villages of the Brière, Guérande’s salt pans and walled town, and south across the Loire to Noirmoutier.
- Distance
- approx. 192 km (119 mi)
- Driving
- 2 h 39 min
- Suggested days
- 3
- Stops
- 9
- Countries
- France
- Best time to go
- May–September
- Tolls and vignettes
- ≈ €13
- Updated
- August 3, 2026
At a glance: 3-day road trip of about 192 km (119 mi) with 9 stops, from Nantes to Noirmoutier-en-l'Île. About 2 h 39 min of driving in total. Best time to go: May–September. Tolls and vignettes for a car: about €13 (France).
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Photos along the route
Route description
Leave Nantes westwards on the N165 and turn off towards Saint-Lyphard for the Brière regional park, a large marsh of reed beds and canals. Kerhinet is a restored hamlet of thatched cottages with short walking trails; flat-bottomed boat trips leave from landing stages nearby. The drive from Nantes is about 70 km on flat, easy roads.
Guérande is a medieval town with complete ramparts and four gates. Below it, between the town and the sea, lie the salt marshes, where workers still harvest salt and fleur de sel by hand in summer. Buy salt from roadside stalls and take a guided walk. Continue to Le Croisic, a fishing port on a peninsula with a wild rocky coast on its western side.
Drive back east past La Baule’s long beach to Saint-Nazaire. The wartime submarine base has a free roof terrace with views of the shipyards where large cruise ships are built. Then cross the Loire estuary on the Saint-Nazaire bridge, which is free and high above the water, and follow the coast south to Pornic, a small port with a castle and fishermen’s huts on stilts.
Continue south through Bourgneuf-en-Retz to Beauvoir-sur-Mer and the Passage du Gois, a causeway to Noirmoutier that is under water at high tide. Cross only within the times shown on the boards at each end; if the tide is wrong, use the bridge from Fromentine, further south. Noirmoutier has salt pans, woods of holm oak and many beaches; the main town has a castle.
Which stops are on Guérande salt marshes to the Passage du Gois?
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Nantes
France - 278 km
Kerhinet
HistorySaint-Lyphard, FranceA restored hamlet of thatched cottages in the Brière marshes regional park. Walk the short trails into the reed beds, or take a flat-bottomed boat trip from one of the nearby landing stages.
- 39 km
Guérande
France - 46 km
Guérande salt marshes
FoodGuérande, FranceA patchwork of clay salt pans between Guérande and Le Croisic where salt workers still rake fleur de sel by hand in summer. Buy salt at the roadside and take a guided walk to learn the process.
- 54 km
Le Croisic
France - 629 km
Saint-Nazaire submarine base
HistorySaint-Nazaire, FranceA vast concrete U-boat pen from the Second World War, now housing museums. The roof terrace is free and gives a view of the shipyards and the long Saint-Nazaire bridge.
- 724 km
Pornic
France - 826 km
Passage du Gois
OdditiesBeauvoir-sur-Mer, FranceA 4 km causeway to the island of Noirmoutier that is covered by the sea at high tide. Cross only in the times shown on the tide boards at each end; the bridge from Fromentine, further south, is the safe alternative.
- 916 km
Noirmoutier-en-l'Île
France
How do you drive Guérande salt marshes to the Passage du Gois in 3 days?
3 days, split by driving time. Campsites from OpenStreetMap: check opening dates before you go.
- Day 1: Nantes → Kerhinet · 78 km · 1 h 04 minOvernight nearby, for example: GCU Mesquer (11 km); Aire Camping-Car Park La Turballe, Clos Mora (12 km).
- Day 2: Kerhinet → Saint-Nazaire submarine base · 48 km · 0 h 40 minOn the way: Guérande, Guérande salt marshes, Le Croisic.Overnight nearby, for example: Camping La Dune de Jade (5 km); GCU Pornichet (9 km).
- Day 3: Saint-Nazaire submarine base → Noirmoutier-en-l'Île · 67 km · 0 h 55 minOn the way: Pornic, Passage du Gois.Overnight nearby, for example: Camping-car Park de Noirmoutier-en-l'Île (< 1 km); Camping Huttopia Noirmoutier (3 km).
When is the best time for Guérande salt marshes to the Passage du Gois?
The most pleasant months are usually May–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and October. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early.
Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons
What should you know before driving Guérande salt marshes to the Passage du Gois?
Tolls and vignettes for a car: about €13 (France).
- France: Motorway tolls. Tolls on most autoroutes; the limit drops to 110 km/h in rain. Motorway limit for cars: 130 km/h.
Road rules and fees change. Check official sources before you travel.
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FAQs
How long is Guérande salt marshes to the Passage du Gois?
3-day road trip of about 192 km (119 mi) with 9 stops, from Nantes to Noirmoutier-en-l'Île. About 2 h 39 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Guérande salt marshes to the Passage du Gois?
We suggest 3 days: about 2 h 39 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Guérande salt marshes to the Passage du Gois start and end?
It starts in Nantes and ends in Noirmoutier-en-l'Île.
Which countries does Guérande salt marshes to the Passage du Gois pass through?
France.
Where can you camp along Guérande salt marshes to the Passage du Gois?
OpenStreetMap lists 269 campsites and motorhome stopovers within 20 km of the stops on this route. For example: Pause Loire, GCU Mesquer and Aire Camping-Car Park La Turballe, Clos Mora.
How much are the tolls on Guérande salt marshes to the Passage du Gois?
Tolls and vignettes for a car: about €13 (France). Estimate with typical rates; motorhomes pay more, and vehicles over 3.5 t often pay by distance.
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