Natural heritage
Saint-Aignan-Grandlieu
Lake of Grand-Lieu
The largest natural lake in France

Close to the ocean and the Loire river, the lake bextends in winter over an area of ​​more than 6,000 hectares and then becomes the largest natural lake in the French plains.

This nature reserve is home to 270 species of birds, including the largest colony of gray herons, and hosts over 110,000 pairs of nesting birds each spring.

A real haven of peace

The Lake of Grand-Lieu is similar to the great African lakes by its extent and its shallow depth. It is a true haven of peace, a few kilometers from the Nantes area. Difficult to approach, the lake is revealed through several “windows”: the old fishing village of La Chevrolière in Passay, Pierre Aigüe in Saint-Aignan-de-Grand-Lieu or the Pavilion at the Maison du Lac de Grand-Lieu. To gain height, the bell tower of the Saint-Léobin church in Saint-Lumine-de-Coutais, rises to 40 meters.

See a panoramic view of the lake


For a complete discovery

A pass gives access to 5 places around the lake: The Abbey Déas located in Saint-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu, the Maison des Pêcheurs and the Passay ornithological observatory, the Maison du Lac de Grand-Lieu located in Bouaye, the church steeple in Saint-Lumine-de-Coutais . On sale in the tourist reception offices of St Philbert-de-Grand-lieu, La Chevrolière, Bouaye…

Learn more