Pays-de-la-Loire
The Pays de la Loire Region is made up of five Departéments: Loire-Atlantique, Maine-et-Loire, Mayenne, Sarthe and Vendée. The Region is hardly homogenous in terms of its history and culture - the Loire-Atlantique including Nantes used to be one fifth of Brittany. Most of old Anjou is part of the Maine-et-Loire and Maine is divided between the Mayenne and Sarthe. Even the Vendée was once Poitou!
The Région is low lying and diverse with a wild and rugged Atlantic coastine in the north but splendid long sandy beaches in the Vendée to the south. The Loire-Atlantique has the Parc Naturel Régional de la Brière just north of the Loire Estuary as well the old Breton capial of Nantes, Saumur with its fabulous Château and of course Angers which was the home of the illustrious Plantagenets.