Guérande, in Loire-Atlantique, is a fortified medieval town surrounded by 15th-century ramparts, at the heart of the Guérande peninsula. You enter through one of its gates, then discover cobbled lanes, old houses, the collegiate church of Saint-Aubin and the craft shops lining the historic centre.
The town is inseparable from its salt marshes, where the paludiers harvest grey salt and fleur de sel by hand using ancestral methods. A visit to the Terre de Sel by the marshes, or a bike ride among the salt pans, helps you understand this know-how, while local produce is found in the markets.
A few kilometres from La Baule, Le Croisic and Batz-sur-Mer, Guérande suits a stop combining heritage, nature and food. Sunsets over the marshes are among the loveliest moments on the peninsula.