Pays de la Loire (French pronunciation: [pe.i də la lwaʁ]; Breton: Broioù al Liger, meaning Loire Country) is one of the 18 regions of France. It is one of the regions created in the 1950s to serve as a zone of influence for its capital, Nantes, one of a handful so-called "balancing metropolises" (métropoles d'équilibre)¹.
Restaurants in Pays de la Loire
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Founded in 1101 on the intersecting borders of three regions, Anjou, Touraine and Poitou, Fontevraud Abbey is the largest surviving monastic complex from the Middle Ages. At the heart of the Abbey Church, the reclining effigies of Eleanor of Aquitaine, Henry II and Richard the Lionheart are a reminder of its close links with the Plantagenet kings. Converted into a prison between 1804 and 1963, then in 2000 designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the Loire Valley, Fontevraud lives and breathes heritage, culture, the art of living and tradition of hospitality, continuing to embody its founder's vision of an "ideal city".
We visited the monumental and historically fascinating Abbey to start our trip in the Loire Valley and it was a great introduction to the region. The building, having survived many tumultous periods and some massive transformations (including its stint as a prison for nearly 100 years), has been beautifully restored and looks gorgeous. There are clear and interesting explanations in each room, and several interactive screens that told more precise stories related to the Abbey - such as Alineor of Aquitaine's history - that kept our visit moving and also provided a lot of context for the other sites we visited later in our trip. Furthermore, there are a number of temporary exhibits in some of the Abbey rooms that were excellent. I especially appreciated the exhibit on modern church windows, and the curious but mesmerising light installation in the great hall. The grounds are also quite nice to visit, but the rain put us off from spending too much time there. This is a wonderful site and is really worth the stop.
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