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Le Pallet

Tourism, holidays & weekends guide in the Loire-Atlantique

Le Pallet is a town in Loire-Atlantique, in the Pays de la Loire region, about twenty kilometers south-east of Nantes, and north-west of Clisson.

Its territory of 11.7 km² is located in the Sèvre valley of Nantes and still has a very rural character with some 85% of cultivated land. Among these, vines dedicated in particular to the production of wines of the "Muscadet" appellation which greatly contribute to the reputation of the town.

Already frequented by hunters and gatherers during Prehistory, the site of Pallet was occupied by the Romans then, during the High Middle Ages, a wooden fortress was built. Around the Year 1000, a vast keep was built, symbol of the power of the first lords of the place and of the sensitive character of this region disputed between the houses of Brittany and Anjou. The famous theologian Abélard, whose mother had inherited the fiefdom, was born there in 1079. However, the keep was greatly affected by the troubles that the Duchy of Brittany experienced in the 15th century.

From this period Le Pallet nevertheless preserved a rich religious and civil heritage. A prosperous agricultural city, the town sees its demography boosted by the growth of the Nantes conurbation and at the start of the 21st century, it is now a dynamic small town with nearly 3,300 inhabitants with an ever-green living environment. Its leisure offer will be appreciated during a stay in the region.

Geographical information

MunicipalityLe Pallet
Postcode44330
Latitude47.1397770 (N 47° 8’ 23”)
Longitude-1.3371890 (W 1° 20’ 14”)
AltitudeFrom 2m to 52m
Surface area11.75 km²
Population3353 inhabitants
Density285 inhabitants/km²
PrefectureNantes (26 km, 32 min)
Insee code44117
IntercommunalityCC Sèvre et Loire
DepartmentLoire-Atlantique
RegionPays de la Loire

Nearest cities & towns

Monnières3.3 km (6 min)
La Chapelle-Heulin5.1 km (7 min)
Mouzillon5.4 km (7 min)
La Haie-Fouassière5.6 km (7 min)
Gorges6.5 km (7 min)
Vallet6.8 km (8 min)
Maisdon-sur-Sèvre7.8 km (10 min)
Saint-Fiacre-sur-Maine8.2 km (11 min)
Clisson8.4 km (11 min)
Saint-Lumine-de-Clisson10 km (11 min)
Gétigné10.7 km (12 min)
Château-Thébaud10.9 km (14 min)
Cugand11.8 km (13 min)

Things to see and do

If only the ruins (bases of fortified walls) of the so-called Abelard keep or castle (beginning of the 11th century) remain, the town's heritage remains very rich. Thus, a discovery tour can begin with the Saint-Jean chapel whose choir dates from the 14th century and which housed granite tombstones which were then transferred to the Sainte-Anne chapel (11th century), in Romanesque style, heir to the first parish church. Protected as historical monuments, next to the old keep, the building, inside stripped down, houses funerary stelae.

We should also mention the Saint-Michel chapel (now desecrated), built in the 18th century in the hamlet of Monnières. In 1853, finally, on a religious level, the church of Saint-Vincent (patron saint of winegrowers) was built in a neo-Romanesque style which houses three paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries from the François Cacault collection (politician and diplomat and art lover, born in Nantes in 1743 and died in Clisson in 1805). They represent in particular the Adoration of the Magi and the Last Supper.

In terms of civil heritage, several noble family châteaux are now at the center of wine estates: la Galissonnière (15th, 19th), la Mercredière (14th, 19th), La Sébinière (18th, 19th).

The Pré de Vignard and Sanguèze mills, which were used for milling and then became industrial units in the 19th century, can still line this circuit, like the village of Pé de Sèvre with its winegrowers' houses with external staircases (with housing in the floor and cellars on the ground floor) and that of Port-Domino (dating from the 17th century when Colbert arranged navigation on the Sèvre).

Leaflets are available to better appreciate the heritage of the town (contact +33 2 40 80 40 24) and in season, an association offers guided tours of the old center (remains of the keep and chapels): join +33 2 40 80 44 04.

In addition to the activities (readings, meetings, workshops) offered at the library (information on +33 2 40 33 91 84), culturally, it is the Nantes Vineyard Museum that should then be joined to better understand local history and traditions. Created in 1995, the establishment preserves and presents more than 500 objects dating from the XVIth to the XXth century on 1000 m² of exhibition which allow to better understand the history of the soil, the know-how of the winegrowers and the evolution of the techniques. From the label to the press, including the laboratory or the size, the museum is the mirror of the economic lung of the region and of a secular culture. Open every day except Sunday from April to June and from September to mid-November and every day in July and August. Price: 2.50 and 5 euros. Information on +33 2 40 80 90 13.

The vineyard, hikers or two-wheeled hikers can also appreciate its charms via itineraries possibly including tasting breaks. Signposted loops are also designed to follow the Sèvre valley, and for the more ambitious, joining Nantes or Clisson is perfectly achievable... Maps and information on +33 2 40 54 02 95. Note that during these routes, walkers can easily observe a peculiarity of the local subsoil: the rock of Gabbro, dark and compact, which was once used for dwellings and whose specific and rounded nature contributes to its rarity... In fact, the rock of Gabbro is one of the elements particulars of the geology of the region's vineyards! Elsewhere on the planet, it is only found on infertile land.

Finally, for sportsmen again, it is possible to reserve a tennis court (call +33 2 40 80 40 24) and for fishermen, to take advantage of the banks of the Sèvre by contacting the local "no kill" club at +33 6 09 95 18 59.

Places of interest

Leisure centres
Monuments
Transport

Events and festivities

Every Saturday morning, the market is held behind the church and showcases local products and local gastronomy.

In June, the Pallet club organizes the 24 hours of table tennis.

The first weekend of July, the Nuit d'Abélard program concerts and fireworks shows.

Weather

Tuesday 19 march
Min. 6°C - Max. 16°C
Day
Night
Wednesday 20 march
Min. 9°C - Max. 17°C
Day
Night
Thursday 21 march
Min. 11°C - Max. 20°C
Day
Night

Visits, leisure and activities nearby

Clisson.

Castle of the Dukes of Brittany in Nantes.

Machines of the island in Nantes.

Leisure activities

Last nameActivity typeRateCity
Outdoor escape game - The Alchemist's Elixir
Entertainment19 € Nantes (17.8 km)
Nantes City Pass : Visits, Activities, Museums & Transport
Entertainment27 € Nantes (18.2 km)
Freefall skydiving in a simulator
Sports sensations45 € to 590 € La Roche-sur-Yon (49 km)

Outings

Last nameOuting typeDifficultyDurationDeparture municipality
Circuit of the Little Anjou
HikeEasy2:30Saint-Julien-de-Concelles (13 km)
Circuit Loire
HikeEasy2:30Saint-Julien-de-Concelles (13 km)
Carquefou - Saint-Mars-la-Jaille Greenway
Cycling itineraryEasy5:00Carquefou (22 km)
Freshness and disconnection in the Hâvre Valley - oudon
HikeEasy2:05Oudon (23 km)
Beaupréau Castle Park
HikeEasy2:00Beaupréau-en-Mauges (27 km)

Restaurants

Bed & breakfasts

Vacation rentals

Campsites

Hotels

Your holidays
A hotel
A vacation rental
A bed & breakfast
A campsite
A leisure activity
A restaurant
A rental car
A plane ticket
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