Open to the Atlantic Ocean, looking out over Saint-Nazaire, Saint-Brevin sits on the south bank of the estuary, a remnant of the ancient delta stretching from the Vilaine to Machecoul. The inexorable advance of the dunes has buried the traces of ancient settlements. According to legend, the ancient city of Montoise was submerged. However, there are still many menhirs, testimonies of human presence at a very remote time. The city escaped the massacres of the Revolution and the German bombardments of which Saint-Nazaire was a victim. Threatened by sand, it was after a victorious lawsuit against the State that the town recovered some 600 hectares of coastline in the 1860s, sold as properties on the condition that pine trees were planted there. Saint-Brevin was to triumph over its desert dunes and attract a population of summer visitors who built superb villas along the wooded paths. Its long, safe beaches, offered to the winds of the Atlantic, make it the ideal place for practicing board sports and promote family tourism that loves both authenticity and invigorating holidays. Today, the resort offers a huge range of cultural and sporting activities that can be practiced in an ideal environment and setting.
Among the monuments to visit in Saint-Brevin-les-Pins, the Saint-Nicolas de l'Estuaire church, remarkable for its bell tower and its choir which date from the 11th century. The building also houses a fine 18th century altarpiece. It is dedicated to Saint Bregwin (or Brevin), Archbishop of Canterbury in England.
Its long fine sandy beaches regularly attract fans of sand yachting, bodyboarding, kayaking, kite-surfing in the open wind or beach volleyball. They have the advantage of being relatively preserved and wild...
The Ocean Serpent is a monumental aluminum sculpture lying in the water of the Estuary almost on the beach in front of the Museum of Marine, 130 meters long in total. It represents the skeleton of an immense imaginary sea serpent, whose vertebrae undulate to end in an open mouth. It is the work of Huang Yong Ping, a Japanese artist who died in Paris in 2019.
For lovers of the sea and history, the Navy Museum is worth visiting. You will also find in Saint-Brevin a bowling alley, a large and beautiful swimming pool, a casino, a cinema, a nightclub and two performance halls.
Nature lovers, discover the forest of Pierre Attelée, a preserved dune forest of 41 hectares along the coast, and the Parc du Pointeau, of which it is said that "from the entrance to the park (by the 'Avenue Foch), an alley of palm trees and ornamental flowers, recently refurbished, invites contemplation and relaxation.
For cyclists, don't forget The Loire by bike: route along the river over 800 km from Cuffy near Nevers (18) to Saint-Brevin-les-Pins (44).
Other important sites are Vélocéan and Vélodyssée (EuroVélo1, European route between Norway and Portugal).
For children, there is the Ludoparc: activity for families with young children, ideal in rainy weather!
