Discover Assérac through its coast, nature and local produce. The Bay of Pen-Bé has six beaches; at Pont-Mahé, the beach and dunes offer different ways to experience the coastal landscape. Also found here are the salt marshes of the Bassin du Mès and shellfish farming in the Traict de Pen Bé. For your trip, you can focus on the beach, the landscape or regional produce, and choose places according to your interests.

Beaches and water sports

The Bay of Pen-Bé is one of the places along the Route des Coquillages. The beaches have different profiles: Baie des Dames is a small, sheltered sandy beach with fine sand and stair access. Pont-Mahé beach has adapted access for people with reduced mobility and is a spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing. Both sports depend on local conditions.

When shore fishing in the Bay of Pen-Bé, you can collect mussels, clams, cockles, razor clams and shrimp. Check local restrictions before taking part. Coastal activities also differ in what you need to consider when planning: possible restrictions on gathering shellfish, or local conditions for water sports.

Dunes, nature and trails

The Bay of Pont-Mahé is designated a Natura 2000 site. The dunes of Pont-Mahé cover 24 hectares and include white dunes, dry heathland and ponds. Access to the dunes is reserved for pedestrians; bicycles are prohibited. In the Pen Bé area, five habitats are considered remarkable at European level under the Habitats Directive.

The Baludik route in Assérac is about 3.5 kilometres long and accessible to strollers and kick scooters. The community loop trail “Le Traict de Pen Bé” runs through the Pen Bé area and reaches as far as Baie de Pont. When choosing a route, the approximate length and accessibility of the Baludik route, on the one hand, and the course of the community loop trail, on the other, offer different points of reference.

Salt marshes, produce and local history

The salt marshes of Assérac are part of the Bassin du Mès, where around 20 salt producers work across 400 hectares. Using traditional techniques and tools that are several centuries old, they maintain the salt-marsh landscape. The salt produced in the marshes is known as “sel de Guérande.” In the production area of Traict de Pen Bé, professionals farm mussels, oysters and clams. These represent two forms of local production side by side: maintaining the salt-marsh landscape and farming shellfish.

Local history also includes the present-day church of Assérac, built in 1886. Its construction date provides a specific historical reference; the salt producers’ traditional techniques and tools date back several centuries. Together, the church and salt marshes offer different points of reference for the cultural and local history of the area.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Colomban, Couëron, Les Sorinières, Le Landreau, Mouais, Saint-Sébastien-Sur-Loire, La Chevrolière, Piriac-Sur-Mer

For the full travel overview: Loire-Atlantique.