Pornic, paysage balnéaire romantique

We'll take you back in time to Pornic's heyday, along the "Romantic seaside landscape" trail.

Until the 18th century, the sea was not a sought-after element, and men, when they weren't sailors, turned their backs on it.
It was feared, sometimes unleashed, never mastered and few people knew how to tame it. Before being associated with pleasure and leisure, the sea is a matter of health
Doctors first recommended drinking the ferruginous spring water, reputed to cure various ailments, and then taking sea baths.
The first spring water drinkers arrived in Pornic in the 1820s. Doctor Auguste Guilmin contributed to the creation of the seaside resort by publishing a guide for bathers in 1840. The arrival of the train in 1875 firmly established Pornic as a renowned seaside resort.

As you stroll between the château and Sainte-Marie-sur-Mer, you'll admire the Belle Époque architecture that characterises Pornic town centre, with its refined hotels, elegant villas and lush gardens. You'll stroll along the lively quays, enjoy panoramic views over the Bay of Bourgneuf and discover the must-see places that have made this romantic seaside resort famous.

Our favourites :

The seaside villas, also known as the "Dames de la côte". You'll recognise them by their verandas, bow windows, asymmetrical facades, gazebos and mantling. One of Pornic's most emblematic villas is the Villa Calypso, with its skylight giving it an uninterrupted view of the sea.
Plage du Château, also known as Plage de la Sablière: the first beach to be developed for sea bathing between 1820 and 1830 (it is now closed to bathing).
La Noëveillard lighthouse: built in 1845, this "beacon" is an emblematic part of Pornic's maritime heritage. At the time, it marked the very beginning of the urbanisation of the coast.


On this tour, you'll go back in time to a period when the sea was not yet seen as a holiday destination. You'll see how attitudes have changed over the centuries, and how Pornic has become a favourite destination for spa visitors and wealthy families in search of fresh air and the benefits of the sea.

1 h
3 km

Find out more about the town's history.