Pays de la Loire

Pays de la Loire is an administrative region on France's Atlantic coast. It was established in the 1950s as a zone of influence for its capital and largest city, Nantes, which was designated one of France's "balancing metropolises." The region's population stood at 3,832,120 in 2020.

The region lies in western France. To the northwest is Brittany, to the north is Normandy, to the east is Centre-Val de Loire, to the south is Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and to the southwest is the Bay of Biscay of the North Atlantic Ocean.

Pays de la Loire is divided into five departments: Loire-Atlantique, Maine-et-Loire, Mayenne, Sarthe, and Vendée. Historically, the region is a patchwork of former provinces. Loire-Atlantique contains about 20% of historical Brittany, including its old capital Nantes; the other 80% of Brittany forms the neighboring region. Anjou is almost entirely within Maine-et-Loire and adjacent departments. Maine is split between Mayenne and Sarthe. Vendée holds part of Poitou, while most of Poitou lies in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The northeast of Sarthe includes part of Perche, with the rest in Normandy and Centre-Val de Loire. A small part of Touraine lies in southeast Maine-et-Loire, with most of Touraine in the Centre region. The region's name, chosen by the central government, is a postwar geographical reference—"Lands of the Loire"—rather than a historical one.

The Loire Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000, spans both Pays de la Loire and Centre-Val de Loire. Most of the valley's châteaux—such as Montsoreau, Angers, Saumur, and Brézé—are in the Maine-et-Loire department. The region also features the castles of Laval, the Nantes Château des Ducs de Bretagne, the Royal Fontevraud Abbey (the largest monastic complex in Europe), and the old city of Le Mans. Natural parks include the Brière and the Marsh of Poitou.

Population growth has been steep, driven by migration from across France as Nantes rose in prominence.

In 2018, the region's GDP was €119.1 billion, or 5.1% of France's economic output. GDP per capita adjusted for purchasing power was €28,200, which was 94% of the EU27 average. GDP per employee was 102% of the EU average.

The main airport is Nantes Atlantique Airport, serving most domestic and international destinations.

The largest city is Nantes, the sixth most populous in France, with over 319,000 residents in the city proper and a m