Presentation
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History |
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Two schools propose an explanation for the origin of this name definitively acquired at the end of the XIXth century, and no one of the 2679 inhabitants would like to change it today. Moreover, its notoriety is carried abroad thanks to the famous Saint-Michel biscuit factory, of which a native of the locality, Joseph GRELLIER, was the founder in 1905.
Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef, located on a bay, between the port of Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Gildas head, is composed of two resorts : Saint-Michel and Tharon-Plage.
Firstly, the small market town of Saint-Michel, with its majestic church (XIXth century) with bright stained-glass,
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dominates, to the east, all the country side and the magnificent stretch of water which is lake Les Gâtineaux; and, to the west, about a hundred meters away, an uneven coast gives big beaches of fine sand and creeks edged with rocky blocks readring into the sea for the pleasure of the fishermen or the fishermen with their square nets on their fisheries.
Secondly, the seaside resort of Tharon-Plage, created by a local architect, Mr Ernest Chevrier, at the beginning of this century. It wasn't long before tourists began to flock to the resort, to enjoy its magnificent beach.
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Activities - Sports - Leisure |
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Nautical Club and Sailing School - Beach Clubs - Sea fishing and pool fishing - Tennis courts, miniature golf - Bowls - Horseriding center - Rifle range - Nature ways, health circuits - Playing field - Merry-go-round - basin - Libraries - Cinema - Cabaret - Concerts - Fêtes - The most animated markets of the Côte de Jade - Night markets.
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The Comberge harbour |
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Berth with facilities for hooking up to land-based power and water supplies and accessible quays for yachting.
Pier around the harbour.
Fishing sites.
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Beach watch and water quality |
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4.5 Km of beaches with 2 first aid posts.
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In Tharon, like in St-Michel, the water is classified category A (good quality) and the commune obtained the labels : Pavillon Bleu d'Europe, for the quality of its beaches and the environment in 1997, 1998 and 1999, and SOS Mer Propre.
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The surfing and windsurfing spots |
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- Tharon-Plage - windsurfing
Two channels open to everybody delimit the watching area of the beach of Tharon : one to the south, between the spring and the "big stairs" (Le Grand Escalier), the other, facing the nautical base of La Cormorane. This spot, ideal for its west wind (dominating wind), works with a south wind too or even a north wind; with an east wind (from the land), the site is seldom interesting and particularly inadvisable if there is a north-east wind (unreliable). For beginners (and even the others), the low tide is very interesting because of the flat sea. The surge which sometimes rises don't generally give good waves to use a waveboard.
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- Gohaud (St Michel) - surfing and body-boarding
Although there is a channel for windsurfers in Gohaud, the spot is rather occupied by surfers and
body-boarders. The offshore rocks give good waves when the weather is not calm (less in summer).
- Les Rochelets (St Brévin)
The spot of Les Rochelets is the most famous one in the area for waves. The site is located at the beginning of Saint Brévin l'Océan, just north of Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef. In summer, channels for windsurfing, surfing and body-boarding, divide the area.
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In the Saint-Michel area |
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- It is 7 Kms to Pornic.
- It is 20 Kms, by way of the St-Nazaire bridge, to the bay of La Baule, la Grande Brière, la Presqu'île Guérandaise (the peninsula of Guerande).
- It 60 Kms to the Gulf of Morbihan.
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In le pays de Retz:
- The Grand-Lieu lake, forest of Princé, Planète Sauvage of Port-St-Père (30Km).
- The Channel of La Martinière (Frossay)
- 50 Kms away is Nantes and the land of Muscadet wines.
- 60 Kms south Noirmoutier island, the Breton marshes.
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Access |
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- By road : 450 Km from Paris (motorway as far as Nantes).
- By air : Nantes-Atlantique airport is 45 Kms away.
- By railway : direct line Paris-Pornic and Paris-St-Nazaire - T.G.V. Atlantique Paris-Nantes-St-Nazaire
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