Pays de la Loire is situated in the west of France, parts of Pays de la Loire used to come under Brittany. Pays de la Loire is made up of five departments the Loire Atlantique, Mayenne, Maine et Loire, Sarthe and the Vendée.

The Loire River, the longest river in France with a length of just over 1000 km, drains an area of 117,000 km², more than a fifth of France.

Originating in the north-eastern part of the southern Cévennes highlands, the Loire flows roughly northward through Roanne and Nevers to Orléans and thereafter westward through Tours to the Atlantic at Nantes. The river's irregularity has sometimes resulted in serious flooding, notably in 1856, 1866 and 1910.

The Loire is the last free-flowing river in Europe. Unlike any other river in western Europe, other than in the far north, there are no dams or locks creating obstacles to its natural flow. As a result, the Loire is a very popular river for boating excursions, flowing through a pastoral countryside, past limestone cliffs and storybook castles.

The Loire Valley which is known as the Garden of France was declared a World Heritage for Humanity Site by UNESCO owing to its beautiful landscape and historical cities and towns. It is an outstanding area and well known for its many Châteaux.