AT and his family took me to visit Le Croisic, where they all have gone together as a family since…read morehe was a kid. The coastal town on the Guérande peninsula has a promenade by the harbor, where you can soak in the beautiful views of the sea, historical town, people and boats; smell the salt water; and also witness a still-active fishing port. There are tons of shops, restaurants, cafés, and bakeries to enjoy, which makes Le Croisic great for all types of visitors, from solo and business travelers to families. Notable architecture spans from the 15th to 17th century, with the Hotel d'Aiguillon, L'église Notre-Dame-de-Pitié, Place Donatien-Lepré, and Maison de la Gabelouse being some of the places worthy of your visit. It was here that I had my second encounter with the famed Breton pastry, kouign-amann. AT remembered getting these sweet, buttery cakes in his childhood and claims that some of the best are had in this port town. On our way back to AT's hometown, his dad drove us along "la côte sauvage," which means the wild/virgin coast. It is absolutely breathtaking, as the coast is untouched. Having said that, the beach area is quite rocky, especially compared to what I have experienced on the Atlantic coast of the States. We didn't get a chance to go, but AT mentioned the aquarium here in Le Croisic, called Océarium. Apparently there is a neat underwater tunnel and you can view all types of sealife here, such as turtles, penguins, stingrays, sharks, seahorses, jellyfish, and other exotic marine life. I hope we get to check it out the next time we are in Loire-Atlantique. [#Yelp365: 11/365]

When I went to visit AT's family in France, they brought me to Guérande, which is where he went to…read morehigh school. The city is rightfully called the Medieval City, as the city has well preserved its cobblestone streets and architecture from the Middle Ages, including the fortification walls! There is no shortage of photos to take, as there are monuments, amazing building, and even greenscape (when it's not winter) to visually relish. Looking back through my photos, I am shocked that AT and I even went to Collégiale Saint-Aubin de Guérande. If you know us personally, you will know why. We can talk about it in-person, haha. You will find great eateries and bakeries to recharge your batteries at as you explore the city on foot, which is definitely the best way to become acquainted with Guérande. Make sure to wear comfy shoes that will reduce your risk of twisting your ankle, as those cobblestones are NO JOKE. As you get into the city, make sure check out the salt marshes. I had never seen these before and while I desperately wanted to pull over to take photos, AT warned me of pissing off locals and just French people in general. So no salt marsh photos. Boo-hoo. Regardless, I can't wait for us to come back as a family. [#Yelp365: 3/365]

From the owner: L'homme au poisson A l'origine St Goustan était, sur sa rive gauche, occupé par un petit peuple de…read morepêcheurs marins. Plus tard sont venus les rois bretons puis les ducs, qui, en construisant sur l'àa pic ? une forteresse en bois, ont cherché à garder le passage du Loch. Depuis 1295 un pont en pierre relie la rive droite au port. St Goustan devient alors un lieu de passage et de commerce. Actuellement ce port, qui est un haut lieu du tourisme, s'est tourné vers la plaisance.