Our region

THE BAY OF LA BAULE

The 9 km long sandy beach which draws the arc of the bay, known as Le Pouliguen, is the true heart of local life. The “Baulois”, the “Pornichetains” and the “Pouliguennais” live turned towards the sea and adopt its rhythm by exercising all imaginable nautical activities or simply by enjoying the beach every day.

This arc continues offshore with a string of islands and shoals that accentuate the bay’s feeling of refuge. We are both in a sheltered area and facing the elements depending on where we are. Pornichet faces the southerly winds while Le Pouliguen takes on the “noroîts” wind. So you can always either walk sheltered from the wind or facing it.

The islands are a haven of peace, sometimes frequented in summer, but most often deserted by men and populated by birds. We sometimes come across dolphins just behind… And when we are there and look at the bay, the constructions 4 km away give way to reveal the soul of La Baule: its dune. In the local dialect, a “bôle” is a dune. And La Baule is quite simply an immense dune almost 50 m high which was fixed by the pines on the orders of the king, in particular to protect the salt marshes of Pornichet and Guérande. Seen from offshore, it is this huge hump of greenery that predominates. And in the city, despite the buildings, it is also this green seaside atmosphere that is felt.

When you look to the south you see the Loire estuary: the largest river in France. To the north, we face the enfilade of the peninsula with the wild coast which continues with the Morbihan islands of Hoëdic, Houat, and Belle Ile. This breathtaking panorama is easily accessible by Wing, kite, and even SUP.

For a surfer, the bay of La Baule and the neighboring spots allow you to surf with different orientations and tides which will save you from spending your day in the car to find the spot that works. There are more than 200 surfoilable sessions per year, not counting the docks and beachstarts!

The bay is obviously not a world-class surf spot, but it nevertheless benefits from regular swells that allow you to surf there all year round. Just like the neighboring spots which offer very varied conditions, beach breaks, reef breaks, point breaks or slabs.

For the practice of wing and kite, the bay will generally be the spot where the conditions will be the most favorable. Just move around the bay depending on the orientation. Facing the Casino of La Baule, the body of water is generally flat with a huge sandbank 800m from the shore, which allows you to surf endless swells. It is not uncommon to go down more than a kilometer on a swell bump without using the Wing, a treat…

In Pornichet the conditions are tougher with a shorebreak at high tide and a strong side shore wind with westerly wind. And when it goes to the North, we migrate to La Turballe and its coast or the South Loire. The potential is endless and the wetsuit rarely has time to dry 😉

THE PENINSULA

presqu'île

The strength of the Guérande peninsula and its granite coast is undoubtedly its characterful and well-preserved landscapes. There are beach breaks, reef breaks and point breaks for surfing and flat or wave spots for kiting or wing foiling with various orientations. In short, it is difficult to have a day without conditions 😉

The peninsula is also a meeting with nature. While strolling on the coastal paths one can discover a very rich fauna and flora. This richness extends inland with in particular the regional park of Brière, which is protected by international conventions in order to preserve its exceptional landscapes and biodiversity. This park is rich in wildlife and intense culture!

A few km away, the salt marshes of Guérande offer a unique landscape made up of mosaics whose colors change during the day for beautiful walks.

And the peninsula is above all a Breton atmosphere with the harbor of Le Croisic, its docks facing the salt marshes, its creperies, and its energy; and the town of Batz sur Mer with its typical city-center and the bell tower of the Saint Guénolé church from which you can admire the whole region when the weather allows it.

Finally, the medieval city of Guérande is sublime. A special place, really nice to stroll and eat with the family.

THE REGION

region

Our region is full of remarkable places. To visit the castles of the Loire, the parks or museums of the region, it takes many weekends! Without forgetting that we are ideally located for day or weekend getaways to discover the wild spots of Brittany and its culture, or the beaches of Vendée.

There are many activities available in the region and throughout the year with exhibitions, live shows, concerts (Les vieilles charrues, Hell Fest, etc.) and sporting events.

 

NANTES

It is also in Nantes that you can enjoy the cultural dynamism fully infused in the city. This major metropolis in France opens up culture to everyone, like the Great Elephant which wanders among passers-by, distilling a part of the city’s history.

Nantes is Victor Hugo, but it is also a city in full economic growth, which benefits from movements from the capital to the provinces. A pillar of French Tech, Nantes and the surrounding area are almost in a situation of full employment with cutting-edge industries and an extremely dynamic fabric of SMEs.

LA FRANCE

Our staff is not exclusively made up of French folks, several colleagues have settled in France to come and work with us. France has enormous attractions in terms of culture, leisure, health, freedom, security and the environment, which convinces thousands of expatriates to take up residence there every year.

France is a welcoming land with a cosmopolitan face where sharing and openness to others has always had a place. It is good to live there, and all the more so in the Bauloise region. We naturally subscribe to this logic and invite any motivated foreign person to submit their application. Note that France is also renowned for its food, wine and love of sharing a good meal.

Bons vivants, sometimes complainers, we are passionate people who love to laugh.

GET AWAYS

If you want to venture even further, connections are very easy with 79 direct train lines from La Baule station, including the TGV which sets us only 2h54 apart from Paris.

Nantes international airport is 45 minutes from La Baule and directly serves dozens of medium-haul destinations for low-cost getaways.

You want to leave with 200 kg of gear, no problem. Flights from Nantes accept board bags without worries, and you can reach the Paris Orly airport by car in about 4 hours, and 1/2 hour more for CDG airport. Nothing could be easier to have a nice break.

 

THE WEATHER

We’re not going to lie to each other: it can be a bit chilly in winter ;-))) But overall the climate is mild thanks to the Atlantic Ocean. Our summers are perfectly bearable, even a little too bearable at times. We are not in the tropics, but we have the immense pleasure of variety. The seasons are marked and the weather constantly changes to the rhythm of the marine flows. The days are all different and the landscapes are magnificent. So a good 5/4 in winter and you’ll feel like you’re in the Caribbean 😉

DISTANCES IN BETWEEN SPOTS

Our location allows you to enjoy a lot of conditions without having to travel more than 15-20 minutes from home, whether for surfing, surf foiling, wing, kiting or SUP. As everywhere, the discovery of spots and their best operating window will come as the sessions add up. The strong point of the region is clearly the diversity of conditions and the options offered by this very indented coast to adapt to the direction of the wind. If you are a fan of waves and wind, days without conditions are the exception.

There are also many options if you want to discover the nearby spots. The Breton spots of the Quiberon peninsula are only 1h15 away by road and the spots of Finistère at 2h30. The neighboring Vendée also offers excellent conditions with spots of recognized quality. On weekends it is also possible to push to the world famous surf spots of the southwest for a mini-trip at 5:30 am from the house.

WHERE TO SETTLE ?

Currently located in La Baule, we are moving this year to the new GONG Space Center located in the Brais business park which is between the Brière regional natural park and La Baule, just 3 minutes from the main spot 😉 This location near the expressways allows easy access to our premises. Whether you are more into the countryside, city or seaside life, the possibilities are not lacking in the close perimeter.

If prices per square meter are logically high on the seafront. Year-round rental accommodations remain accessible there. Moreover, you only need to distance yourself by a few km from the seaside to significantly lower the price of a property, be it for purchase or rental. The neighboring towns of Guérande and Saint-Nazaire still offer great real estate opportunities. Several partnering real estate agencies support us with the installations of our employees, whether they are new or already present in the region:

Average prices per m²:

  • La Baule: Average m² price: €6,274 – from €3,929 to €10,112
  • Pornichet: Average m² price: €5,367 – from €3,324 to €8,628
  • La Turballe: Average m² price: €4,069 – from €2,309 to €6,005
  • Guérande: Average m² price: €3,506 – from €2,082 to €4,772
  • Saint André des Eaux: Average m² price: €3,038 – from €1,997 to €4,189
  • Saint Brevin: Average m² price: €3,591 – from €2,285 to €4,752
  • Saint Lyphard: Average m² price: €2,992 – from €1,592 to €3,783
  • Saint Nazaire: Average m² price: €2,695 – from €1,851 to €3,596

TOURIST ACTIVITIES AND HOSTING ORGANIZATIONS

Due to their location as seaside resorts, La Baule and Pornichet offer a multitude of tourist or relaxation-related activities for day or weekend visitors as well as for long-term holidaymakers: thalassotherapy, marked walks , mountain biking, architectural discoveries, various exhibitions, gourmet itineraries, museums,…

 

For entertainment, many events and activities are organized throughout the year: shows, concerts, festivals, cultural and sporting events, markets, guided tours… Discover the complete agenda on the homepage of the Tourism Office. Nightlife also has its place with the organization of parties by the various beach clubs or cafes in the center to party or simply meet up with friends.

 

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

There is no shortage of educational institutions in the region for employees with children. La Baule, Pornichet and Guérande have dozens of schools (10 nursery schools, 19 primary schools and 10 high schools) and Saint-Nazaire offers twice as many possibilities. There are many prospects for higher education, whether for short cycles or long cycles.

 

Under the dome of the University of Nantes, the Technological University Institute of Saint-Nazaire offers university bachelor’s degrees in technology and professional degrees. In Nantes, university courses provide training in law, economics, management, health, science and technology, human and social sciences. And Audencia in Nantes is one of the top business/management schools in France.

 

THE HEALTH OFFER

Health professionals are numerous in our region and supported by a quality infrastructure. The Saint-Nazaire Hospital Center ensures the public service of care, by combining local services and a recognized level of technicality in the activities of medicine, surgery, obstetrics and care for the elderly. It has an organization allowing it to provide, day and night, the necessary care to its patients and to the people who present themselves there.

PROFESSIONAL ATTRACTIVENESS OF THE REGION - JOBS FOR SPOUSES

The region has remarkable assets:

  • 1st national center in shipbuilding
  • Aeronautics with Airbus
  • Food industry with LU, Tipiak, Biscuiterie Nantaise…
  • Renewable energy with the first French industrial center on MREs (offshore wind power, tidal power)
  • Health and biotechnology
  • Digital
  • The silver economy

Tourism is also an essential link in local dynamism: the sector represents €3.1 billion in turnover. The tourist activity generates 20,000 direct jobs and has made our region the 6th French tourist destination.

For cycling lovers, Loire-Atlantique has recently become the 3rd cycling department in France.

SAILING / SURFING SCHOOLS AND OTHER KEY SPORTS

Apart from board sports, many nautical activities are possible in La Baule with the marinas and beaching ports of Pornichet which open the bay to the east and the marina of Pouliguen which is located on the west side of the bay.

The bay of La Baule also has surfing and sailing schools for those who wish to initiate themselves or their families to the pleasures of board sports and navigation. Most schools also offer equipment rental.

Consult all the jobs currently available at GONG, from the workshop to the general management. You may be just a few clicks away from a new adventure ?

OUR JOB OFFERS