Between Lake and Ocean

AOP Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu

• Origin and location : Created in 1994, this AOP is the youngest of the Muscadet subregional appellations. It occupies the westernmost suburb, closest to the Atlantic Ocean.

• Area and location : A small vineyard covering approximately 300 hectares stretches southwest of Nantes, across 19 municipalities around Lake Grand-Lieu, between Loire-Atlantique and Vendée.

• Climate : The presence of the lake’s 9,000 hectares of water creates a microclimate that promotes the early ripening of the Melon B grape variety.

• Geology and style : Sands and pebbles derived from gneiss and mica schist produce dry wines characterized by finesse and freshness.

• Aging : Aging on lees, a widely practiced technique, accentuates freshness, fruitiness, and complexity.
  
• Specific characteristics : of the appellation: Parcel zoning and the requirement for vines to be over 7 years old contribute to a clear improvement in quality.

Grand-Lieu Lake National Nature Reserve

Southwest of Nantes, about ten kilometers south of the Loire River, Lake Grand-Lieu extends almost entirely over the territory of Saint-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu (Loire-Atlantique). Every winter, it becomes the largest natural lake in the French lowlands.

The ecological richness of the site has earned it dual protected status: national nature reserve covering 2,694.60 hectares for the most part, and regional nature reserve covering 655.79 hectares to the east. There are around 270 species of birds, 19 species of reptiles and amphibians, 30 species of fish and around 50 mammals. The environment is particularly favorable for European eels. The flora includes nearly 250 species of plants and 220 species of algae, including eight internationally protected plant species. Most of the surface is covered with floating vegetation. Since 1995, the lake has been listed as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention.

It is a vast but shallow body of water: on average 1.60 m in summer and around 4 m in winter. It occupies a basin with a slight slope, which makes its contours very changeable. Its surface area doubles over the course of the year, from around 35 km² in summer to 65 km² in winter.

Approximately 25 km², mainly in the east, form a core of faster-flowing waters. Beyond this lie “floating forests” known as levis, marshes and floodplains, which may or may not be submerged depending on the season. The open waters reach their maximum in winter (approximately 2,200 ha), when the floating grass beds recede; their surface area has increased by nearly 13 ha in ten years, at the expense of the reed beds. It is in these open areas that professional fishermen work. In the center of the lake, floating pondweed punctuates the open waters.