Région Pays de la Loire

About Région Pays de la Loire

The Pays de la Loire region comprises 5 departments: Loire-Atlantique, Maine-et-Loire, Mayenne, Sarthe, and Vendée. It has 3.7 million inhabitants spread across 1,357 municipalities. It is a balanced territory between rural and urban areas, organized around 7 major urban centers (Nantes, Saint-Nazaire, Angers, Cholet, Le Mans, Laval, and La-Roche-sur-Yon) and 1,108 municipalities with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants. Bordered by 450 km of coastline and crisscrossed by the Loire River, the region boasts the leading port on the Atlantic facade. Its economic dynamism is a real strength, contributing to its lowest unemployment rate in France (8.5%). Its economic fabric relies on a network of 9,500 SMEs, as well as the aeronautics industry and the agri-food sector. Tourism and water sports are growing rapidly; innovation is facilitated by dedicated infrastructure spread across the territory. A land of sport and culture, the region hosts internationally renowned events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Vendée Globe, and the Folle Journée de Nantes. Pays de la Loire is rich in 70,000 associations and 700,000 volunteers, with 300,000 active at least once a week. This associative sector largely contributes to the region's dynamism and attractiveness, making Pays de la Loire a great place to live. As the leading region in France in terms of quality of life, it attracts 30,000 new residents each year. The Regional Council of Pays de la Loire has 93 elected officials, headed by Christelle Morançais. The administration of Pays de la Loire, made up of over 3,000 agents, serves the daily lives of the inhabitants: transport, education, training, apprenticeships, economic development, spatial planning, culture, research, innovation...