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2026 ranking · historic monuments

The towns in Pays de la Loire with the most historic monuments

Nantes (Loire-Atlantique) has the most historic monuments in Pays de la Loire: 130 monuments. Next come Angers (Maine-et-Loire, 101 monuments) and Le Mans (Sarthe, 84 monuments).

720 towns ranked out of 1,228

Nantes, 1stThe next 19

The podium

  1. View of Nantes 1stNantes 130monuments Loire-Atlantique
  2. View of Angers 2ndAngers 101monuments Maine-et-Loire
  3. View of Le Mans 3rdLe Mans 84monuments Sarthe

This ranking covers 720 of the 1,228 towns in Pays de la Loire. Not ranked: towns with no historic monument. The table is split into pages of 100 towns. At the other end of the ranking, Pizieux (Sarthe) comes last with 1 monument.

In France, a commune is the smallest unit of local government, from large cities to tiny villages. Paris, Lyon and Marseille are ranked as whole communes: their arrondissements (districts) have no rank of their own.

The ranking: most historic monuments in Pays de la Loire

Rank Town Department Historic monuments Proportional bar Population
1 Nantes Loire-Atlantique (44) 130 332,515
2 Angers Maine-et-Loire (49) 101 162,290
3 Le Mans Sarthe (72) 84 148,876
4 Saumur Maine-et-Loire (49) 47 27,096
5 Laval Mayenne (53) 38 51,719
6 Gennes-Val-de-Loire Maine-et-Loire (49) 36 8,592
7 Baugé-en-Anjou Maine-et-Loire (49) 31 11,939
8 Brissac Loire Aubance Maine-et-Loire (49) 26 11,161
9 Fontenay-le-Comte Vendée (85) 25 14,668
10 Segré-en-Anjou Bleu Maine-et-Loire (49) 22 18,379
11 Noyant-Villages Maine-et-Loire (49) 21 5,541
12 Château-Gontier-sur-Mayenne Mayenne (53) 17 17,255
13 Montreuil-Bellay Maine-et-Loire (49) 16 3,978
14 tied Chemillé-en-Anjou Maine-et-Loire (49) 14 22,615
14 tied Le Croisic Loire-Atlantique (44) 14 4,108
14 tied Morannes sur Sarthe-Daumeray Maine-et-Loire (49) 14 3,731
17 tied Mauges-sur-Loire Maine-et-Loire (49) 12 19,159
17 tied Guérande Loire-Atlantique (44) 12 17,355
17 tied Doué-en-Anjou Maine-et-Loire (49) 12 11,303
20 tied Les Sables-d'Olonne Vendée (85) 11 50,924
20 tied Clisson Loire-Atlantique (44) 11 7,723
20 tied L'Île-d'Yeu Vendée (85) 11 5,021
23 tied Saint-Nazaire Loire-Atlantique (44) 10 76,243
23 tied Loire-Authion Maine-et-Loire (49) 10 17,361
23 tied La Ferté-Bernard Sarthe (72) 10 8,981
23 tied Les Hauts-d'Anjou Maine-et-Loire (49) 10 8,900
23 tied Jarzé Villages Maine-et-Loire (49) 10 2,836
28 tied Noirmoutier-en-l'Île Vendée (85) 9 4,605
28 tied Terranjou Maine-et-Loire (49) 9 3,937
28 tied Saint-Jean-d'Hermine Vendée (85) 9 3,680
28 tied Les Bois d'Anjou Maine-et-Loire (49) 9 2,577
28 tied Avrillé Vendée (85) 9 1,421
28 tied Savennières Maine-et-Loire (49) 9 1,397
34 tied La Roche-sur-Yon Vendée (85) 8 57,683
34 tied Sèvremoine Maine-et-Loire (49) 8 26,473
36 tied Orée d'Anjou Maine-et-Loire (49) 7 17,527
36 tied Les Herbiers Vendée (85) 7 17,053
36 tied La Flèche Sarthe (72) 7 15,884
36 tied Saint-Brevin-les-Pins Loire-Atlantique (44) 7 14,909
36 tied Évron Mayenne (53) 7 8,421
36 tied Beaufort-en-Anjou Maine-et-Loire (49) 7 7,054
36 tied Sèvremont Vendée (85) 7 6,708
36 tied Les Garennes sur Loire Maine-et-Loire (49) 7 4,774
36 tied Champtocé-sur-Loire Maine-et-Loire (49) 7 1,854
36 tied Luché-Pringé Sarthe (72) 7 1,563
36 tied Chenillé-Champteussé Maine-et-Loire (49) 7 342
47 tied Mayenne Mayenne (53) 6 13,612
47 tied Châteaubriant Loire-Atlantique (44) 6 12,716
47 tied Luçon Vendée (85) 6 9,704
47 tied Vallons-de-l'Erdre Loire-Atlantique (44) 6 6,795
47 tied Longué-Jumelles Maine-et-Loire (49) 6 6,665
47 tied Montval-sur-Loir Sarthe (72) 6 5,827
47 tied Craon Mayenne (53) 6 4,579
47 tied Bellevigne-les-Châteaux Maine-et-Loire (49) 6 3,490
47 tied Montsûrs Mayenne (53) 6 3,250
47 tied Loir en Vallée Sarthe (72) 6 2,115
47 tied Le Bernard Vendée (85) 6 1,336
47 tied Turquant Maine-et-Loire (49) 6 574
47 tied Montsoreau Maine-et-Loire (49) 6 414
60 tied Cholet Maine-et-Loire (49) 5 56,363
60 tied Beaupréau-en-Mauges Maine-et-Loire (49) 5 24,720
60 tied Montaigu-Vendée Vendée (85) 5 21,789
60 tied Montrevault-sur-Èvre Maine-et-Loire (49) 5 16,045
60 tied Ancenis-Saint-Géréon Loire-Atlantique (44) 5 12,005
60 tied Ombrée d'Anjou Maine-et-Loire (49) 5 9,000
60 tied Pouzauges Vendée (85) 5 5,868
60 tied Rives-du-Loir-en-Anjou Maine-et-Loire (49) 5 5,743
60 tied Le Lion-d'Angers Maine-et-Loire (49) 5 5,481
60 tied Saint-Joachim Loire-Atlantique (44) 5 4,168
60 tied Le Lude Sarthe (72) 5 4,036
60 tied Saint-Georges-sur-Loire Maine-et-Loire (49) 5 3,891
60 tied Durtal Maine-et-Loire (49) 5 3,456
60 tied Seiches-sur-le-Loir Maine-et-Loire (49) 5 2,898
60 tied Varennes-sur-Loire Maine-et-Loire (49) 5 1,951
60 tied Distré Maine-et-Loire (49) 5 1,860
60 tied Mouilleron-Saint-Germain Vendée (85) 5 1,830
60 tied Sion-les-Mines Loire-Atlantique (44) 5 1,692
60 tied Saint-Denis-d'Anjou Mayenne (53) 5 1,520
60 tied Denée Maine-et-Loire (49) 5 1,475
60 tied Fontevraud-l'Abbaye Maine-et-Loire (49) 5 1,471
60 tied Cheffois Vendée (85) 5 1,029
60 tied Dissay-sous-Courcillon Sarthe (72) 5 980
60 tied Angrie Maine-et-Loire (49) 5 937
60 tied Cizay-la-Madeleine Maine-et-Loire (49) 5 491
60 tied Asnières-sur-Vègre Sarthe (72) 5 340
86 tied Pornic Loire-Atlantique (44) 4 19,257
86 tied Lys-Haut-Layon Maine-et-Loire (49) 4 7,916
86 tied Bellevigne-en-Layon Maine-et-Loire (49) 4 6,045
86 tied La Garnache Vendée (85) 4 5,621
86 tied Mamers Sarthe (72) 4 5,150
86 tied Le Pouliguen Loire-Atlantique (44) 4 4,275
86 tied Yvré-l'Évêque Sarthe (72) 4 4,269
86 tied Le Cellier Loire-Atlantique (44) 4 4,149
86 tied Mouchamps Vendée (85) 4 3,073
86 tied Batz-sur-Mer Loire-Atlantique (44) 4 2,988
86 tied Fresnay-sur-Sarthe Sarthe (72) 4 2,969
86 tied Bécon-les-Granits Maine-et-Loire (49) 4 2,927
86 tied Bois-de-Céné Vendée (85) 4 2,286
86 tied Sainte-Gemme-la-Plaine Vendée (85) 4 2,274
86 tied Apremont Vendée (85) 4 2,140

Source: French Ministry of Culture, Mérimée database (buildings protected as historic monuments); buildings classified or registered as historic monuments, in whole or in part. Not ranked: towns with no historic monument. Tied values share the same rank. Data sources.

FAQ

Most historic monuments in Pays de la Loire: FAQ

Which town in Pays de la Loire has the most historic monuments?

Nantes (Loire-Atlantique) has the most historic monuments in Pays de la Loire: 130 monuments.

What are the 10 towns in Pays de la Loire with the most historic monuments?

In order: Nantes (130 monuments), Angers (101 monuments), Le Mans (84 monuments), Saumur (47 monuments), Laval (38 monuments), Gennes-Val-de-Loire (36 monuments), Baugé-en-Anjou (31 monuments), Brissac Loire Aubance (26 monuments), Fontenay-le-Comte (25 monuments), and Segré-en-Anjou Bleu (22 monuments).

How many towns in Pays de la Loire are ranked?

720 out of 1,228. Not ranked: towns with no historic monument.

What does this ranking count?

Each building protected as a historic monument (monument historique), whether classified or only registered, in whole or in part, counts as one, as listed in the Mérimée database of the French Ministry of Culture. A monument that spans several communes, such as an aqueduct or a city wall, counts in each of them. The total also depends on how protections were divided up: a group of buildings can count as one monument or as several.

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