Corsept is a town in Loire-Atlantique, in the Pays de la Loire region, 17 km south-east of Saint-Nazaire.
Its territory of 23 km² borders the left bank of the Loire estuary and belongs to the Pays de Retz.
This location allows the locality to present varied landscapes: to the north, they are marked by the proximity of the estuary while to the south, they already evoke the bocage. Apart from the town and its hamlets, Corsept has in any case retained a rural character, arable land and agricultural areas representing 48% of its area, meadows 19% and coastal wetlands 20%…
Already occupied during the Neolithic as evidenced by dolmens and menhirs, Corsept is then in Antiquity, Merovingian sarcophagi having been unearthed. In the Middle Ages, several lords shared the territory, and the island of Saint-Nicolas, opposite the village, the last island before the ocean, served as a place of quarantine for ships.
From the 17th century, the draining of the marshes allowed the development of agriculture and livestock farming, part of the population remaining composed of sailors and fishermen. A port boosted the activity of the village in 1852 but it was soon to compete with the railway in the 20th century.
Nowadays, the town has nearly 2700 inhabitants and highlights its natural environment, particularly conducive to hiking, as well as its heritage. Near the resort of Saint-Brévin-les-Pins, a stopover is justified!
In terms of heritage, the Saint-Matin church succeeded at the beginning of the 18th century (a sundial is dated 1726) to several earlier buildings, a Carolingian baptismal font was unearthed. Its architecture is Romanesque and Gothic. One of the specificities of the church is its low bell tower in the shape of a bulb and a Latin cross. It dates from the beginning of the 19th century. Stocky enough to withstand the winds, the regularly restored church houses several beautifully crafted statues, altars and ex-votos.
Still in terms of religious heritage, as is traditional in the region, many wayside crosses (in granite) mark out the countryside surrounding the village, which had a religious vocation but also served as landmarks. One can also observe "châtre crosses", of more singular craftsmanship, which perpetuated the memory of dramas or crimes of which the "faithful" were victims after the Revolution.
In addition to various dolmens or menhirs, to see next, the Pasquiaud manor, on the edge of the estuary. Built at the end of the 18th century by a merchant from Paimboeuf, in 1848 it became one of the residences of the painter and landscape designer Charles Le Roux, who set up his studio in a nearby mill and received artist friends there. Thus, Camille Corot, Théodore Rousseau or Gustave Doré frequent the place. Frescoes painted on the walls representing bouquets of flowers and attributed to Corot have been preserved. The municipality is now the owner of the manor, which has been restored and can be rented (receptions, lodging for holidays). Inquire on +33 2 40 27 51 96.
We must also mention the manor of Greix (17th century), former possession of the Dukes of Retz, the island of Saint-Nicolas, the last island before the Atlantic, where an oratory was established then which served as a place of quarantine: it is now private. In addition to other mansions of beautiful appearance, the "fisheries", places where one fishes with a net in the shape of a plaice and where cabins are fitted out, constitute another part of the heritage typical of the banks of the Loire...
Côté culture, events are offered regularly at the "La Parenthèse" library (contact +33 2 40 27 85 35) and shows and association events are scheduled at the socio-cultural hall Joseph Clavier (contact +33 2 40 27 51 96).
For sports enthusiasts, a multisport field (basketball, football, handball), a shuffleboard and petanque court, a synthetic football field and an outdoor fitness area are accessible in the town...
In another genre, for amateurs, the municipal fishery, on the banks of the Loire, built on stilts, offers the possibility of fishing for plaice or bass in the traditional way. Information on +33 2 40 27 51 96.
Nearby, the port of Corsept (known as the port of the Green House), built in the 19th century then abandoned and invaded by mud, has been rehabilitated. It lends itself nowadays to sporting leisure activities (canoeing, paddleboarding, etc.).
In this same sector, we discover the great natural richness of the estuary and its shores, where canals, marshes and reedbeds stand side by side. This environment rich in unique plant species and pastures is protected, and it attracts a very diversified ornithological fauna.
This part of the town is at the center of one of the thematic hiking trails laid out on the territory. Baptized "Discovering the estuary", linking Corsept to Saint-Brévin in the form of a greenway, it is dotted with fisheries, viewpoints on the industries located on the right bank, natural areas protected for their biodiversity. This trail is one of the sections of the "Loire à Vélo" which runs along the river for several hundred kilometres, open to walkers and two-wheelers alike.
Another circuit leads from the village to an observatory of "industrial giants", offering a view of Saint-Nazaire and its surroundings on the opposite bank (an orientation table is located). Also available are the circuit of the marshes, the circuit of the menhirs and the circuit of the dyke, all punctuated with heritage elements and natural sites. Maps and information on +33 2 40 27 51 96 or +33 2 40 27 24 32.
