La Baule, located in the south of Brittany, is known more for its beautiful bays and beaches than its conference facilities—it is a member of the Club of the World’s Most Beautiful Bays, after all. Yet, it’s precisely this prime position—sandwiched between land and sea in the middle of a vast protected pine forest—that’s drawing organisers to the French destination.
La Baule is a place of character, basking in the spotlight of the famous salt marshes of Guérande and the natural local park of Brière. One step on the pristine beaches and you’ll immediately understand how La Baule stands out from your average beach locale.
A three-hour high-speed train ride from Paris, or an hour’s drive from Nantes Atlantique International Airport, this part of the Loire-Atlantique coast benefits from the dynamism of the Nantes-Saint-Nazaire metropolis. The region caters to international sports events, such as the Longines Jumping international. Another notable event: In 2018, La Baule hosted the 2nd edition of the World Company Sport Games, organised by voluntary nonprofit the World Federation for Company Sport. The international event based on conviviality, performance and cohesion attracted 6,000 attendees from 50 countries, who competed in more than 25 different types of sports.
Nine competitive clusters
La Baule is also home to nine competitive clusters, ranging from health to biotherapies; one university; nine colleges; and 200 laboratories. Industrial clusters include shipbuilding and aerospace (the reason why you’ll find the STX France shipyard and the Airbus factory), while agribusiness thrives thanks to Guérande salt, with the region producing over 16,000 tons per year!
As far as conferences are concerned, associations can set their sights on Atlantia Convention Centre, which offers up to 3,500 sqm of flexible space. The eco-friendly venue was entirely restored in 2014, and features an auditorium of 900 seats, as well 1,200 sqm modular space flooded with natural daylight. In 2011, Atlantia, as it is commonly referred to, was awarded the Quality Prize for Sustainable Development by France Congrès et Événements, and, in 2015, it was the first venue outside the French capital to receive the lauded ISO 20121 certification, which provides guidance and best practice to help manage and control an event’s social, economic and environmental impact.
Couple this with a wide range of accommodation options – there are more than 3,000 hotel rooms scattered across the La Baule-Guérande peninsula – and you’ll see how the city is emerging as a business destination where delegates can enjoy a breath of fresh air after a hard day’s work. Given its compact size, everything can be reached by foot. As if this isn’t an easy enough decision, La Baule Events, the city convention bureau, will act as your reliable partner, opening the doors to anetwork of local service providers alongside the Atlantia Convention Centre’s teams—all committed to the success of your conference.
Contact: louise.chaillou@labaule-evenements.com /This article was written by Boardroom Chief Editor Remi Deve. The right to use, part or all of it in subsequent works has to be granted by the Publisher.