The neighbourhoods of Nantes
Formerly crossed by many waterways that were only filled in in the 20th century, the town of Nantes retains its patchwork of neighbourhoods that were formerly islands. Set off to explore the historical and cultural heritage.
Book a train ticket
Book a train ticket
Fancy a city break? Don’t wait any longer, head off to Nantes... Here is everything you can do in two days:
Day 1: Art and history
Delve into history of a morning
To understand Nantes, you must immerse yourself in the history of France and the Dukes of Brittany... There’s no better way than taking a tour of the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany which you can’t miss - it is bang in the town centre, right by the train station.
Take a walk round the charming old town before heading towards Saint-Pierre-and-Saint-Paul Cathedral, to see among other things the famous tomb of François II, the last Duke of Brittany.
You can then head towards the opera for lunch. La Cigale, opposite the Opera, is something of an institution in Nantes. The Graslin quarter is an elegant and authentic place for a nice stroll to walk off your meal.
Artistic afternoon
You can stroll through the botanic garden before entering the Lieu Unique There you can visit a modern art exhibition, get a ticket for an evening show, sit on the terrace of a bar or perhaps climb to the top of the LU tower to admire the cityscape.
For dinner out, Nantes has a wealth of very good restaurants. In the evening, whether you’re quietly taking in some evening culture or somewhere in the hustle and bustle, you must see the bright Buren circles as they change colour on the banks of the island of Nantes.
We can recommend four hotels in Nantes: The Soko Hotel in an old church, the designer Okko Hotel, the eco-responsible La Pérouse Hotel and the historic Hotel de France.
Day 2: By the water
Morning on the island
The island of Nantes harbours many gems in terms of architecture and events. Start by visiting the naves of the island, see The island’s Machines and perhaps go on a (mechanical) elephant ride.
Afternoon on the waterfront
The estuary trail spans the 120 km stretch of the Loire between Nantes and Saint-Nazaire. It presents 30 works of modern art that make up an open air museum, against a backdrop ranging from fragile nature reserves to gigantic industrial buildings. A “chimney villa” perched at 15 metres above ground, a 7-metre high clock mounted on a former concrete plant, a 120-metre long snake, a soft-looking boat, a house which looks like it’s sinking but won’t... You can see these pieces all year round by bike, on foot or by car, and from a boat from April to October.