Rendezvous time: what to do in Nantes?

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Latest update: 2 June 2023

How many faces can a city have? Nantes moves through the centuries from dukes to slavers and from shipbuilders to students and artists. Every corner of this city reveals a different piece of history. Will you join me for some sightseeing in the center of Nantes?

A walk through time in Nantes

In the compact city center of Nantes, I can just as easily walk from the Middle Ages to the 19th century as from a hip rooftop bar to a monumental restaurant. The city honors history as well as the present and the future. I have a rendezvous with the dukes and slavers in the inner city while the shipbuilders have given way to the artists on the island of Nantes. The 55,000+ students move all over the city. And if you look closely, the artists actually do too. The Green Line (the artistic walking route) is a witness and a host of a vibrant art scene.

Because there is so much to see, I recommend visiting the tourist office first. Opposite the castle in the historic city center, you will find the tourist office where you can pick up a useful map, brochures and maybe some souvenirs. Nantes has so much to offer that seeing it all is impossible. Below I give you some highlights of the city center of Nantes. Pick and choose!

Tip 1 – Nantes Slavery Monument

Nantes has been a trading city since the 13th century. The merchants benefited significantly from the slave trade. The slave trade peaked in the 18th century. Nantes was then Europe’s main port for the slave trade. Not really something to honor, but definitely something to think about.

Along the Loire River is the publicly accessible slavery monument: a walking path of about 400 meters. The names of the slave ships are carved into the ground in glass plaques. All 2,000. Via the stairs, I end up in a corridor full of proverbs, facts, and quotes from people like Martin Luther King. In the background, I hear Bob Marley’s Redemption Song. The memorial is made to honor the people who fought and are still fighting for the abolition of slavery.

Google Maps location

Tip 2 – Château des ducs de Bretagne

Huh? But Nantes isn’t in Brittany at all, now is it? True. But it was once the capital of Brittany, now of the Pays de la Loire region. From that time dates the castle of the dukes of Brittany. The castle was finished in 1477, at the time of Duchess Anna of Brittany. Since then, the dukes of Brittany have lived in the castle for many years. Now it houses the history museum of Nantes.

Every first Sunday of the month between September and June, a visit is free. The courtyard and the castle are attractions in themselves. Walk around, take pictures, and enjoy the view.

Google Maps location

Tip 3 – Medieval Nantes

The Place de Bouffay and surrounding streets are the medieval part of the city. A few original medieval houses still stand strong, recognizable by the wooden frames. The street names are reminiscent of the past: crafts such as butcher are incorporated. The castle and cathedral of Nantes are also in this district.

Google Maps location

Tip 4 – Le Nid on the Tour Bretagne

The Tour Bretagne claims quite a bit. It is the only tower between Paris and New York. Well… there is a lot of sea between the two cities, so it might be true. You have a fantastic view of the city from this tower, a panoramic view from the 32nd floor. The Frenchman Jean Julien designed the floor, Le Nid. A huge stork/heron is resting in the cafe. The chairs look like boiled eggs that have been cut open. Fun design.

Google Maps location

Tip 5 – New purpose for the cookie factory

I have no idea how far their fame goes, but ‘Tuc’, ‘scholiertjes’ and ‘bastogne’ cookies are well known and loved in the Netherlands. All once made by LU. Actually, I don’t know whether those biscuits were made here in Nantes. Still, Le Lieu Unique does appeal to the imagination. The pastel-colored tower is a replica. The old biscuit factory is now a cultural meeting place where concerts, modern art exhibitions, theater, and dance performances are held. It has a restaurant, a bar, a hammam in the basement, and a waterfront terrace with sun loungers in summer.

Google Maps location

Tip 6 – Art nouveau chic at La Cigale

Restaurant La Cigale is dazzlingly beautiful. The historical monument was built as early as 1895 and remains extremely popular. Older Nantes residents come in the morning for coffee and a croissant; from then on, it’s non-stop busy. Curious tourists mainly come to take pictures, and many locals come for finger-licking French dishes. La Cigale is decorated with many ceramics- see if you can discover a cricket (a cigale is a cricket).

Google Maps location

Tip 7 – Passage Pommeraye

The Passage Pommeraye shopping arcade has a glass roof, highlighting the splendor of the stairs, the statues, and the carved walls. The building is a passage for business people, and you can shop seriously. Sometimes they organize secret dinners in this venue. To get an invite, you need to know the right people.

Google Maps location

But there is so much more to do in Nantes

Oh, this list could have been much longer! For example, the extravagant, crooked houses of the slave merchants, many parks, a water mirror, several museums, the cathedral of Nantes… Far too much for just one weekend. The beautiful city center of Nantes cannot be captured in one quick rendezvous. And that might make the city even more attractive.

Le Voyage à Nantes offered me a walking tour through Nantes. It was up to me what I’d write about it. No censorship!

First published: December 2017. The article has been updated since.