Nantes

Art, history and the good life

The city
Nantes is the metropolis of France's Great West.
The town lies to the south of the Armorican Massif, which stretches along the banks of the Loire River.
Nantes is close to the Atlantic Ocean, around 50 kilometers away.
It's a city steeped in history, but also firmly rooted in modernity.
Nantes is one of Europe's most important cultural crossroads, with a wide range of events.
Nantes is France's sixth most populous commune, with 300,000 inhabitants.

How to get there
By car, Nantes is less than four hours from Paris.
You can also come by train. By TGV, the journey from Paris takes just 2 hours and the station is centrally located.
By plane, Nantes is directly connected to major European cities, and the flight from Partis takes just one hour.

A remarkable history
Nantes' medieval past is still clearly visible today. In addition to the castle and cathedral, the medieval Bouffay district invites you to stroll through the squares and streets lined with buildings dating back to the 15th century.

The home of the Dukes of Brittany
The 14th-century Château des Ducs de Bretagne combines medieval and Renaissance architecture in a remarkably harmonious whole. The château is also home to several museums, including the Fabric Museum, which boasts one of the finest collections of tapestries in the world, showing the interweaving of East and West in the evolution of culture.

Saint Peter and Saint Paul Cathedral
A remarkable example of the evolution of Gothic art, construction began in 1434 and was not completed until 1862. Monastic simplicity rubs shoulders with exuberance to create an unclassifiable edifice that's an absolute must-see.
City of art
Every December, the Cité des Congrès hosts the Salon des Métiers de l'Art. The Musée des Beaux-Arts (complete renovation completed in early 2017) is renowned for its exhibitions, and combines contemporary spaces such as the Cube with the Chapelle de l'Oratoire, a 17th-century baroque space unrivalled in France.
The La Folle Journée de Nantes festival has become a not-to-be-missed event, and has set itself the mission of removing prejudices against classical music by reaching out to the public and the audience.

Douceur de vivre

Nantes stands out for its urban development designed to enhance the quality of life for city dwellers. It regularly ranks at the top of rankings of the most pleasant cities to live in. Wide, traffic-free pedestrian zones make walking a particularly pleasant experience. Plenty of space, numerous parks and the banks of the Loire provide a feeling of freedom and well-being. To get around, the Nantes tramway criss-crosses the city, providing a pleasant, quiet ride that also allows you to contemplate the city.

Ocean splendor
Less than an hour away by car.