Anyone planning a city break over the coming months should put Nantes at the top of their list.
The beautifully creative and modern city on the Loire in West France has it all, with great food, impressive public artworks and a rich history at every corner.
Nantes has a busy few months on the horizon with the Le Voyage à Nantes' major summer event taking place from July 1st to September 3rd. During the summer, visitors and locals have been promised a completely new way to discover the city through contemporary art.
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This event will be directly followed by the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, with Nantes being one of the hosting cities. Ahead of this busy season, we travelled to France's sixth biggest city to experience it for ourselves.
We spent three nights at the fabulous Hôtel de France Océania, located right in the centre of the medieval city, where we enjoyed great comfort and hospitality. The hotel's spacious rooms and delicious buffet breakfast was a perfect base for us while we discovered the wonders of Nantes.
Before we began our exploring, we got our handy Nantes City Pass that offers unlimited transport and access to 50 free attractions. There are 24h, 48h, 72h and 7 day passes available and having them made our trip very smooth and convenient.
Our sightseeing started with a full tour of Stade de la Beaujoire, the home of Nantes FC and one the grounds being used for this autumn's Rugby World Cup. The stadium has a capacity of over 35,000 and is very accessible from the centre of the city via tram.
The grounds were extremely modern and had an impressive hospitality area, which will surely be enjoyed by fans attending the rugby later this year. Four Rugby World Cup matches are scheduled to be played at the stadium, including Japan versus Argentina on the final day of the pool stage.
After Stade de la Beaujoire, we moved on to a walking tour across Nantes. The city is incredibly tourist-friendly due to its intimate layout and pedestrianised roads. Its rich history and vibrant street art is easily accessed via the 20km long green line marked on the pavement that provides visitors with a free walking guide to all the main attractions and major pieces of public art.
I thoroughly enjoyed our stop at Jardin des plantes, which boasts seven hectares of glorious greenery in the city centre. The gardens is deservedly one of the top botanical gardens in France as it is home to more than 10,000 living species and has 50,000 flowers planted each season.
Artist Jean Jullien has taken steps to make the botanical gardens even more memorable. There are multiple large scale doodles of characters dotted around the park that are sure to put a smile on anyone's face.
The Castle of the Dukes of Brittany is an unmissable stop during a trip to Nantes. The 800-year-old fort has stood the test of time during Nantes several transformations over the centuries and you could easily spend most of your day travelling through time on the grounds.
Another stop on our tour of the city was the stunning Cathedral St-Pierre and St-Paul. Construction of the building began in 1434 but wasn't completed until four and a half centuries later, in 1891. Unfortunately, due to an arson attack in 2020 the building is currently closed but works are ongoing to restore it as soon as possible.
The Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery is another must-visit during a trip to Nantes. It is the largest slave trade memorial in the world and is a solemn reminder of Nantes’ active role in the slave trade in 18th century France. Located along the Loire river banks, visitors are greeted with The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the word "freedom" written in 47 different languages from areas affected by the slave trade.
Inaugurated in 2012, the plant-covered walkway features more than 2,000 commemorative plaques. Creators Krzysztof Wodiczko and Julian Bonder said they wanted to “keep the memory of the past alive and let it be a warning for the future.”
For those young at heart or if you're travelling with children, paying a visit to the great attractions at the former shipyard is a no brainer. The Marine Worlds Carousel is by far the most impressive carousel I've ever witnessed, spanning 25 metres high. There are three merry-go-rounds with curious looking sea creatures that you are guaranteed to get a kick out of, regardless of your age.
Another nearby spectacle on banks of the Loure is the Great Elephant of the Machines of the Island. You can ride on board this huge mechanical treasure and enjoy a trip around the former shipyard.
The Gallery of Island Machines proved to be an extraordinary experience. The extensive collection of machines depicting strange creatures were a wonder to both children and adults.
Visitors can go behind the scenes to the laboratory where the machines built, and seeing the huge scale of production makes the whole experience more worthwhile.
While walking the green line, we observed dozens of innovative pieces of public street art. One of my favourites Mètre à Ruban, an oversized measuring tape created by Lilian Bourgeat that pays tribute to a simple everyday tool that has the power to turn ideas from imagination into reality.
The Ping-Pong Park situated near the Nantes School of Art is a great symbol of the creativity and originality seen throughout the city. Architect Laurent Perbos modified traditional ping-pong tables to give visitors a memorable experience. Here you can play games lying on your stomach or even participate in two games at once.
During our time in Nantes we certainly ate well. My favourite restaurant was L’Aristide which had great staff and even better food which paired well with the local wine Muscadet.
Le Coin des Crêpes is a perfect spot for lunch as they offer both sweet and savoury crepes with any toppings you could possibly want. Asian fusion restaurant Song Saveurs et Sens was also a big hit, as was the stunning fine dining spot La Cigale.
If you fancy a few drinks after dinner, there are plenty of options in the city centre but I would recommend Maria, a bar and grill located next to our hotel. There was a lively atmosphere despite it being a weekday and its outdoor seating next to a bustling square was the perfect place to watch the sun go down.
On the final day of our trip we visited Clisson, a perfectly romantic town just a 30-minute train ride from Nantes. This was a real highlight to the trip as we gladly inhaled the incredible scenery of Tuscan style village built where the èvre Nantaise river meets the Moine.
Chateau de Clisson, charming ruins of a castle dating back to the 12th century, is the focal point of the town. We received a tour of the castle and basked in the stunning views of the town below.
Clisson also features a 14th century market hall which is wonderfully preserved. There are an array of boutiques scattered throughout the town which served perfectly for some retail therapy.
We enjoyed lunch on the terrace of La Villa Saint-Antoine, which had stunning views of Chateau de Clisson, and finished our day trip by indulging in a few €1.50 glasses of the local Muscadet wine at the town square.
With it's upcoming summer event and the Rugby World Cup in the autumn, there has never been a better time to visit this bubbly French city. Both Aer Lingus and Ryanair have multiple flights a week from Dublin Airport to Nantes.
To plan your journey to Nantes today visit levoyageanantes.fr.
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