Sights in Nantes
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Les Machines de l’Île de Nantes
The quirkiest sight in an altogether fairly quirky city has to be Les Machines de l’Île de Nantes. Inside this fantasy world it’s perfectly possible to prance around like a Maharajah on the back of a 45-tonne mechanical elephant with a secret lounge inside its belly or voyage on a boat through rough and dangerous oceans where attacks from oversized squid and giant prawns are common. We can only think that Jules Verne would be smiling in his grave if he could see this lot! Gallery tickets are also good for the workshop, where you can watch these fantastical contraptions being built.
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Jardin des Plantes
Founded in the early 19th century, the Jardin des Plantes is one of the most exquisite botanical gardens in France, filled with flowerbeds, duck ponds, fountains and towering redwoods (sequoias). There are hothouses and a children’s playground at the northern end of the gardens, which are opposite the train station.
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B
Musée des Beaux-Arts
One of the finest collections of French paintings outside Paris hangs in sumptuous galleries linked by grand stone staircases at the Musée des Beaux-Arts, with works by Georges de la Tour, Chagall, Monet, Picasso and Kandinsky among others.
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Musée Jules Verne
Overlooking the river, this is a magical museum with 1st-edition books, hand-edited manuscripts and cardboard theatre cut-outs. Child-friendly interactive displays introduce or reintroduce you to the work of Jules Verne, who was born in Nantes in 1828. Signs are in French but Verne’s books, such as Around the World in 80 Days, are so well known that it’s worthwhile visiting regardless. Wheelchair access is good. The museum is a 2km walk down river from the town centre.
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D
Château des Ducs de Bretagne
Forget fusty furnishings – the stripped, light-filled interior of the restored Château des Ducs de Bretagne houses new multimedia-rich exhibits detailing the city’s history. Computer terminals allow you to tour the old medieval city, juxtaposed with images of today. Other exhibits to look out for include sobering documentation of the slave trade, and vintage scale models of Nantes’ evolving cityscape. There’s excellent wheelchair access.
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E
Île Feydeau
Île Feydeau , the quarter south of the Gare Centrale, ceased to be an island after WWII when the channels of the Loire that once surrounded it were filled in following the riverbeds drying up. Today, you can still see where ships docked at the doors of the area's 18th-century mansions - some of which are adorned with stone carvings of the heads of African slaves.
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Trentemoult
For the cost of a tram ticket, the little Navibus shuttles across the river from the Gare Maritime tram stop to the village-like quarter of Trentemoult. Lined with fishermen's cottages and ships' captain's houses, this artsy community has an island feel, despite being on the Loire's southern banks.
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G
Musée Dobrée
A wonderful hotchpotch of religious treasures, suits of armour and deadly swords, dazzling jewels and shimmering ceramics – and, in a gold casket, the heart of the Duchess of Brittany, Anne de Bretagne.
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Cathédrale St-Pierre et St-Paul
Inside the Flamboyant Gothic Cathédrale St-Pierre et St-Paul, the tomb of François II (r 1458–88), Duke of Brittany, and his second wife, Marguerite de Foix, is a masterpiece of Renaissance art.
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I
Musée d’Histoire Naturelle
The fascinating collection of minerals, fossils and stuffed animals includes a huge whale skeleton and vivariums full of beautiful live snakes. There are frequent temporary exhibitions.
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