Things to do in Nantes
-
A
Brasserie La Cigale
No visit to Nantes is complete without joining the old ladies with perfectly manicured hair for a coffee and cake or an all-out feast at 1890s Brasserie La Cigale. Several salons of original gilded tilework and frescoed ceilings are attended by white-aproned waiters.
reviewed
-
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.
reviewed
-
B
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.
reviewed
-
C
Le Sélect
A spiral wooden staircase leads to an upper mezzanine level at this arty café/restaurant/salon de thé, with mellow jazz playing in the background. The huge sandwich board is chalked with daily specials including reliable favourites like salads, steak and fries.
reviewed
-
D
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.
reviewed
-
E
La Guingette
On weekends especially, drop by La Guingette, when locals congregate for board-game tournaments, French tapas, and a drink at the boat-shaped timber bar. It's across the river in the village-like quarter of Trentemoult.
reviewed
-
F
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.
reviewed
-
G
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.
reviewed
-
H
Le Lieu Unique
Within the one-time Lu biscuit factory (crowned by a replica of its original tower, which you can ascend for €2), this industrial-chic space is the venue for dance and theatre performances, eclectic and electronic music, philosophical sessions and contemporary-art exhibitions. Also here is an always-buzzing restaurant, a polished concrete bar, and a decadent hammam (Turkish bath) complex in the basement.
reviewed
-
I
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.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
J
Debotte Gautier
When Jules Verne was a young boy he too was awed by this beautiful chocolate shop decorated with chandeliers, marble floors and a circular velvet banquette where Nantais have waited while their orders were filled since 1823. Handmade specialities include mascarons (finely ground chocolates encased in a dark chocolate shell) and a rainbow of hardboiled sweets.
reviewed
-
K
Passage Pommeray
Pedestal statues symbolise traditional Nantais industries inside the ornate three-tiered shopping arcade Passage Pommeray, built in 1843 to link the then-stock exchange with the post office. Nearby are place Royale, laid out in 1790, and place Graslin, graced by the neoclassical Théâtre Graslin, built in 1788 and beautifully renovated earlier this decade.
reviewed
-
L
Le Bistrot de l'Écrivain
Splashed in shades of red, with wine bottles lining the walls, Le Bistrot de l'Écrivain is a relaxed and easygoing place with food that's anything but relaxing and easy to make. There's all the Nantaise standards here, but most have an unexpected twist to them – raspberries in crème brûlée and duck dipped in wonderful sauces being just two examples.
reviewed
-
M
Gautier-Debotté
When Jules Verne was a young boy he too was awed by this beautiful chocolate shop's chandeliers, marble floors and circular velvet banquette, where Nantais have waited while their orders were filled since 1823. Handmade specialities include mascarons (finely ground chocolates in a dark-chocolate shell) and a rainbow of hard-boiled sweets.
reviewed
-
N
Bateaux Nantais
For a romantic night out and about, glide along the River Erdre with an ever-changing view of chateaux as you dine aboard Bateaux Nantais , accompanied by ambient music, local Muscadet wines, and chef-prepared regional specialties. There are regular departures in summer; in winter boats operate only when there are sufficient numbers.
reviewed
-
O
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.
reviewed
-
Hangar à Bananes
A former banana-ripening warehouse on the Île de Nantes. Here you’ll find over a dozen restaurants, bars and clubs (and combinations thereof), each hipper than the next. The front terraces of most face onto the Anneaux de Buren, a permanent art installation of metal rings that light up at night.
reviewed
-
P
Le 1
Legal eagles from Nantes' gleaming 21st-century law court next door lounge in the ultracontemporary bar and dine on fabulous fusion dishes at this spot overlooking the Loire. The wine cellar is a see-through affair, with over 2000 bottles on stainless-steel racks in a glass cool room.
reviewed
-
Q
Crêperie Heb-Ken
Dozens of varieties of crêpe (such as a delicious trout-and-leek combo, or honey, lemon and almond for dessert) are made with love at this cosy spot. A sure sign of its authenticity: you can order lait ribot (thickened milk) by the bolée (drinking bowl) or pitcher.
reviewed
-
R
La Table d'Oscar
With its frilly lace curtains and checked tablecloths, this rustic restaurant looks exactly as you'd imagine a classic French bistro should look. The food is as traditional as the decor, making it a good place to experience a slice of old France.
reviewed
Advertisement
-
S
Rêve Marins
Accompanied by an outstanding list of local wines, this much-lauded place combines classic crêpes and buckwheat galettes with very un-classic (but delicious) fillings like chicken curry, or kangaroo and Muscadet grapes.
reviewed
-
T
Spoutnik
In a small turquoise-coloured space with a quirky collection of stainless steel and brass clocks (none of which show the same time), Spoutnik has regular live independent rock as well as 40 different flavours of vodka and good tap beer.
reviewed
-
U
La Civelle
Overlooking the river in the village-like quarter of Trentemoult, La Civelle is a buzzing designer place of burnished chrome, funky light fittings, and art exhibits, serving contemporary market fare like spiced smoked salmon.
reviewed
-
V
Café Cult
Squeezed inside a darkened half-timbered house and hung with local art, this bohemian place draws a student crowd and sometimes hosts concerts. During the day it serves megacheap but palate-pleasing lunches for around €7.50.
reviewed
-
W
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.
reviewed