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Experience the best of Nantes

Nantes is a Loire river city with a ducal castle, a giant mechanical elephant and a creative streak, the birthplace of Jules Verne.

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Nantes stands on the Loire in western France and was once the seat of the Dukes of Brittany. Their castle, a fifteenth-century fortress with white tufa walls and a courtyard palace, now holds the city's history museum. The Gothic cathedral has a bright white interior and the tomb of the last duke, and Passage Pommeraye is a three-level shopping arcade of 1843.

On the Île de Nantes, the Machines de l'île workshop, inspired by Jules Verne, who was born in the city, shows a twelve-metre mechanical elephant that walks along the quay. A memorial on the riverside recalls the city's part in the slave trade, and a green line painted on the pavements guides walkers between the art works of the city. The Muscadet vineyards and the village of Clisson lie to the south-east, and the Atlantic coast is to the west.

Muscadet, a dry white wine from the vineyards south-east of the city, is poured with oysters and fish, often under a beurre blanc, the butter sauce of the Loire estuary. The rum-soaked almond gâteau nantais is a local cake, and the petit-beurre biscuit was invented in the city. Spring and summer suit the riverside, and the climate is mild.

  • Free cancellation on 90% of experiences
  • 4.9 across the top 2

Top 4 attractions in Nantes

See all 4 attractions
  1. Number 1

    Machines of the Isle (Les Machines de L'ile)

    4.748 reviewsfrom $8
  2. Number 2

    Passage Pommeraye

    4.533 reviewsfrom $3
  3. Number 3

    Nantes Art Museum (Musée d'Arts de Nantes)

    4.511 reviewsfrom $3
  4. Number 4

    Escal’Atlantic

    4.01 reviewfrom $7

Guided tours in Nantes

27

Walking and bike tours in Nantes

16

Outdoor and adventure activities in Nantes

6

Family days and theme parks in Nantes

20

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