Nantes
・Passage designated as an important cultural property
・Theme park where mechanical animals move around
【City description】
It’s a city on the banks of the Loire river and it was the biggest port city in France before. We can find elegant buildings because it was the principal city of the Duchy of Bretagne. We can find animal machines like elephants at an attraction park named Les Machines de l’île.
【Overall rating】
★★★★★
【Time required】
8h30
【Budget】
29.30 euros
【Fatigue】
★★★★★
【Map and access to the Loire region】
①Orléans: The town where Joan of Arc was active
②Chambord: The largest castle in the Loire
③Blois: A rare castle that incorporates various architectural styles
④Beauregard: A castle with portraits and lapis lazuli
⑤Cheverny: A homely castle
⑥Chaumont-sur-Loire: A castle that hosts the International Garden Festival
⑦Amboise: The town where Da Vinci spent his later years
⑧Chenonceau: A castle run by a female lord that spans the river
⑨Loches: A town where beautiful women lived
⑩Tours: A base town for travel in this region
⑪Langeais: A town with the oldest remaining fortress in France
⑫Azay-le-Rideau: A beautiful castle that stands out on the water
⑬Chinon: The town of Joan of Arc and wine
⑭Saumur: A castle on a hill and a town of horse riding
⑮Angers: A castle with the world’s largest tapestry
⑯Nantes: A large town with an island of machines
Nantes can be reached by train in about 1 hour 40 minutes from Tours, or in about 1 hour 20 minutes from Rennes in Brittany.
Check here for area information around Nantes ! !
【Contents】
★=Must-see spots
◎=Recommended spots
- Itinerary Map
- ①Nantes Station
- ②Plants Garden
- ③Art Museum
- ④Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul Cathedral★
- ⑤Castle of Duc of Bretagne★
- ⑥Tourist Information Center
- Let’s eat Nantes’ Famous Cake! !
- ⑦Saint-Nicolas Basilic
- ⑧Pommeraye Passage★
- ⑨Machines Island◎
- ⑩LU Tower
- Useful Links for Travel
- Other Cities Recommended in Loire
Itinerary Map
Navigation
【Start】①Nantes Station
★Exit the station and enter the park in front of it.
②Plants Garden★Leave the garden and go to Georges Clemenceau St.
③Art Museum★Continue to walk on the street.
④Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul Cathedral★Go to Mathelin Rodier St in front of the cathedral for 5 minutes.
⑤Castle of Duc of Bretagne★When you exit the castle and turn left, you will see the tourist information center on your right.
⑥Tourist Information Center★Go to Château St to enter the center street for 15 minutes. When you arrive at an avenue of the tramway rail, turn right and go up a slope. You’ll find a high building on the right hand.
⑦Saint-Nicolas Basilic★Go to Royale Square. Then, go to Fosse St. It takes 15 minutes.
⑧Pommeraye Passage★Continue to walk on the street as far as the river and turn right. When you arrive at a bridge, passe it. It takes 20 minutes.
⑨Machines Island★Pass the bridge again and turn left. Take a tramway at a stop Chantier Navals to return to the station. It takes 15 minutes and the ticket is 1.80 euros.
【Goal】Nantes Station
【If you have more time…】
⑩The LU Tower
・If you open the enlarge button on the top right corner on your smartphone, this model course will be displayed on Google Maps along with its location information.
・You can also quickly return to this map from the table of contents in the sidebar (if using a smartphone, select “Go to table of contents” from the menu at the bottom of the screen).
【Start】
①Nantes Station
Gare de Nantes
★Exit the station and enter the park in front of it.
②Plants Garden
Jardin des Plantes
Time required: 20 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
A large park in front of the station has large monuments on display depending on the season. You will pass through here on your way to your next destination.
★Leave the garden and go to Georges Clemenceau St.
③Art Museum
Musée d’arts de Nantes
Time required: 90 min
Admission fee: 9 euros
Opening hour: 11 am – 7 pm
(until 9 pm on Thursday)
Close: Tuesday, 1/1, 5/1, 11/1, 12/25
This museum completed renovation work in 2017. It has a long history, dating back to the 19th century, during the era of Napoleon. You can see a sculpture of Napoleon on a horse. A wide range of works are on display, with a focus on paintings from the 13th century onwards, as well as sculptures with unique poses and huge models of cities.
★Continue to walk on the street.
④Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul Cathedral★
Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul
Closed due to renovation work
Time required: 20 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
Opening hour: 9 am – 7 pm
(until 6 pm in winter)
Close: No
It is a Gothic style church with a finely decorated main gate that took nearly 450 years to complete. The Renaissance-style tomb is also a highlight, with its characteristic stained glass that looks like it interweaves a variety of colors. Due to a fire in 2020, it is currently not open for tours due to renovation work.
★Go to Mathelin Rodier St in front of the cathedral for 5 minutes.
⑤Castle of Duc of Bretagne★
Château des Ducs de Bretagne
Time required: 90 min
Admission fee: 9 euros
Opening hour: 10 am – 6 pm
Close: Monday except July and August
This castle was built during the heyday of the Duchy of Brittany. It was here that Henry IV issued the Edict of Nantes, which granted freedom of religious belief. Like other castles in the Loire region, it has a blue roof and white walls. Currently, it is used as a museum that introduces various aspects of Nantes’ history and culture.
★When you exit the castle and turn left, you will see the tourist information center on your right.
⑥Tourist Information Center
Time required: 5 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
Get maps and other information here.
Let’s eat Nantes’ Famous Cake! !
Nantes has a traditional cake called Gateau Nantais. It has a mature taste of pound cake with rum and lemon, and its surface is coated with sugar.
Check out other Loire region specialties here.
★Go to Château St to enter the center street for 15 minutes. When you arrive at an avenue of the tramway rail, turn right and go up a slope. You’ll find a high building on the right hand.
⑦Saint-Nicolas Basilic
Basilique Saint-Nicolas
Time required: 15 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
Opening hour: 9 am – 7h30 pm
(from 10 am from Saturday to Monday)
Close: No
A church in the old town. The interior is simple with no stained glass or decorations, but the pattern on the floor is distinctive.
★Go to Royale Square. Then, go to Fosse St. It takes 15 minutes.
⑧Pommeraye Passage★
Passage Pommeraye
Time required: 20 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
The three-story arcade structure located in the downtown area is unique and cannot be seen in other cities. Because of its rarity, it has been registered as a national important cultural property.
★Continue to walk on the street as far as the river and turn right. When you arrive at a bridge, passe it. It takes 20 minutes.
⑨Machines Island◎
Les Machines de l’île
Time required: 2h
Admission fee: 9.50 euros par average for each attraction
Opening hour: Please check the website below as it varies every month
https://www.lesmachines-nantes.fr/pratique/horaires/
Close: Monday except the summer vacation
You can see giant mechanical animals and insects at the mechanical theme park housed in the garage. The entire island is a park, so if you have time, you can take a walk and see various huge pieces of art.
★Pass the bridge again and turn left. Take a tramway at a stop Chantier Navals to return to the station. It takes 15 minutes and the ticket is 1.80 euros.
【Goal】
Nantes Station
【If you have more time…】
⑩LU Tower
La Tour Lu
Time required: 5 min
Admission fee: 0 euro
This is the former factory of Lu, a famous biscuit manufacturer in France. Currently, it is used as a cultural facility, so there is nothing related to Lu. If you have time, you can take the tram back to the station and get off at Duchesse Anne – Château des Ducs de Bretagne (it’s a 10-minute walk from here to the station).
Useful Links for Travel
【Hotel Reservations】
ExpediaThere is a lot of great hotel deals listed, and you can read comments from people from all over the world. You can also book these together with your flight.
Hotels.comThere is also a lot of hotel information here. Another great thing is that many of them offer no cancellation fees.
This world-famous hotel booking site has a huge number of listings, so you can find the hotel you like. If you become a member and stay many times, you can get discounts and get even better deals.
【Flight Reservations】
ExpediaIt is a world-famous travel site. It is convenient because you can also purchase domestic air tickets.
【Attractions and Tours】
klookThis is a convenient site where you can book tickets and tours to tourist spots around the world. Be sure to check it out as they sometimes offer discounts.
Other Cities Recommended in Loire
Information about Your Best Trip
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