Nantes Bucket List

Nantes, a city where life is good, offers a host of activities and visits to be made. To guide you, here are three essentials to discover during your next stay in a holiday rental in Loire Atlantique.

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The Machines de l’Ile

Situated in a former shipyard which closed at the end of the 1980s, the Machines de l’Ile is an amazing place for children and grown-ups too. Embark on a journey between imaginary worlds invented by Jules Verne, the mechanical world of Leonardo de Vinci and the industrial history of Nantes ! It all began with two artists, François Delarozière and Pierre Orefice, who dreamed up the idea for this completely unheard of project. Come and meet their crazy creations and have a great time.

So what is it exactly ?
During your visit, you get the chance to climb aboard the 12 metre-high Grand Elephant, for a ride along the Loire quayside at 3km per hour ! Next stop is the plant-covered world of the Galerie des Machines where you can watch and understand the workings of strange creatures like the Mechanical Spider and the Heron Tree. Go for a ride on the back of a manta ray or a giant crab on the Carrousel des Mondes Marins, a gigantic 3-storey merry-go-round, 25 metres high. Round off your visit behind the scenes on the balcony of the workshop, 7.5m above the ground to watch the mysterious wood and steel creations being built. A truly spectacular experience for people of all ages !

The great Château des Ducs de Bretagne

It is impossible to talk about Nantes without mentioning the 15th century Castle of the Dukes of Brittany in the historic centre of the city. It presents the fascinating history of the city through fun activities, interactive exhibitions and a huge collection of 1,150 objects in 32 rooms ! This heritage gem has been totally restored and offers visitors the choice of walking around the outside (along the ramparts, in the gardens) or visiting the interior of this magnificent castle to discover the history of the city.
A little bit of history : the Château des Ducs de Bretagne once belonged to famous Anne de Bretagne, the last Duchess of Brittany before it was joined to the kingdom of France in the 16th century. It was built on what were then the banks of the Loire with a splendid view of the city. At the top of the ramparts you can follow the wall walk between the 7 towers just as guards used to do back in the time of Anne de Bretagne.

A boat trip along the River Erdre

Let’s end our little tour of Nantes with a boat trip along the River Erdre, a perfect way to relax and enjoy beautiful cultural and natural scenery !
The « most beautiful river in France », as François 1er called it, is just a stone’s throw from the centre of Nantes. The trip has a commentary to explain the different châteaux, manor houses and superb scenery you pass by. It’s a marvellous and unusual way to discover the many treasures of the River Erdre.
To sum up, with all these attractions and plenty more we haven’t mentioned, there’s really no excuse for not coming to spend time in Nantes during your next visit to Loire-Atlantique !"