Things to see and do Nantes

After more than three years of work, the new Nantes train station is out of the ground and up in the air! And what a look! Since the end of November 2020, travelers have been able to use the majestic white lace-clad footbridge, which is reminiscent of the Mucem in Marseille... and for good reason. The architect Rudy Ricciotti was responsible for this modern concrete and glass building, 160 meters long and 25 meters wide, covering 4,000 m². And just as at the airport we like to see the planes take off or land, here we take pleasure in admiring the 360° panorama as if in cinemascope revealed by these immense bay windows which, on one side, offer us the beautiful city of Nantes, from the Lu Tower to the cathedral, passing by its castle, and on the other, the rails which are spinning towards the horizon... We are already on our way to an elsewhere which begins with our imagination. This mezzanine, which flies over the tracks, allows you to reach, to the north, the esplanade leading to the haven of peace that is the Jardin des plantes, and to access, to the south, the new European business center, Euronantes Gare. Before or after your train journey, you can now do your shopping in the 1,500 square meters dedicated to shops or relax on one of the 220 seats offered by the connected spaces among the forest of white trees. This luminous work of art represents a real springboard to other means of transportation: tramway, busway, cabs, car and bicycle parking. A beautiful invitation to travel!

"It's a famous three-masted mast... "which is the pride of the Nantes people. Born in the Dubigeon shipyards of Chantenay, Belem celebrated its 120th anniversary in 2016 on the Quai de la Fosse, in Nantes, its home port. 58 metres long, with 22 sails, it looks great. The last tall French commercial sailboat of the 19th century inherited its name from its crossings to Belem, Brazil. Classified as a Historic Monument in 1984, it is one of the oldest ships in the world. Owned by the Caisse d'Épargne and managed by the Belem Foundation, it is both a training boat that takes in apprentice sailors for a large part of the year to help them discover sailing and a museum boat that can be visited at each of its stops. The opportunity to get on board, to survey its wooden pontoons, to discover the crew's working spaces, to approach the wheelhouse and the helm, to enter the mahogany lounges... The Belem also regularly takes part in tall ship gatherings and sometimes on more distant trips to fully play its role as ambassador of the French flag.

Opened on the northern square of the train station, this Jardin des Plantes delights the people of Nantes and travelers in transit. With its 7 hectares of greenery, it is one of the four major botanical gardens in France, with 10,000 living species, 800 m² of greenhouses, more than 50,000 flowers planted each season and its collection of camellias, the emblematic flower of Nantes. Some trees, like the old magnolia, have been there since the early 19th century! Children and adults alike love the aviary and the dwarf goats, as well as the playgrounds.

Located in the former Lu biscuit factory, this multidisciplinary artistic space has become the city's emblematic cultural den, envied nationally and internationally. With a performance hall, a modular exhibition space and workshops on the upper floors, it explores visual arts, theatre, dance, circus, music, literature, philosophy, architecture and gustatory arts, all in an effervescent atmosphere and a warm mix of cultures and audiences. The Unique Place also has a bar, a restaurant, a bookshop, a hammam and offers a visit to the LU Tower. More than a cultural place, a real place to live! Check the website for the agenda.

What an emblem! The Lu Tower is best visited from the outside. The two 38-meter high Art Nouveau towers erected by the famous cookie maker from Nantes were demolished in the 1970s. One of them was rebuilt identically in 1998. You can enjoy a panoramic view of the city, after climbing its 130 steps. At the top, the visit begins with the gyrorama: a machine that turns with a crank. It continues with the descent of the staircase, where we discover the history of the factory, via a video and archive photos.