Things to see and do Saint-Nazaire

It was commissioned on 18 October 1975, after three years of construction, and is one of the largest cable-stayed bridges in Europe. The cable-stayed metal structure is 720 m long; the total length of all the structures is 3,356 m, making the Saint-Nazaire bridge the longest bridge in France. It spans the Loire estuary, rises to 61 m and covers a distance of 3,356 m between Saint-Nazaire and Saint-Brévin. At the time of its construction, it was the longest bridge built in France and also held the world record for a cable-stayed bridge. The bridge replaces the old ferries that used to cross the Loire. Remains of the pier can still be seen on both sides of the river. Access has been free since 1994. The speed limit is 70 km/h. Some or all vehicles may be prohibited from driving in strong winds. The General Council has set up a bridge lane management system, which makes it possible, depending on specific events, to dedicate a second lane to the most heavily used traffic direction. Unique in France, this system went into service on August 25, 2010. The second edition of the race Les Foulées du Pont took place on September 30, 2018. There were already nearly 1,800 runners the first time.

At night, the port of Saint-Nazaire lights up to offer a shadow, light and colour choreography, imagined by Yann Kersalé. After sunset, the port, marked with red and green, shines out of all its lights: bridges, submarine base, silos, cranes… Movement of locks, ships and bridges, ballet of cranes and trucks around boats, went and came from men on the port… The Docks Night is orchestrated by the life of the wharves and the basins. A whole range of activities recorded and analyzed by the day allows to compose different light paintings returned during the night, over the seasons. A very beautiful show.

This former chapel is a place of exhibition all year round. Close to the municipal school of visual arts, this curved room reinforces the artistic vocation of the place. Every year, the Franciscan Gallery transforms itself into a concert hall for a week to host "Consonances", a festival dedicated to chamber music, as well as in January for the Folle Journée.

On March 28, 1942 at 1:30 a.m., the British destroyer HMS Campbeltown voluntarily threw itself against the door of the Joubert lock form. He's full of explosives. It was only ten hours later that the ship exploded. In the explosion German soldiers were killed and the lock form was unusable. The code name of the operation is Operation Cart. It fulfilled its goal of avoiding the arrival of the German battleship Tirpitz. Indeed, the Joubert lock form is the only sufficiently large port facility on the entire Atlantic coast that can accommodate it. The Kriegsmarine cannot therefore intensify its attacks against allied convoys. The port of Saint-Nazaire was completely paralysed and massive Allied bombardments weakened German positions. A menhir-shaped monument with a souvenir plaque was inaugurated in 1947 to perpetuate the memory of this heroic act. Every year on March 28th, a commemoration takes place. The menhir has been moved to the Old Mole and the cannon (the second monument) is located on the panoramic terrace of the submarine Swordfish.

Nicknamed the Sammy, he intrigues more than one walker that huge eagle that wears on his back an American soldier brandishing a sword. This monumental statue that adorns the seafront celebrated its 90 years in 2016! It commemorates the arrival of American troops during the First World War in 1917. St. Nazaire sees 250,000 American soldiers landing at that time. It was inaugurated on June 26, 1926 by the Ambassador of the United States in France, Myron T. Herrick. On December 13, 1941, the German occupier destroyed the monument to recover the metal. This monument is reconstructed in 1989 at the same location (Grand Traict Beach), by Pierre Fouenant. A model of this sculpture, carried out by Gertrude Whitney, is located at the Ecomuseum. The scale of the eagle wings symbolizing America is 12 m; the statue represents a weight of 10 tons and is laid on a high base cut in Breton granite.

Welcome to Richou Voyages in Saint-Nazaire. This travel agency offers a wide range of services for organizing your vacations. Whether you're looking for an air trip, a coach tour, a sea or river cruise, Richou Voyages' team of experts is here to advise you and help you make the right choices. You can also benefit from tailor-made trips, à la carte or organized with pick-up near your home. The agency works with renowned partners such as Fram, Kuoni, Look Voyages, Costa Croisières, Visiteurs and MSC Croisières, and offers a variety of destinations in France, Europe, Africa, Asia, North and South America and Oceania.