12+ Astonishing Tourist Attractions to See and Things to Do in Nantes, France

June 3, 2024 Mustafa Natalwala 709 Views

Nantes is a city in France on the banks of the River Loire. The city has a long and storied history going back to the 2nd century. The majority of the best things to do in Nantes revolve around history. It used to be a major port during the Roman era and prospered greatly under the Dukes of Brittany. Some of the top things to see in Nantes hail from this period.

However, there was a darker side to the wealth. The port became one of the largest ones in France for the Atlantic slave trade. You will also get to know more about this side of the story during Nantes sightseeing. The slave trade was halted after the French Revolution and the port turned to shipbuilding. One of the best places to visit in Nantes is a museum dedicated to the ships built in the city for transatlantic voyages. You will be transported back in time and get a glimpse of the maritime life of the 19th century. Other historical Nantes tourist attractions include palaces, churches, and public buildings. These are known for their majestic architecture.

Alongside history, people also visit Nantes for its rich and vibrant culture. It is associated with several artists, the most famous among them being Jules Verne. The author’s museum is one of the top Nantes attractions. The city also has an incredible art museum that exhibits ancient and modern artworks. There are also amazing attractions in Nantes where you can explore the contemporary art scene in the city.

Finally, you get to enjoy food and shopping during Nantes travel. The city has amazing shopping streets and markets. One of the shopping venues is one of the most beautiful places to see in Nantes. It is a covered market theme after the Renaissance.

Beyond the city, there are some fun things to do near Nantes. You get to explore the nearby coastal towns and beaches. The city is also close to national parks and forest reserves where you can go to explore nature trails. You can take day trips from Nantes to enjoy boat tours in river Loire.

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Table of Contents

Top 12+ Tourist Places to Visit in Nantes, France

1. Nantes Cathedral

Dating back to 1434, this cathedral was built over 437 years. In 1972, a fire devastated the church but it was restored quite well. The cathedral is known for its elaborate Gothic architecture. It is one of the top things to see in Nantes, France.

The cathedral has ornate gates with intricate carvings and stained glass windows. The interior was restored after the fire and retains its medieval grandeur. The cathedral is also home to the tombs of tombs of Francois II, who was the last Duke of Brittany. You will need about 30 to 45 minutes to tour this cathedral.

2. Château des ducs de Bretagne

This castle was built in the 15th century and was once home to the Dukes of Brittany. The castle is surrounded by a 500-meter wall built with granite stones and white stones. It is one of the best places to visit in Nantes, France. The castle tells you the story of the city and its rulers. The castle is renowned for its architecture with its ornate facade.

It houses the Nantes history museum. It is spread over 32 rooms and exhibits artifacts belonging to the residents of the castle. It also has multimedia and virtual tours that show you how the city used to be in different periods. You will need 2 to 3 hours to tour the castle and the museum.

3. Tour Bretagne

Also known as Brittany Tower, this tower was built in 1976 and still dominates the city’s skyline. It is one of the most popular Nantes tourist attractions for the restaurant on its 32 floors. You get an incredible view of the city from this vantage point. Owing to the 360 bird-eye views, people call it the Nest. You should enjoy a meal here in the evening or at night as you get the best visuals at these times.

4. Machines of the Isle of Nantes

This island features a majestic artistic endeavor. It features massive mechanical sculptures of animals created by Francois Delaroziere. They are based on Jules Verne’s “Imagined Creatures” and Da Vinci’s mechanical drawings. It is one of the best things to do in Nantes, France for admirers of art and history.

You will enjoy the tour better if you keep both of these references handy to figure out the inspiration behind the creations. Some of the most popular Nantes attractions on this island include the mechanical elephant, heron tree, and marine world carousal. You can easily spend 2 hours exploring the sculptures here.

5. Jules Verne Museum

This museum is dedicated to the life and work of the renowned author Jules Verne. He was born in Nantes and the museum is housed in a nice 19th century. You will get to see his first-edition books, handwritten notes, personal belongings, and so on.

The museum also showcases works based on his writings and imaginative worlds. It is one of the most popular places to see in Nantes for those who admire Verne’s works. The museum also displays furniture, china, and gifts received by Verne from famous people of the time. You will need about an hour to tour this museum when you visit Nantes, France.

6. Nantes Art Museum

This art museum houses a variety of art pieces from different periods. The exhibits include paintings, photographs, videos, and art installations. It is one of the top attractions in Nantes, France. You will see artworks by renowned artists like Monet, Picasso, Delacroix, and Soulages. The museum also exhibits works of contemporary artists. You will need about 2 hours to tour this museum.

7. Boissiere du Dore Zoo

This zoo houses more than 800 animals from 70 species brought from around the world. You will see gorillas, cheetahs, gibbons, orangutans, lions, wolves, binturong, tigers, clouded leopards, snow leopards, bears, giraffe, zebra, rhino, and several types of birds.

It is one the most fun things to do in Nantes city for families. Alongside seeing the animals, you can also enjoy interactive sessions with some of them. You can feed the animals, enjoy bird shows, and even camp at the zoo. People can easily spend a couple of hours exploring the zoo.

8. Escal’Atlantic Museum

This museum is located in Saint Nazaire, a port city near Nantes. The museum is dedicated to the vessels built in the port city. It gives you an interactive experience focusing on the life of the mariners. It is one of the best things to do around Nantes.

The museum is housed in a WWII submarine with 20 exhibits. These are dedicated to various transatlantic voyages. The exhibits also include recreations of ship decks, cabins, lifeboats, dining rooms, and more. This is one of the most fun day trips from Nantes and you can easily spend 2 to 3 hours to tour the museum.

9. Pommeraye Passage

This covered shopping street was built in the 19th century. It is renowned for its renaissance style design. The passage is one of the most popular spots to hit during Nantes sightseeing for shopping. You get all kinds of brands, both local and international, for clothing, perfumes, accessories, wines, jewelry, and more.

This place has a very lavish vibe. The marble staircase, glass roof, and sculptures make it look like a chateau. If you like shopping, this is one of the top things to do in Nantes and you can easily spend a couple of hours exploring the Pommeraye Passage.

10. Lu Tower

This centre for contemporary arts is housed in the factory of the iconic Lu biscuits. The tower itself is one of the most beautiful things to see in Nantes, France. It has a colourful facade with a relief of a flying angel.

The art centre is a must-see in Nantes for those who enjoy a vibrant cultural scene. It houses several events and features an art gallery and performance hall that was graced by many renowned artists. The place is also home to a trendy restaurant, bar, bookstore, and a hammam. It is a great venue to dive into the local cultural scene during Nantes travel.

11. Talensac Market

The is the largest market in the city with more than 200 shops. You can get a variety of things including vegetables, street food, accessories, food products, handicraft stuff, and more. It is one of the best places to visit in Nantes to shop for local goods and souvenirs. You can easily spend a couple of hours to explore the market when you visit Nantes.

12. Botanical Garden (Jardin des plantes de Nantes)

Spread over 70,000 sq.km., these botanical gardens have more than 11,000 species of plants from all around the world. The gardens are also popular among Nantes attractions for their aesthetics.

You will see nice fountains, waterways, sculptures, ponds, flower gardens, and sculptures made from plants. One of the most photographed among these is that of a sleeping bird. You can easily spend a couple of hours enjoying leisurely strolls in these gardens.

13. Versailles Island (île de Versailles)

This Japanese garden is built on an artificial island. It is one of the most wonderful places to see in Nantes. The entire park is themed after the Japanese culture. You will see colourful trees, ponds, zen gardens, huts, and a traditional tea house. This is again a place to enjoy some leisure time and you will need about 2 hours to explore it.

If you are looking for more places to visit in Nantes, check out the sections below. We have compiled an exhaustive list of all the attractions and activities that you can enjoy in Nantes and around it

Things to do in Nantes, France

Monuments, Museums & Historical Places to Visit in Nantes, France

Chateau des ducs de Bretagne
Les Machines de I’lle
Musee d’arts de Nantes
Cathedral Saint Pierre et Saint Paul
Natural History Museum
Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery
Basilique Saint Nicolas de Nantes
French Destroyer Maille Breze
Eglise Sainte Croix
La Cigale
Le Lieu Unique
Jules Verne Museum
Escal’Atlantic
Musee Dobree
Chateau de Goulaine
Le Chronographe
Chateau de Clisson
La Maison du Lac de Grand Lieu
Roman Catholic Diocese of Nantes
Musee du Vignoble Nantes

Nature & Wildlife Tourist Spots in Nantes, France

Sevre Nantaise
Lac de Grand Lieu
Reserve Naturalle du Lac de Grand Lieu
Parc natural Regional de Briere

Entertainment & Leisure Tourist Spots in Nantes, France

Botanical Garden
Ile de Versailles
Parc du Grand Blottereau
Park la Beaujoire
Cours Combronne
Espace Zoologique de la Brassiere du Dore
Planete Sauvage
Ile de Nantes
Vignobles Gunther Chereau
Maison des Pecheurs du Lac Grand Lieu
Parc des Naudieres

Shopping in Nantes, France

Talensac Market
Parc de Proce
Rue Crebillon
Passage Pommeraye
Rue du Calvarie
Bouffay
Centre Commercial Beaulieu
Talensac Market
Galeries Lafayatte Nantes
Centre Commercial Atlantis

Beaches & Islands in Nantes, France

Grande Plage de Tharon
Seagulls Beach
Saint Marc sur Mer Plage
Plage de la Fontaine aux Bretons

Offbeat Places, Tours, & Adventures in Nantes, France

Hiking
Boat Tour

Sightseeing in Nantes, France

Passage Pommeraye
Le Voyage a Nantes
Place Royale
Place du Bouffay
Tour Bretagne
Trentemoult
Grau Titan Jaune

Food, Dining, Restaurants, & Street Food in Nantes, France

I’Amenite
Le Coin des Crepes
Imagine
Le Celiier
Le Pickles
Esthete Patisserie
Gwaien
Sources
Maison Bagarre
Vacarme
Le Manoir de Regate
Sepia
Roza
L’Ourse
Sugar Blue
Omija
Coq Monsieur
Maison Arlot Cheng

Where to Stay in Nantes?

Here we have listed Top Rated Luxurious, Mid-Range and Budget Hotels in Nantes. You can check below listed hotels for your perfect stay in Nantes.

Luxurious Hotels

Mid-Range Hotels

Budget Hotels

Custom Tours Package in Nantes

How to Reach Nantes, France?

By Air

The Nantes Atlantique International Airport is just a few minutes from the city. You can get direct flights to visit Nantes from several cities in Europe. This includes Athens, Dublin, Luxor, Paris, Lyon, Lisbon, Geneva, Milan, Rome, Toulouse, Madrid, Amsterdam, Munich, Frankfurt, Tunis, Casablanca, Edinburgh, Malta, Manchester, Sevilla, Valencia, Zurich, Nice, Porto, Barcelona, Malaga, and several others. You can also get seasonal flights from Montreal (Canada) and Reykjavik (Iceland).

You can get buses, shuttle buses, and trams to reach Nantes from the airport.

By Road

Nantes is well connected with several cities and towns in France by the train network. You can get direct trains to travel to Nantes from Paris, Le Mans, Angers, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux, Toulouse, and several others. The bus network links you to nearby towns and cities. You can also get long-distance buses to reach other cities, but in such cases, a train ride is much better.

If you are planning to reach Nantes by road, you should head for routes E3, E62, A83, or E60.

By Water

There are no direct water routes to reach Nantes. But you can tour nearby Nantes attractions with boat tours in the River Loire.

Image Reference

Nantes Cathedral – Ruben Holthuijsen / Flickr
Château des ducs de Bretagne – Ueli / PixaBay
Tour Bretagne – Ralf Peter Reimann / Flickr
Machines of the Isle of Nantes – Christel SAGNIEZ / PixaBay
Jules Verne Museum – Pepie34 / Wikimedia Commons
Nantes Art Museum – Koreller / Wikimedia Commons
Boissiere du Dore Zoo – Régis Leroy / Flickr
Escal’Atlantic Museum – KaTeznik / Wikimedia Commons
Pommeraye Passage – Hervé / Flickr
Lu Tower – Fab5669 / Wikimedia Commons
Talensac Market – Pj44300 / Wikimedia Commons
Botanical Garden (Jardin des plantes de Nantes) – Jean-Pierre Dalbéra / Flickr
Versailles Island (île de Versailles) – Olivier Letourneux / Flickr