Nantes

Nantes is the capital of the Pays de la Loire region in western France, set on the Loire River about 50 kilometres from the Atlantic coast. Once a major port and shipbuilding centre, the city now blends a rich maritime and ducal past with a strong creative, digital and cultural identity.

The historic centre clusters around the Château des ducs de Bretagne, Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul Cathedral and the elegant Passage Pommeraye. The Île de Nantes, a former industrial island, has been transformed into a creative district anchored by Les Machines de l'île, where a giant mechanical elephant walks beside former shipyard halls.

Neighbourhoods such as the medieval Bouffay quarter, the 19th-century Graslin district and the riverside Trentemoult village each offer a different atmosphere, from lively cafés and restaurants to galleries, boutiques and waterfront walks.

Nantes is also an important business and innovation hub, with strengths in aerospace, digital technology, creative industries and higher education. Its food scene is known for Muscadet wine, beurre blanc sauce, gâteau nantais and the famous Petit Beurre LU biscuit, with markets and bistros spread across the city.

For leisure and business travellers alike, Nantes offers a compact, walkable centre, a reliable tramway network and year-round events such as the Voyage à Nantes summer art trail.