How to spend two days in Nantes

Expect the unexpected in the hometown of author Jules Verne.

I hear the animal long before I see it. A loud bellowing sound that echoes through the rafters of the old industrial buildings beside the river Loire. Far from running away, the family in front of me start running towards the noise, and I find myself running with them. After all, nobody wants to miss the famous Grand Elephant of Nantes in motion.

We catch up with the huge mechanical pachyderm as it lumbers past a giant three-tier carousel of sea creatures – a tribute to Jules Verne, author of Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea. The elephant waves its trunk from side to side, and I duck behind the assembled crowd to avoid a hefty spray of water. It is, for adults as well as children, all huge fun.

The quirky city of Nantes

I’ve only been here a few hours, but already I’ve learnt that Nantes is a city of surprises. Once a throbbing centre of shipyards, sugar refineries, and biscuit factories, Nantes saw its economy crumble in 1987 with the closure of the shipyards and other related industries.

But today France’s sixth largest city is famous for reinventing itself with a unique USP as an arts and culture city. And much of it is free to enjoy. Nantes wears its art on its sleeve with a permanent collection of 128 artworks in public spaces from the city centre along the Loire estuary and through the nearby Muscadet vineyards, not to mention its rich museum collections.

So how much can you pack into a short break? The city is served by 23 daily TGV trains from Paris, but I arrive by car on a touring holiday, leaving my vehicle in a secure public car park just five minutes’ walk from the Hotel Voltaire Opera. This 3-star boutique hotel in a 19^th century town house stands in the elegant Graslin district, close to the Passage Pommeraye, a glorious period shopping arcade on three levels.

The local tram system is regular and reliable, but the city centre is very walkable too. Buy a Pass Nantes for free access to public transport as well as a wealth of must-see sites for 24, 48 or 72 hours.

Day One

First thing I do is pick up the Green Line in the city centre. Not a bus or tram network but a coloured line painted on the pavement to link the eclectic mix of artworks that make up The Permanent Voyage. Every summer since 2012, this trail is supplemented in July and August by Le Voyage à Nantes, a temporary outdoor exhibition of new artworks.

There is something here for everyone. A suited gentleman stepping sideways off a plinth; a green urban jungle in a once rundown courtyard; and a stone beaver on ancient masonry. Look out for almost 30 quirky shop signs and a line of concentric riverside rings that frame the cityscape. Every bend in the trail reveals a new surprise.

Capital of the Loire-Atlantique department, Nantes has come under the Pays de la Loire region since 1941, but before that was part of Brittany. In the heart of the city’s medieval quarter stands the imposing Castle of the Dukes of Brittany, started in the 15^th century under Francois II, last duke of an independent Brittany, and continued under his daughter Anne, twice Queen of France.

Today it makes an atmospheric home for the city’s excellent History Museum, which covers four major themes including the castle itself, two World Wars, and the city’s industrial past. I’m particularly impressed by the section on colonial economy and Nantes’ role in the Atlantic slave trade. The city confronts this period of its history full on, as can also be seen on Quai de la Fosse in the underground Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery, the only one of its kind in Europe.

I’m drawn also to the section on – big contrast here – biscuits! Who knew that Nantes is the home of the beloved Petit Beurre and the LU biscuit brand, once manufactured in a flamboyant quayside factory that has since been repurposed as the Lieu Unique cultural centre?

From the castle, I stroll through the lush Botanic Garden, where I can’t resist a Kodak moment beneath a giant park bench, and enjoy the indoor highlights of the Arts Museum, before walking back through the elegant pedestrian shopping streets ready for dinner.

I’m booked in at La Cigale, in the Cambronne district, a stunning Art Nouveau brasserie opposite the Opera house and a city institution since 1895 with its gilt-framed mirrors and plush décor. Expect smiling bilingual staff in traditional black and white uniforms and classic brasserie fare in a buzzing environment. A worthy listing in the excellent free gastro guide, Les Tables de Nantes.

Day two

I start my second day on the west side of town in the village atmosphere of the Chantenay Quarter, once a working-class district of shipyards and factories, and now undergoing an urban makeover with kitchen gardens and artworks. On the left bank opposite lies Trentemoult, accessible by shuttle boat from the Gare Maritime. Once a village of fishermen and sailors, this cute community is now popular for its bright facades, street art and guinguette taverns.

From the town centre however, you only need cross a bridge to reach the Ile de Nantes and the 13-hectare Parc des Chantiers, a former shipyard that has been gradually transformed since 2007 into a place where locals come to relax and play. Artworks are everywhere as you follow the Green Line through the Creative Campus, and past the 300-seat Cantine du Voyage, a riverside summer eatery made of removable greenhouses.

But the big draw amongst the restored slipways is Les Machines de L’Ile, mechanical creatures inspired by Jules Verne, Leonardo Da Vinci, and by the industrial history of Nantes. I love the giant spider, the chameleon, and the sloth in the live show Galerie, but the biggest draw here is the Grand Elephant, 12 metres high and carrying 50 passengers for a 30-minute ride. Truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

And don’t miss a ride on the Carrousel des Mondes Marins, Jules Verne moved to Paris and later to Amiens, but always found inspiration in Nantes and wrote Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas during regular return visits.

More major projects are already on the cards. The reopening of the cathedral, closed since 2020 following a fire. A makeover for the Archaeological Museum. And a new centre on the Chantenay quayside dedicated to Jules Verne.

I finish my city stay with a gastronomic treat at Pickles, a cosy restaurant run by English chef Dominic Quirke in a quiet street close to the city centre. Menus are changed every three weeks, always with the aim of reducing our meat and fish consumption. The ingredients aren’t fancy but the sublime way in which this former IT expert blends local produce together is a holiday memory to savour.

‘I’ve been here ten years and now other chefs are staring to do something similar, so I’m constantly looking for ways to offer something new,’ Dominic tells me with the air of one who quietly relishes the challenge. It’s a philosophy that seems to perfectly reflect the spirit of this enchanting city. Who knows what I’ll find on my next visit?

Useful websites: www.levoyageanantes.fr; www.hotelvoltaireoperanantes.com; www.lacigale.com; www.pickles-restaurant.com

By Gillian Thornton, one of the UK’s leading travel writers and a regular writer for The Good Life France Magazine and website.