Machines de l’Ile

Nantes

Copyright: Les Machines de l'île © Franck Tomps / LVAN

DESTINATIONS france nantes Do & See Machines de l’Ile

Machines de l’Ile

The Machines de l’Ile is an artistic, touristic and cultural site in Nantes since 2007. Three major artworks, the Great Elephant (2007), the Merry Go Round of the Marine Worlds (2012), and the next project of the Heron Tree symbolise doors to the world of dreams and magical journeys. A mixture between the invented worlds of Jules Verne and the mechanical universe of Leonardo da Vinci.

Do & See

The green line painted on the ground will take you to the heart of downtown and make sure you won’t miss out on any of Le Voyage à Nantes itinerary of the city’s best cultural stops, major monuments and must-visit sites. Each year, this trail is revived and filled with contemporary installations, street furniture where you can sit down with friends, and even more surprising shop signs throughout the city.

Machines de l’Ile

Machines de l’Ile

The Machines de l’Ile is an artistic, touristic and cultural site in Nantes since 2007. Three major artworks, the Great Elephant (2007), the Merry Go Round of the Marine Worlds (2012), and the next project of the Heron Tree symbolise doors to the world of dreams and magical journeys. A mixture between the …

Château des ducs de Bretagne

Château des ducs de Bretagne

The Castle of the dukes of Brittany houses the Nantes History Museum. This former ducal palace also holds temporary exhibitions and cultural events all year round. A free-access rampart offers many viewpoints of the fortress and of the …

Musée d'arts

Renovated and extended in June 2017, the Fine Arts Museum has been renamed the Musée d’arts . Steered by the Stanton-Williams Agency (Royal National Theatre, Tower of London, Belgrade Theatre, etc…), it houses a total of 17,000 m2, several exhibition halls and an auditorium. A key change is a 30% increase in …

Memorial to the abolition of slavery

Memorial to the abolition of slavery

Nantes was the capital of the slave trade in France: it organised 43% of the French slave trade shipments in the XVIII century. The City wants to assume its past and give shape to the memory via a powerful political gesture. The Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery in Nantes is the biggest in …

Jardin des Plantes

Jardin des Plantes

Visit the botanical garden, a priceless collection of exotic plants. Trees from America, Asia and Africa.Nantes boasts 1,000 hectares of green areas open to the public, with some 1 million plants produced every …

Saint-Pierre Saint-Paul Cathedral

Saint-Pierre Saint-Paul Cathedral

Cathedral closed following a fire in July 2020. This impressive cathedral is home to the tombs of Francois II, the last Duke of Brittany, and his second wife Marguerite de Foix. Construction of the Gothic building started in 1434 and lasted for four …

Lieu Unique

Located alongside the Canal Saint-Felix, the old biscuit factory LU revamped by the architect Patrick Bouchain lives to the rhythm of an atypical art centre: the Lieu Unique. Here, you will find a bar, a shop, a theatre, a hammam, a day nursery and the picturesque tower of the old LU biscuit …

Ile de Nantes

Formerly occupied by the shipyards (closed in 1987) and by industries, this area is in complete rehabilitation and finds some harmony between the conservation of industrial heritage and the development of a new modern space. The Isle of Nantes is a perpetually changing area with contemporary architecture. On both sides of this territory perched …

Estuaire Nantes <> Saint-Nazaire

Estuaire Nantes <> Saint-Nazaire

All year long, from Nantes to Saint Nazaire it's an open air art collection. Each creation, signed by an internationally renowned artist leads you to an atypical place or to a remarkable site of the estuary of the Loire river. Since 2007, over 33 artworks have now been the stones of a monument scattered …

Théâtre Graslin

Théâtre Graslin

Built in 1788, the Graslin Theater is an impressive building with an entrance boasting eight Corinthian columns and marble, gold and royal blue velvet inside. It is home to the Opera of Nantes and marks the focal point of the Place Graslin. The famous brasserie La Cigale is in front of …

Musée Jules Verne

Musée Jules Verne

The museum inside this great bourgeois mansion depicts the life and works of writer Jules Verne (born in Nantes in 1828), one of Nantes’ most famous …

Planétarium

Embark on a voyage through space as the planetarium brings our universe to life. Located near the Jules Verne …

Discover the Nantes vineyard

Discover the Nantes vineyard

The Muscadet vineyards are just a stone-throw away and are easily accessible from Nantes. A special itinerary has been put in place to make the most of what this authentic region can offer: visit of Clisson, a lovely city with Italian-style architecture, wine tasting and specific viewpoints. Discover the new belvedere in Chateau …

Cruise on the Loire river

Cruise on the Loire river "Estuaire Nantes-Saint Nazaire"

Take advantage of a river cruise to reach the point where the Loire runs into the ocean and see the estuary from the unique viewpoint of… the river: working docks, remarkable natural areas, and the Estuaire art installations communicating with their surroundings. Embark on a colourful rhythmic night time river cruise from July to …

Guided Tours

Pre-recorded audio-guide all year long Possibility for 4 different trails translated in 5 langages (French, English, German, Spanish, Italian) to discover Nantes. Strolling Nantes Nantes in the middle ages Nantes from history to memory The isle of Nantes Western …

Shop Signs

Since 2014, artists have been commissioned to imagine the signs for a series of shops in Nantes. Along the green line, discover this collection of shop signs. Like unexpected apparitions, these artists' works disturb the continuum of signs in the downtown streets of …