Discover Nantes and its history
The City of Dukes
Nantes, a dynamic city steeped in history
Nantes is the largest city in the Loire-Atlantique department. It's a great place to live and offers a wide range of events throughout the year. The city of Nantes has managed to preserve the traces of its historic past while adding a touch of modernity. Discover this city of a thousand facets, home to a host of Gîtes de France accommodation!
A rich history and past...
It's not for nothing that Nantes is also known as "La Cité des Ducs". In fact, it was in the 15th century that Nantes became the capital of Brittany. Two buildings were built to show the importance of the power then wielded by Anne de Bretagne: the chateau des Ducs de Bretagne and the cathedral of Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul. The Chateau des Ducs de Bretagne was built in the 15th century by Francis II. As the residence of the ducal court of Brittany, its main function was to defend the city of Nantes from the power of the King of France. Following her death, it was Anne de Bretagne, twice Queen of France, and her husband, King Louis XII, who gave the chateau a Renaissance lifestyle by building Italianate loggias. In 1532, the chateau became part of France. From then on, it welcomed the kings of France visiting Brittany, such as Francis I, and later became a military barracks and prison. The castle was listed as a historic monument in 1862 and sold to the City of Nantes by the State. In 1924, the chateau became a museum presenting the history of the Dukes of Brittany.
Hint: you'll find the statue of Anne de Bretagne in front of the château.
Since the 14th century, Nantes has also been renowned for its port, which carried out numerous exchanges of goods. Cloth, hemp and wine were sent to England and Ireland, while oil and metal products were imported from Spain. Until the middle of the 17th century, the port of Nantes was considered the leading French and European port. In the 17th century, it became an ideal location for the triangular trade and the transport of slaves. The Saint-Nazaire dock was built in 1856. It became the port at the head of the Loire estuary and one of the main ports for the construction of ocean liners. Today, these two ports are united within a single organisation, the "Port Atlantique Nantes Saint-Nazaire". Today, this grouping is considered to be one of the largest ports on the Atlantic seaboard.
The city of Nantes has not finished telling you its history, learn more about the industrial era with biscuit factories and canneries, but also the era of Jules Verne here.
Among our Gîtes de France labelled accommodation around the historic centre of Nantes, you'll find the City Break:
- L'Antichambre de la duchesse
Among our Gîtes de France labelled accommodation around the port of Nantes, you will find:
But also modern...
Nantes is a city that has managed to preserve its rich past while incorporating a touch of modernity. If you're visiting Nantes for the first time, don't miss out on the must-sees. Among the places you absolutely must visit, we've highlighted the château des Ducs de Bretagne above.
However, the machines of the île represent one of Nantes' emblematic and modern landmarks. It is the most popular place for children, as it features giant animals made of steel and wood. One of the best-known is the elephant, which you can walk around on. The machines are designed from scratch by La Machine and set in motion by machinists. Located on the île of Nantes, the Machines de l'île transport young and old alike into their world, straight from the city's industrial past, but also from the imaginations of Jules Verne and Léonard de Vinci.
Among our Gîtes de France labelled accommodation around the machînes of the Nantes île, you'll find:
- La Maison des tortues à Saint-Sebastien-sur-Loire
- Le Passé simple à Saint-Sebastien-sur-Loire
- L'Intemporel à Saint-Sebastien-sur-Loire
- L'Authentique à Saint-Sebastien-sur-Loire
- L'Art de Fer à Saint-Sebastien-sur-Loire
- L'Esprit de famille à Saint-Sebastien-sur-Loire
- L'Echappée Belle à Saint-Sebastien-sur-Loire
A city anchored to the arts with Le Voyage à Nantes
Le Voyage à Nantes is a company responsible for promoting the cultural scheme set up by the city of Nantes. To this end, it organises a contemporary art tour of the same name every summer, bringing together more than 50 works of art from all over the city. These works of art are an integral part of the public space. For example, you can visit the Ducs de Bretagne castle thanks to a giant toboggan, go trampolining in the craters on the Nantes island or admire a leaning house in the Loire.
How about you?
Don't forget to follow the specially-created itinerary to discover the different works of art. A green line shows you the way. For more information, visit the Voyage Nantes website.
Among our Gîtes de France labelled accommodation around the machînes of the Nantes île, you will find:
- Les chambres d'hôte La Vertabelle à Vertou
- Le Pavillon à Les Sorinières
- The Saddlery à The Sorinières
- La Sansonnette à Vertou
- Le gîte du Frais Cormier à Pont-Saint-Martin