Nantes walking tour & city guide

The castle and the old town

The Castle of the Dukes of Brittany, a white fortress surrounded by a moat, was the residence of the last dukes of Brittany. You can walk along its ramparts for free, and inside is the city's history museum. Nearby, the Cathedral of Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul holds the Renaissance tomb of Francis II, Duke of Brittany.

The Bouffay quarter, the medieval heart of the city, is a maze of pedestrian lanes full of terraces. Further west, the Passage Pommeraye, a three-level shopping arcade from the 1840s with staircases and sculptures, is one of the most beautiful covered passages in France.

The Isle of Nantes

Across the river, the old shipyards of the Île de Nantes are home to the Machines of the Isle, a workshop of fantastical creatures inspired by Jules Verne and Leonardo da Vinci. The star is the Great Elephant, twelve meters tall, which walks with passengers on its back. The Carousel of the Marine Worlds and the riverside rings of the Quai des Antilles are nearby.

Every summer, the Voyage à Nantes festival marks a green line on the pavement that guides walkers through the city's permanent and temporary art installations.

A classic walk through Nantes

Start at the castle and the cathedral, then wander through the Bouffay lanes to Place du Commerce. Walk to the Passage Pommeraye and the elegant Place Graslin with its theater, then down Cours Cambronne.

From there, cross the Loire to the Île de Nantes for the Machines of the Isle and the riverside. The walk is about 5 kilometers; you can also follow the green line on the ground.

Visiting tips

Nantes is about two hours from Paris by high-speed train. Trams and buses make it easy to get around. The Loire Valley vineyards, the Atlantic beaches and the salt marshes of Guérande are all within easy reach.