France · Region
Nantes
Nantes blends a fairy-tale medieval château with some of France's boldest contemporary art and engineering, most famously the giant mechanical elephant and fantastical creatures of Les Machines de l'île on a former shipyard beside the Loire. Once a major slave-trading and shipbuilding port, the city has reinvented its docklands into a green, bike-friendly showcase of urban renewal without losing its half-timbered old town.
Top-rated things to do in Nantes
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Where to stay in Nantes
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Frequently asked questions about Nantes
How do I get to Nantes?
Most travellers fly into Nantes Atlantique Airport (NTE), located <cite index="1-2">8 kilometres (5.0 mi) southwest of the city, in Bouguenais</cite>, then take a shuttle bus into the centre; by rail, high-speed TGV services link <cite index="15-14">Nantes station, which connects to Paris Gare Montparnasse</cite>, with the fastest trains covering the route in <cite index="11-16,11-17">2 hours and 0 minutes</cite>, though journeys of ~2.5–3 hours are also common.
How many days should I spend in Nantes?
Plan on ~2-3 days to explore the Château des Ducs de Bretagne, the historic centre, and the Île de Nantes with its mechanical creatures, with an extra day if you want to add a Loire Valley or coastal side trip.
What is Nantes known for?
Nantes blends a fairy-tale medieval château with some of France's boldest contemporary art and engineering, most famously the giant mechanical elephant and fantastical creatures of Les Machines de l'île on a former shipyard beside the Loire. Once a major slave-trading and shipbuilding port, the city has reinvented its docklands into a green, bike-friendly showcase of urban renewal without losing its half-timbered old town.