Discover Nantes

This year, the Machines de l’île celebrates its 10th anniversary! A good reason to discover this magnificent city, full of surprises.

On June 30, 2007, the Grand Éléphant left the workshop of Cie La Machine and set foot on the historic shipyard site for the first time! Tens of thousands of visitors experienced the world of Les Machines de l’île for the first time. To celebrate these 10 years, a great Rock VS Cumbia musical battle will take place on June 30, 2017 at the Chantenay quarry.

Le Voyage à Nantes is a permanent offering: a “dispersed monument” stretching over 12 kilometers. A green line drawn on the ground leads all year round from a work signed by a great contemporary artist to a remarkable element of heritage, from the destination’s “must-sees” to little-known treasures, from a historic alleyway to contemporary architecture, from an astonishing viewpoint over the city to an incredible sunset over the estuary.

You’ll cross Nantes and discover, for example, the Machines de l’île (a unique artistic project that won the prize for the world’s most original attraction), the Lieu Unique (a convivial space for artistic exploration that mixes cultures, housed in the former Lu cookie factory), the Nid (a bar at the very top of the Tour de Bretagne, home to a huge white bird watching over the city, with a breathtaking view of Nantes!), the Passage Pommeraye (a 19th-century covered passageway), …

Partially closed since 2009, the Musée des Beaux-Arts has just reopened its doors, having undergone major renovation and extension work to become the great museum that Nantes has been waiting for, enlarged and open to the city.

An artistic walk on the banks of the Erdre, Rêver l’Erdre by Marie-Hélène Richard, between city and nature, this stroll plays with the landscape and its reflections, from one bank to the other. Erdre is one of those rare palindrome words. As you read it, you retrace your steps in perfect symmetry. So it is with this walk, where certain works are designed to be read on the way out and then read on the way back, unless they play directly with the notion of reflection.

Guided tours are organized by the city of Nantes. This Nantes stroll takes you from the medieval Château district to Ile Feydeau (18th century), to the quays of Nantes, ending with the Passage Pommeraye, the Graslin district and Cours Cambronne. This tour will give you the keys to understanding the city – booking recommended.