The city of Nantes, the ancient capital of the Dukes of Brittany, located in northwest France, known as the country's sixth largest city after Paris, Marseille, Lyon, Toulouse, Nice, and before Strasbourg, can be described with many adjectives: bold, maritime, green, contemporary, vibrant, Vernian, playful, joyful. Famous for its castles, it is part of the Pays de la Loire region.
Birthplace of Jules Verne and the cradle of surrealism, Nantes is one of France's most creative cities. For over 30 years, it has transformed annually into a stage for art. A green, human-scale city, ideal for exploring on foot, by bike, or by boat, it has made culture its strength since the closure of the shipyards in 1987, which until then had been the region's driving force.
Since 2011, Nantes has taken on a new role and looks at the world with different eyes and the creation of the project The Voyage to Nantes It promotes tourism and art, creating a permanent dialogue between past and future. A path of over 20 km, marked by a green line, connects artworks, historic sites, gardens, and modern neighborhoods. Every summer, in July and August, Nantes invites French and international artists to reinterpret urban spaces and create new works of art.
2026 marks the start of a new thematic cycle, exploring the elements starting from the Earth. From May 23rd to September 27th, there will be a major exhibition at the Parco dei Cantieri/Galleria HAB entitled Interstellar (Interstellar): How to reimagine Earth, since humans decided to conquer the solar system, their relationship with our planet has been changed and other worlds like ours could exist. From June 19 to August 30, 2026, it will present Rêves premiers (First Dreams) by Justine Emard, which explores invisible universes: astronauts' dreams, thermal signals from data centers, activated computer components, prehistoric data, variations in magnetic fields. At the Nantes Art Museum, from May 22 to August 30, 2026, there will be Odyssey of Oblivion (Odyssey of Oblivion): True to its tradition of inviting contemporary artists, the Museum welcomes Anne and Patrick Poirier for an exhibition in the spaces of the Patio and Chapel of the Oratory. But that's not all; the Museum is also pleased with its permanent exhibition covering the period from the 13th to the 21st century, featuring 12.000 works by Monet, Picasso, Kandinsky, Soulages, and Kapoor. The Château des Ducs de Bretagne will host a new edition of the Decolonial event from May 8 to November 8, 2026. Expression(s), offering the opportunity to open the museum space to new historical perspectives and artistic sensibilities on themes related to French colonial history and the slave trade, as it developed and constructed starting from Nantes.
They are definitely worth a visit too Memorial of the Abolition of Slavery, European monument dedicated to the memory of the abolition; Machines of the Island (the Island Machines) spectacular large-scale mechanical creations which, according to their creators, “stand at the crossroads between the invented worlds of Jules Verne, the mechanical universe of Leonardo da Vinci and the industrial history of Nantes”, such as the Grand Éléphant, created in 2007 and the Carrousel des Mondes Marins (2012), a carousel featuring several whimsical marine creatures, located in the Parc des Chantiers, a former industrial area transformed into a creative and recreational space, which represent the cultural pillars of the city.
In the historic center of Nantes, the Passage Pommeraye, a covered space that extends over three levels, is a true architectural masterpiece of the 19th century; the Hermitage Belvedere, located on the hill of Sainte Anne, is a work of art by Tadashi Kawamata; the Extraordinary Garden (Extraordinary Garden) is a park created in 2019 and expanded in 2025. It includes a 25-meter-high waterfall, a sheer staircase, and seven panoramic viewpoints. It is also located opposite the future City of Imagination, which will be dedicated to Jules Verne and will open in 2028.
The Nantes region has been designated New Gastronomic Destination 2025 from LaListe, the most selective guide in the world for gourmets and discerning travelers. Many chefs offer local, seasonal, and sustainable cuisine, showcasing local products: fish from the Loire and Atlantic Ocean, seafood, and shellfish, as well as a wide variety of horticultural produce such as Nantes carrots, lamb's lettuce, radishes, salads, strawberries, and cheeses (Curé Nantais, Gwell), local wine (the famous Muscadet), and Nantes tart, made with almonds and rum. Not to mention the rigolettes (sweets) and salted butter candies from Guérande. Talensac market, the oldest market in Nantes (inaugurated in 1937), is the ideal place to discover local products.
Nantes is also part of the Breton Traverse (Breton crossing) connecting Nantes to Mont-Saint-Michel. From the Atlantic to the English Channel, between land and sea, the Breton crossing offers hidden treasures, secluded beaches, natural landscapes, important exhibitions, and ideal places to discover this region in a new way.
To facilitate travel, you can access the Pass Nantes, also downloadable as a mobile app, which offers free access to museums and public transport, allowing you to explore the destination with ease. For accommodation, we recommendHôtel de France Océania, very central, modern, well-equipped and with a young staff attentive to the needs of guests, while for lunch or dinner there are several interesting places, such as the restaurants Pilgrim, Sain, la Crêperie Milan et Rossignol, the Lapins de la Butte, the Petit Boucot and La Cigale, the legendary brasserie of Nantes with over 120 years of history, in Art Nouveau style.
