My Travel Guide to Nantes, France- One of My Favorite Cities of All Time!

I’ve been meaning to make this post for quite some time now, as Nantes is where I studied all of last semester, and it’s a city that I love. I’ve been back for two weeks over my fall break and it’s been so nice to be in a place that I am familiar with. Paris is a very interesting and lively city to live in, but it is very difficult to get used to. Regardless, I am finally getting to know the city, and I’ll be making a post for my must-see things in Paris soon!

Nantes is an excellent place to visit in France, it’s not touristy at all, and there is amazing French architecture (which is my favorite thing about French culture). I’d highly recommend going here while traveling Europe to see a quintessential French city with a rich history. There are excellent places to eat, and loads of things to see. It’s also extremely easy to walk from destination to destination, as most of them are in the city center- which is absolutely gorgeous in and of itself.

While I could go on and on about my favorite things to do in Nantes, I’ll narrow it down to my top 10 must-see sites in the city:

1) City Center of Nantes- Commerce Area

The city center of Nantes is so, extremely gorgeous and is the hub of beautiful, old French architecture. Also, from the city center of Nantes, it’s quite easy to get to all of the places listed below.

2) Chateau des Ducs de Bretagne- The Castle of the Dukes of Brittany

The castle of Nantes is one of the most spectacular views of the city. You can just walk around and take in the beautiful sites of the castle, or there’s a museum of the history of Nantes instead- which is a spectacular museum to get to know the rich history of the city.

3) Cathedral of Nantes

 The Cathedral of Nantes is also a must-see. Located very close to the castle, it is one the beautifully-constructed gothic cathedrals France is famous for.

4) Saint Nicolas Church & Place Royale

Saint Nicolas is my favorite church in Nantes. It’s extremely gorgeous, and the view of it from Place Royale, a square in the city center with a beautiful fountain, is breathtaking. 

5) Jardin de Plantes

 Another one of my favorite parts of France are the beautiful gardens. The Jardin de Plantes is one of the biggest gardens in Nantes, and it’s absolutely stunning, especially during the springtime. 

6) Passage Pommeraye

The Passage Pommeraye is a beautiful, shopping center in Nantes that was built in the 1800’s and also is, so extremely beautiful.  

7) Le Nid

 Le Nid, which translates to “The Nest”,  is a bar on the top level of a building called the Tour de Bretagne, the tallest building in Nantes. From Le Nid, you can see spectacular views of Nantes from above. Also, there are paintings of eggs on the tops of buildings which can be seen from the bar, and corresponds with the bar’s name.

8) The Erdre River

Walking along the Erdre River is one of my favorite things to do in Nantes. Located just 10 minutes from the city center, the river is lined with boats and trails to walk along. It’s especially gorgeous during autumn.

9) Jardin Japonais

 The Jardin Japonais (The Japanese Gardens) is located on a little island, the Island of Versailles, in the River Erdre. Again, located not far from the city center, the garden is small but is very beautiful.

10)  Trentemoult

 Trentemoult is easily my favorite part of Nantes. It’s a gorgeous, old fisherman’s village located on the Loire River. The village is adorned with beautiful and colorful buildings, and is so, extremely charming.

Thank you so much for following along, and check out my Instagram for more of my travels!