Making the most of Nantes
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
After sailing 55 km (35 miles) up the Loire Estuary, passengers disembark close to the city centre, a distance of 1 km. Quai Wilson stands on Ile de Nantes, an island in the river Loire.
Every call at Quai Wilson includes a free shuttle into the city centre. The facility is also the starting point for coach trips to the region's principal attractions. Nantes Atlantique International Airport lies only 8 kilometres from Quai Wilson.
Two further terminals operate at Saint-Nazaire, close to the high sea, and Montoir de Bretagne, within the centre of port activity.
Take a printable map with you when exploring.
Review the cruise schedule for Nantes.
Nantes's finest monuments include the superb Flamboyant Gothic Cathedral of St Pierre, begun in 1434, and the fortified medieval château of the Dukes of Brittany, birthplace of Queen Anne of Brittany in 1477.
Inside the cathedral is the Duke's recumbent marble statue, a masterpiece marking his burial place alongside his two wives. Cobbled streets lead into a medieval quarter lined with boutiques of every kind. Greenhouses and parks contain camellias and magnolias returned from the major expeditions of the 18th c. The fine-arts museum shows works by leading painters of the 17th and 18th c, including Rubens, de la Tour and Watteau; the 19th c, represented by Delacroix and Courbet; and the 20th c, with Kandinsky.
Le Petit Train runs every 30 min from Place St. Pierre outside the cathedral, providing a 40 min tour. English is also spoken, and services operate from mid-April until the end of September.
The Isle of Nantes is a former shipyard transformed into a cultural and leisure destination that includes the permanent Machines of the Isle of Nantes exhibition.
Getting around
An effective tram and bus network serves Nantes and the surrounding area.
Nearby places
Nantes is the gateway to the Loire Valley, standing at the mouth of France's longest river, the Loire. Once cherished by French kings, this royal waterway now connects the port with destinations including Château de Chambord & the Loire Valley, both on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the Loire Valley vineyard, the Audubon bog and Paris...
La Baule, a seaside resort 50 miles away, has Europe's longest sandy beach. Close by are the medieval walled town of Guérande, the Guérande salt marshes and Le Croisic fishing port. Nantes is also within easy reach of the scenic Erdre Valley, with attractive woods and châteaux.
Food and shopping
Rather than window-shopping, Nantes residents use the verb “crébillonner”, derived from Rue Crébillon, the city's smartest shopping street. It leads to the celebrated Passage Pommeraye, a 19th Century arcade filled with individual, elegant boutiques.
Rue Jean Jaurès is lined with antiques and bric-à-brac dealers as well as art galleries.
Central Nantes has dozens of traditional and more exotic restaurants for every taste and budget. Fish and seafood specialities are recommended with lightly chilled Muscadet sur Lie, as are the city's traditional crêperies...
Beyond the centre, the Loire and Erdre riverbanks provide more unusual choices in an atmospheric setting.
Trentemoult, a charming fishing village on the Loire's left bank, is a favourite walking destination for Nantes residents where time seems suspended. Thread through a surprising maze of tightly grouped, colourful houses, then return to the quay for food or a drink overlooking the river. The Navibus river shuttle provides an enjoyable, simple connection from the city centre to Trentemoult's banks.
Money
The currency is the Euro.
Staying connected
For Internet access, ask the local tourist office near the cathedral at 2, place Saint-Pierre.
The local emergency number is 112.
Opening Hours and
Most French shops, banks, museums, visitor services and businesses remain open all day. Smaller shops and firms are exceptions and may shut for lunch between 12.30pm and 2pm. Large shops generally operate Monday to Saturday from 8 or 9am until 6.30 or 7.30pm, while smaller ones trade Tuesday to Saturday, sometimes also opening on Monday afternoon. You can always find bakeries and food shops open when others close, normally until noon on Sunday.