Nantes Weekend Breaks
Weekend Breaks to Nantes
Planning a short break to Nantes? Check out Travel Library's recommended Top 10 Things To Do in Nantes. It's a perfect companion for weekend city breaks to Nantes. Once you've been you can add your own tips and suggestions to help other visitors.
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Top 10 Things in Nantes on a Short Break
Cathedrale St-Pierre
Work on this Nantes landmark was begun in 1434, but the cathedral was only completed over 400 years later at the end of the 19th century. From the outside, the most dominant features are the two square towers.
The most notable features are to be found inside, including Michel Colombs Renaissance tomb of Francois II and his second wife Marguerite. The crypt dating back to the 11th century contains a museum of religions.
The cathedral is open daily from 9am to 7pm and admission is free.
Musee des Beaux-Arts de Nantes
Located at 10 rue Georges-Clemenceau, this is one of the best provincial galleries outside of Paris. The gallery includes a fine collection of paintings and sculptures dating back to the 12th century up to the late 18th century. The ground floor contains contemporary and modern art created since the turn of the 20th century. The gallery is open from 10am to 6pm from Thursday to Tuesday.
Hotel de France
This fine hotel dates back to the 1700s and has been proclaimed as a historical monument by the French government. The bedrooms are a decent size with bathrooms that each includes a bath and a shower. Many of the rooms are styled with reproductions of Louis XV or Louis XVI furniture. The restaurant and bar LOpera, is excellent and extremely popular with guests. The address of this hotel is 24 rue Crebillon.
Mercure Ile-de-Nantes
The location of this hotel is second to none in Nantes as it is situated on an island in the Loire. The hotel features well furnished rooms, recently renovated in 2001, complete with bathrooms with baths and showers. The staff is welcoming and efficient and are happy to help in any way they can to make your stay more enjoyable. The restaurant Le Nautilus is an excellent choice for seafood lovers.
The website address of the hotel is www.mercure.com
LAtlantide
You will find this fine restaurant on the fourth floor of the chamber of commerce building in town. The panoramic views from the windows take in most of the city and alone make this restaurant worth the visit. The interior has a nautical feel with pale hardwoods and mirrors. The highlight is however, the food, which is as fine as you will get in the city. The menu includes local specialities from the Loire Valley and Breton coast. The cellar includes some of the finest wines from the valley. Reservations are required to get a table here
Villa Mon Reve
For excellent contemporary French cuisine, this restaurant will do nicely. The restaurant is housed in a 19th century stone-sided villa with set in an acre of rose gardens. The menu features local specialities including wild duck with Bourgeuil sauce, frogs legs sauteed in white wine and roasted challons duckling served with caramelised Muscadet wine. The wine list includes a selection of over forty locally produced varieties. The restaurant is open daily for lunch and dinner, reservations are recommended.
Chateau des Ducs de Bretagne
This is one of the citys major attractions and is the location where the Edict of Nantes was signed. The castle was originally constructed in the 9th or 10th century, enlarged in the 13th century, destroyed and them rebuilt in its present form by Francois II in 1466. Large towers and a bastion surround the castle. The castle was a prison for the duchess du Berry and Bluebeard, one of Francess most notorious mass murderers. A museum is in the pipeline, set to contain all the riches of the castle. Admission is free; the address is 4 place Marc-Elder. The castle is open daily from 10am to 6pm, with a break for lunch.
Nightlife
The city of Nantes is quite compact with much of the nightlife in close proximity, this allows you to experience a wide selection of what is on offer with minimal travelling between locations. Many of the pubs and cafes with live music and great atmosphere are to be found on place du Bouffay, place du Piori and rue Kervagen. Le Tie Break is a stylish piano bar with a dance floor and is located at 1 rue des Petites-Ecuries. For the club scene head for Le Duplex, Le Royal Club Prive and Wiltons Club jeans are not welcome at these venues and all of them have cover charges.
Musee Jules Verne de Nantes
Nantes is the proud birthplace of the world famous Jules Verne who wrote the classic science fiction stories: Journey to the Centre of the Earth and Around the World in Eighty Days. The museum is crammed with memorabilia and is a gathering place for his many admiring fans that visit Nantes. The Museum is open Wednesdays to Mondays from 10am to 6pm with a break for lunch. The address is 3 rue de lHermitage.
Musee Thomas-Dobree
This museum houses the collection of Thomas Dobrees, a collector and traveller from the 19th century. The museum itself is a 19th century neo-Romanesque mansion situated in the centre of town.
The collection includes prehistoric and medieval antiques, Flemish paintings from the 15th century, objects collected from his travels in India and other fascinating relics. When this great traveller died in 1894, his collection was deeded to the Department de Loire-Atlantique.
The museum can be found at 18 rue Voltaire and is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5.30pm.
User Suggestions
La Cigale - Restaurant or Cafe
Situated on Place Graslin this restaurant is simply to die for!! The service is the friendliest, the decor the prettiest and the food the tastiest in Nantes!! For such an exquisite restaurant the prices are surprisingly reasonable with a variety of menus on offer for a lovely lunch from about 16 euro. You must have a kir pettillant to start, then your entree & plat prinicpal and the dessert has to be the creme brulee, it is amazing!!! Enjoy!
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