Captivating Nantes

Situated along the picturesque west coast, on the mighty river Loire, Nantes is a captivating, vibrant city! Having visited the metropolis twice now, I love the energy of it.

Nantes appears to have got the balance of restoring the old, with the new blending in majestically, and quite strikingly. The biggest city of the Brittany region has attempted to build an identity as a creative capital of dream and fantasy. This is evident in the architecture and quirky artwork, including Banksy-style street art splattered around the region.

I think the ‘New York City viewing laws’ apply when walking around, remember to look up. One of my favourite finds was around the theme-park area, a building that at eye level was a dull concrete block jazzed up with a bit of colourful art, looking up there was an actual bus with wheels ‘parking off’ a few levels up, followed by a funky, intricate, metal casing reaching to the sky.

An absolute must is a ride on the Nantes elephant! Yes, an elephant! In France! One of the main attractions is the creation of the Les Machines de L’ile, this 40ft wooden structure goes walkabout for half an hour around the Jardin des Voyages precinct, embarking from its metal cathedral with 50 passengers on board. Unsuspecting tourists get doused with squirts from its trunk, with gleeful patrons cheering from above. They have a variety of other mechanised treasures that young and old can play on, but for me, a true African – the elephant stole my heart.

Being an unashamed nautical junky, mixed in with a love for history, and architecture I delight in stumbling upon historical ships, tall ships specifically! Not far from the funfair, theme-park side of the world, moored on the Loire is the magnificent historic three mast tall ship, the Belem. An old beauty that now is a training boat but for decades was a true work horse.

Nantes is a photographer’s dream, with objects around every corner begging to be captured. The old architecture of the cathedral, or the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany or the Graslin District, Square and Opera, to a variety of modern statues or artwork like the massive spikey Resolution des Forces or the rings set along the promenade, or even just boats moored on the river, there is something beautiful to snap.

According to the Nantes tourism website, there are 28 artworks dotted around 22 sites along the 120km Loire estuary between Nantes and Saint-Nazaire.

Nantes is not a car friendly city, with parking establishments being costly and street parking being almost impossible to find. But everything and more is just an amble, a cycle or a tramride away. Public transport is efficient and affordable. On both visits, I had a hire car, having driven from Bourges via Saint Michel to Nantes on my first visit or being mobile to head out to the suburb of Reze for the recent Olympic Qualifications for the Les Blues Basketball Women successful campaign to get to Rio.

Having access to a vehicle, I indulged and opted to take a few day trips from Nantes. The most memorable was out to Saint-Nazaire and the beaches of Saint Brevin Les Pins, I happened upon the incredible, perhaps creepy, artwork of the Serpent D’Ocean. Unveiled in 2012, the aluminium skeleton that is 120m long brings Chinese mythology to a French shore.  The sea serpent looks like it has just beached itself, and with the different tides and sea-state, the mood around the serpent constantly changes. Quite intriguing!

So, if you planning a trip to the famed wine region of Bordeaux, I would strongly recommend you make a detour to Nantes and surrounds for a couple of days, you won’t regret it!