36 Hours in Nantes
Staying Two Nights and Catching a Flight From Nantes Was a Great Idea
Snippets From Our France and Italy Trip
After spending four days with our friends in Agon-Coutainville, it was time to move on. Dagny and Phillippe dropped us off in Coutances, and we caught the train headed for Nantes. It was a pleasant journey, and the landscape slowly changed to rolling hills as we headed south. A final stretch along the Loire River offered interesting views for the ride.
We had originally planned to have a car for this leg of the trip but it was very relaxing not to worry about directions or dropping off a car in Nantes. En route, we switched trains in Rennes and the only snafu occurred when we arrived in Nantes. We wanted to buy a tram ticket to our hotel but didn’t have the exact change and could not use our cards.
The walk to our hotel was only about 20 minutes and even with our backpacks it was okay. The walk ended up being a great introduction to Nantes and we got the lay of the land in the city core.
Oceania l’Hôtel de France Nantes
Oceania Hôtel de France Nantes is at 24 Rue Crébillon in an excellent central location near Place Graslin, the theatre, and several restaurants. Compared to how we usually travel we splurged on this hotel but have no regrets. The room was quiet and well-appointed, allowing us to rest before the next part of our journey.
Rain was in the forecast for our stay in Nantes so we picked the nearby Crêperie Le Milan for our dinner, crepes, which were excellent, and we can highly recommend it.
One Full Day in Nantes
After a quick stint in the Passage Pommeraye shopping mall, we had a traditional French baguette, jam, and coffee breakfast at Place de Royal where we could see the city wake up while we tried to do the same.
The coffee helped and we zig-zagged through the cozy streets aiming for a visit to Château des Ducs de Bretagne.
Visiting the castle was okay but had we done our homework we may have skipped this. It was more of a museum describing the history of Nantes and not a preserved castle in its original form. It was a learning experience to catch a bit of history but much of it was in French which we only understand to a certain degree.
Lunch by Basilique Saint-Nicolas de Nantes
The morning had stayed dry but after we visited the castle the rain started and we ducked in for lunch at Café du Passage, a cozy spot by Basilique Saint-Nicolas where we could sit outside but out of the rain. We took our time for lunch and it paid off as the sun came out soon after.
Di is enjoying the sun at Basilique Saint-Nicolas de Nantes
Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5
In the afternoon we ventured across the Loire River. En route, we walked via Cours Cambronne, a promenade lined with what appeared to be rather expensive homes.
We encountered a film crew along the promenade and are slightly suspicious that we may be in one of the shots, so look out for us in an upcoming French movie or TV Series. Chances are, of course, that we are removed in the post-production. There goes the royalty cheques :)
We walked by Les Machines de l'île (The Machines of the Island). Our friend, Dominique, had suggested we pay a visit. Fatigue was setting in, so we merely took in the atmosphere outside and began our trek back to the center of Nantes.
On our way back to the hotel we stopped at the Roman Catholic basilica, Notre-Dame de Bon-Port, and wandered the cozy streets in this part of town until our legs told us to call it a day. At Place Graslin we looked for restaurant options for dinner but instead picked a few items from a convenience store and made this our evening travel feast.
This is probably what I would be doing if I was a kid in Nantes :)
Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5
Nantes is the sixth largest city in France and is more laid back than Paris. And yet it offers plenty for a quick visit. We ended up in Nantes almost by chance, as this was where we were catching a flight to our next destination. Taormina, Italy.
Nantes has countless restaurants or cafés and many other cultural options that we didn’t have time to explore. As it is with many travel destinations you only scratch the surface during a short visit. We will, however, think back to Nantes with fond memories.
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The photos in this article are made using a Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton Vintage Line 28mm f/1.5 and Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.2 lenses (links to my camera and lens reviews).
