36 Hours in Nantes
Château des Ducs de Bretagne in Nantes, France
Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5
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 Philippe 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 initially 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 center.
The Jules Verne mural on Rue de l'Échelle in Nantes
Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5
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.
We splurged on this hotel compared to how we usually travel, 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.
Le Comptoir Irlandais on a windy and rainy day in Nantes
Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5
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 we might have skipped this if we had done our homework. It was more of a museum describing the history of Nantes than 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 understood to a certain degree.
Château des Ducs de Bretagne
Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5
Lunch by Basilique Saint-Nicolas de Nantes
The morning had stayed dry, but after we visited the castle, the rain started. 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.
Our lunch spot near Basilique Saint-Nicolas de Nantes
Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5
Basilique Saint-Nicolas de Nantes
Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5
Di is enjoying the sun at Basilique Saint-Nicolas de Nantes
Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5
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 were slightly suspicious that we might be in one of the shots, so look out for us in an upcoming French movie or TV series.
We walked by Les Machines de l'île (The Machines of the Island), which our friend Dominique had suggested we visit. Fatigue was setting in, so we merely took in the atmosphere outside and began our trek back to the center of Nantes.
A film crew at Cours Cambronne Promenade in Nantes
Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.2
Loire River, Nantes
Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.2
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.
Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Port de Nantes
Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5
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. 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 and cafés, and many other cultural options we didn’t have time to explore. As with many travel destinations, you only scratch the surface during a short visit. However, we will think back to Nantes with fond memories.
Place Graslin and Théâtre Graslin
Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5
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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).
