Sightseeing in Nantes - what to see. Complete travel guide

The city is located just two hours away from Paris and is considered the western capital of the country.

The Castle of the Dukes of Brittany has always been considered the main symbol of Nantes. This castle was built in 1466 by the order of Francis II. The city is full of beautiful architectural places of interest, the most famous of which are located on the L'lle Feydeau Street. Here you can see amazingly beautiful white houses that are decorated with tiny balconies with wrought iron railings. The windows of these houses are decorated with unusual masks. The color of the houses is determined by the material of construction - white sandstone. This combination is unusual, and traditionally amazes and delights visitors.

The most famous gallery of Nantes is Passage Pommeraye, a beautiful three-tiered building in the Baroque style, which halls host various exhibitions and other cultural events. The city attracts not only history lovers, but also shopping fans. The central commercial street of Nantes is named Crebillon. The numerous boutiques located on this street feature couture apparel, perfumes by famous European brands and high-end jewelry stores. The most popular shopping center is called the Lafayette Gallery. However, if you need best products, then go to the Talensac market. Here you will find wide choice of vegetables, fruits, and, the most important, fresh seafood.

Don’t forget to try the favorite wine of the local people, which is called Muscadet. If you want to pamper yourself with culinary delights, we suggest visiting the restaurant named Cigale, which stands out among the remaining eight hundred restaurants by its unique decor featuring the style of past centuries. To the service of guests are more than 15 hotels and hotels, so finding a suitable apartment wouldn’t be a problem. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

The Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul is one of the greatest architectural monuments of Nantes and the largest Gothic cathedral in France. The height of the building is 63 meters, the construction of the grand cathedral began in the 15th century. The formation of its current image continued until the 19th century. It has preserved many original elements of interior decoration.

Today the beautiful historic building houses the Museum of Fine Arts. The museum opened in 1804 houses one of the richest art collections in the world. Some of its exhibits date back to the 12th century - the exposition covers a time period of more than 800 years. Visitors to the museum can admire unique works by Claude Monet and Pablo Picasso, as well as see magnificent sculptures and creations of famous artists of the early 20th century.

A no less impressive collection is presented by the Dobrée Museum bearing the name of its founder - the famous philanthropist Thomas Dobrée who lived in Nantes in the 19th century. The museum is located in a chic palace, which once belonged to Dobrée. He collected works of art throughout his life, so today the museum can also offer unique royal relics. The museum's unique collection of antiquities numbers more than 10,000 exhibits.

Of course, be sure to visit the impressive Castle of the Dukes of Brittany, the construction of which began in the 13th century. It belonged to the noble family of the Dukes for hundreds of years and then became a royal residence. The castle that survived the Second World War houses a fascist bunker. In 1942, after the restoration of the castle, the historical museum was opened here. Today its extensive exposition occupies 32 rooms.

Another cultural object that can not be ignored in Nantes is the Natural History Museum. It was founded in 1799 by a local pharmacist who has collected many interesting natural science exhibits. In 1806, the city authorities bought out his collection and opened a museum in the old school building, which continues to receive visitors for more than 200 years. In the first half of the 19th century, the museum moved to a new building. Since then, it is housed in the former mint building, which is of great architectural value. Today the main exhibit of the museum is the skeleton of a rare fin whale, whose length exceeds 18 meters.