Nantes: The underrated city ready to surprise!

Why Visit Nantes? Discover History, Culture, Sustainability & Hidden Gems!

Looking for an underrated European destination rich in history, culture, and eco-friendly travel experiences? Nantes, France, is a must-visit! This vibrant city blends medieval charm, artistic innovation, and sustainable tourism, making it one of the top green travel destinations in Europe.

With a pedestrian-friendly city centre, efficient public transport (which if completely free on weekends!) and pioneering sustainability initiatives, Nantes is perfect for responsible travellers. Whether you’re passionate about history, love exploring hidden gems, or seek ethical travel experiences, this video is for you!

Filmed entirely on location in Nantes, France
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Chapters:
00:00 – Intro
00:42 – Inspired by One of Nantes’ Greatest Minds: Les Machines de l’Île – The iconic Grand Éléphant inspired by Jules Verne.
01:46 – Exploring Architectural Wonders That Stand the Test of Time : Cathédrale de Nantes
03:24 – A Fortress Turned Museum with a Hidden Gem: Château des Ducs de Bretagne
04:53 – Nantes’ Complex Role in the Slave Trade
06:27 – A Must-Visit French Market Experience: Marché de Talensac
07:50 – Where Nature & Art Meet – for Free!: Jardin des Plantes
09:26 – Charming, Trendy & Historic – Just a Sustainable Boat Ride Away: Trentemoult
11:14 – How Nantes Confronts Its Darker Past: Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery
12:00 – A Powerful Memorial Worth Visiting.

Image Credits:
Firefighters working to extinguish the blaze at the gothic Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul in Nantes on Saturday. (AP pic): https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2020/07/19/worker-questioned-over-french-cathedral-fire-in-arson-investigation/https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2020/07/19/worker-questioned-over-french-cathedral-fire-in-arson-investigation/
Inside cathedral, Werner Kunz: https://www.flickr.com/photos/werkunz/3595680808/
Tomb of François II, Florestan, CC BY 3.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Headstone: Eusebius@Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Headstone, Margaret: Eusebius, CC BY-SA 3.0 CZ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/cz/deed.en, via Wikimedia Commons
Headstone, Francis II: CC BY-SA 3.0, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=13540998
The drownings at Nantes / Noyades Nantes:
:Joseph Aubert, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Reconstruction of an Interior of slave ship from Nantes: RingsMemory, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons__
Trentemoult: https://sembleue.com/regions-in-france/pays-de-la-loire/loire-atlantique/nantes/nantes-reze/trentemoult-an-old-fishing-village-in-nantes/#:~:text=It%20was%20filled%2C%20like%20other,mediator%2C%20the%20mayor%20of%20Rez%C3%A9.&text=Trentemoult%20is%20divided%20into%20two,middle%20of%20the%2019th%20century.
Slave ships: Johann Moritz Rugendas, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Nantes Port 1830: https://www.larousse.fr/encyclopedie/images/Le_port_de_Nantes/1315934
Nantes Port 1704: https://www.nantes.port.fr/en/nantes-saint-nazaire-port/ports-history

#nates, #francetravel, #sustainabletourism, #hiddengems, #responsibletravel, #hiddengemseurope, #travelguide2025, #frenchhistory, #visitfrance, ,#francetravel, #townsinfrance, #topplacestovisitinfrance, #europe, #ecofriendly, #loire, #loirevalley, #medieval, #touristattractionsfrance, #travelfrance.

@MissKittyKatify on May 31, 2025 7:17 am

Thank you for your great presentation of my city! If you ever were thinking about going back there is so much more to explore. Nantes was also known as the Venice of the west and a lot of water was covered to extend the city. For example le “Cours des cinquante otages” ( named after the 50 local hostages executed in Nantes by the nazis for their resistance) used to be an arm of the river Erdre. Which brings me to the river erdre. You need to visit the Japanese gardens where you can also rent little electric boats and travel along the river and see some of the beautiful landscape/ homes/ castles. Also visit Le passage Pommeraye ( classified as a historical building) which is an old 1840s small shopping arcade featuring Renaissance-inspired architecture & 2 levels of upscale boutiques. Near the castle there are beautiful little streets with great restaurants and cafes. The queen of Brittany, Anne de Bretagne, became queen of France ( twice). She was the first to wear a white bridal gown. She died young and although her body is not buried in Nantes, her heart was returned to it, on her request, encased in a gold reliquary which used to be on display ( not sure if it still is. And yes science confirmed it contained remains). Nantes is also the birth place of BN biscuits ( stands for Biscuiterie Nantaise) and Lu Biscuits famous around the world ( Google it and you’ll see what I mean). Part of the original art nouveau factory ( the tower) still stands and is a now a beautiful art gallery/museum and offers a great view of the city. Where the docks used to stand, the containers have been turned into original cocktail bars, restaurants and art gallery. The place is called “ le hangar à bananes” because it used to store bananas exported from Africa. it is based on the tip of the island “ île Beaulieu” where I grew up. It is part of Nantes but is still surrounded by water and linked by bridges. The Hangar faces the river, acknowledging its history. There stand a line of 18 giant rings designed by Daniel Buren that lit up at night along the river Loire. You can also visit Jules Verne’s’ childhood home along the river. Nantes is surrounded by stunning marshes and is a short drive to many beautiful beaches and ports worth the visit: pornic, la baule ( extremely fine white sandy beach and clear blue water), etc. And being in Brittany ( local touchy subject 😂) the land of crêpes, you must go to a crêperie and if you want the full experience you must drink it like the Bretons would, with a bowl of cider! Trust me, a real crepe is so good you can eat it just plain! If you are curious about Breton food try the savoury version of crepes called galettes made using a ‘ black’ flour ( blé noir) and filled with a variety of savoury options. Yum, yum. I could go on but it might look like I’m bragging 😅.

View 9 Comments

9 Comments

@leoh4599 on March 16, 2025 1:24 am

Wow, you guys keep coming up with some real gems! Another one for my must visit list. Very impressive. Love the multi coloured houses. And the elephant – reminded me of the St Louis, Missouri junk museum, hehe. Keep ‘em coming guys!
@botmsj on March 18, 2025 1:07 am

Unfortunately, slavery is not just a thing of the past; it still exists through the exploitation of animals.
@pamelaj1226 on April 17, 2025 8:39 pm

Nicely done! Thank you for a thoughtful video. Greetings from Canada ❤😊
@DeanRamser on May 26, 2025 11:52 am

Bonjour. Thank you for sharing your excellent video. Very informative. We look forward to bringing our grandchildren to Nantes. Merci beaucoup. Dean et Cindy
@MissKittyKatify on May 31, 2025 7:17 am

Thank you for your great presentation of my city! If you ever were thinking about going back there is so much more to explore. Nantes was also known as the Venice of the west and a lot of water was covered to extend the city. For example le “Cours des cinquante otages” ( named after the 50 local hostages executed in Nantes by the nazis for their resistance) used to be an arm of the river Erdre. Which brings me to the river erdre. You need to visit the Japanese gardens where you can also rent little electric boats and travel along the river and see some of the beautiful landscape/ homes/ castles. Also visit Le passage Pommeraye ( classified as a historical building) which is an old 1840s small shopping arcade featuring Renaissance-inspired architecture & 2 levels of upscale boutiques. Near the castle there are beautiful little streets with great restaurants and cafes. The queen of Brittany, Anne de Bretagne, became queen of France ( twice). She was the first to wear a white bridal gown. She died young and although her body is not buried in Nantes, her heart was returned to it, on her request, encased in a gold reliquary which used to be on display ( not sure if it still is. And yes science confirmed it contained remains). Nantes is also the birth place of BN biscuits ( stands for Biscuiterie Nantaise) and Lu Biscuits famous around the world ( Google it and you’ll see what I mean). Part of the original art nouveau factory ( the tower) still stands and is a now a beautiful art gallery/museum and offers a great view of the city. Where the docks used to stand, the containers have been turned into original cocktail bars, restaurants and art gallery. The place is called “ le hangar à bananes” because it used to store bananas exported from Africa. it is based on the tip of the island “ île Beaulieu” where I grew up. It is part of Nantes but is still surrounded by water and linked by bridges. The Hangar faces the river, acknowledging its history. There stand a line of 18 giant rings designed by Daniel Buren that lit up at night along the river Loire. You can also visit Jules Verne’s’ childhood home along the river. Nantes is surrounded by stunning marshes and is a short drive to many beautiful beaches and ports worth the visit: pornic, la baule ( extremely fine white sandy beach and clear blue water), etc. And being in Brittany ( local touchy subject 😂) the land of crêpes, you must go to a crêperie and if you want the full experience you must drink it like the Bretons would, with a bowl of cider! Trust me, a real crepe is so good you can eat it just plain! If you are curious about Breton food try the savoury version of crepes called galettes made using a ‘ black’ flour ( blé noir) and filled with a variety of savoury options. Yum, yum. I could go on but it might look like I’m bragging 😅.
@ladymissp1880 on July 11, 2025 5:45 am

Excellent video, just subscribed to your channel. Can’t wait to visit Nantes! !
@bradleyhill5312 on July 31, 2025 8:01 am

Great Video guys, well done!
As a Brit expat now living in Nantes, I feel very vindicated seeing you making the same comparisons I have between Bristol and Nantes! Happy to see you enjoyed the city and your time here.
(You missed out mentioning all the public transport is free on weekends, total game changer if you come to visit on the weekend!)
@MartineDubos-v4b on October 26, 2025 2:42 pm

The man who set the cathedral on fire is an illegal immigrant who had been refused his right to stay in the country , he did it out of revenge and he even slaughtered a priest shortly later , he now obtained what he wanted : a right to stay in a french jail !
@urban_pigeon on November 23, 2025 10:28 am

Great video, so much to do and such an underrated city break destination

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