Week-end à Nantes – Échappées belles

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Week-end à Nantes – Échappées belles 10 novembre 2018

Souvent en avance sur son temps, Nantes ne laisse pas indifférente. Son regard sur l’art et ses expériences dénotent et détonnent. Cette cité énergique a tricoté ses atouts grâce à la volonté d’irriguer la ville d’oeuvres inattendues. Ce dynamisme culturel offre une surprise à chaque coin de rue. Sophie Jovillard s’attarde le temps d’un week-end dans ce fier port de fond d’estuaire, la sixième plus grande ville de France, boîte à idées toujours en quête de nouvelles manières de conjuguer le «vivre ensemble».
Au sommaire :
– Nantes, beautés d’une ville verte
– La Loire, cœur de Nantes
– Sel, la pépite de Guérande
– Les trésors cachés de la Brière, un marais
– Dans les pas des touristes du chantier de Saint-Nazaire

Hello. Hello everyone. For a weekend, I’m so happy to be back with you for some more beautiful getaways. We’re going to explore the lovely city of Nantes, capital of the Pays de la Loire region. We’re here in Loire-Atlantique. So, even though the Breton flag is flying here, we’re actually in a Nigerian city. We’ll stroll together through this green and cultural capital. The 6th largest city in France is waiting for us. So, let’s go. In Nantes, Sophie met some happy people. When I’m on the water, I feel good. In fact, time seems to slow down a little. I’m happy to produce salt. It’s such a simple product. All you need is seawater, sunshine, wind, and also very happy people. Nantes is always magical anyway. Whether you get up in the morning or wait for sunset, there are always stunning photos to be taken. Coming here for me is essential, it’s the root, it’s the beginning of the whole story that turned my life upside down, changed my life. A weekend to discover the recipes for happiness. Pack of Petit Lu biscuits. And here, we indulge ourselves, we crush them into big chunks. It’s our whole childhood. Here, we’re right in the heart of Muscadet country. It can only be in Loire-Atlantique, in the Nantes region. Yeah, perfect, right? Busquet des Power, men and women proud of their roots. Right now, I’m searching for tree trunks from this ancient forest that was where the tides are now, 5,000 years ago on Earth. I took the Navibus, left bank of the Loire, I arrive at your place in 30 meters. I’ve been in the neighborhood since 1977, or at sea? Jeanfouis inside. Yeah, yeah. Have a good weekend, Sophie. Oh, the escape bowl is beautiful. Oh, it’s so cute. Hi Olivier. Hi Sophie. How are you? I’m fine, and you? Great. I’m happy to be here. The sun is shining beautifully in Nant. Welcome to Nant. Thank you so much. Thank you for having me. I think this is the first time a farmer has given you a tour of a town. Oh yes, that’s right, because you created an urban vegetable garden here in Nant, isn’t that right? Yes, a vegetable garden in the city on asphalt. I really like that. We’ll talk about it a little later. Anyway, you’ve arranged to meet me in front of a very pretty fountain. Yes. The fountain in the Place Royale, which was created in 1865 and symbolizes water. Nant is a town of water. First of all, there’s the Loire, the main river, but then we also have tributaries like the Herbre and the Sèvre. That’s what this statue represents. And at the top, right there at the top, we have the town of Nant, symbolized here. So Sophie, here we’re walking on a former branch of the Loire River. That’s one of Nant’s defining characteristics: in the town center, we had the Loire and the grassy banks. Except that some branches were filled in and turned into roads. And today, it’s the tram that runs here. Well , here we can follow a green line. What does it tell us? Well, the green line is a way to visit Nant in a short time, a weekend for example, and see the main sights of the town. Okay. So where do we end up? Well, here it takes us to a square called Place du Bouffet, where a work of art has been installed as part of Le Voyage à Nant, which is a festival that takes place every summer. Yeah. And uh, it’s a work by Philippe Ramet called “Un Pas de Côté” (A Step Aside). I also like to take a few detours. Yeah. It’s a work that also symbolizes the boldness of culture in Nantes. And it’s true that culture is very present through the Voyage à Nantes festival. There are other things you should know about, like La Folle Journée. Oh yes, that’s for classical music. That’s very good. Machine de l’Île. I’m going to go there. I think they’re your neighbors, actually. Exactly, they’re next to the vegetable garden, the canteen, on Île de Min. Sophie, here we’re at the memorial to the abolition of slavery. It’s true that it’s a past that Nantes can’t erase, right? The slaves during the era of the slave trade. Triangular. Yeah. In Europe, there were roughly 27,000 expeditions that set sail, and 1,800 of them left from Nant, representing about 550,000 people. This is where the ships passed through. The ships left, yeah. To go to Africa, to get slaves, and then on to America. But it’s good that today there’s a memorial and that Nant doesn’t turn its back on its past. Yes, that’s what also created the town because there are many buildings that were built by the shipowners and that are precisely the trace of this history, and it’s important to preserve this history. So Sophie, what I suggest is that you meet me because I have to go to work now. OK, so you’re looking for the canteen of the voyage in Nant and the vegetable garden. OK, the canteen of the vegetable garden. Perfect. And until then, I’m giving you a mission: find the nest. I have to find the nest. That’s all the clue you’re giving me. There are a lot of mysteries in there. Well, I’ll talk to you later. Good luck. I have to find the nest. But where is the nest? The nest. Well, maybe it’s way up there in the Brittany Tower. Ah, there’s the nest, I think I’m there. A quick photo. Come on, selfie time. Well, there it is, I have a breathtaking view of the city. So, always the Loire as a landmark . The Château des Ducs de Bretagne, it’s right there. That’s good, anyway. Not completely land-based nor entirely maritime. At the gateway to the Atlantic, Nant maintains a close relationship with the Loire. After having been a commercial crossroads for a long time, the riverbanks are now the favorite promenade of the people of Nantes. But this is just one facet of France’s longest river. On the Sellier slipway, the Saint-Nicolas is getting ready to cast off. Hi, how are you? Perfect. Jo, hi. Now she knows we’re leaving, so she’s happy. Okay, you’re all settled in comfortably. Let’s go. So, we have a light westerly wind. Giovanni, a carpenter, restored this traditional boat to share his passion for the unpredictable and capricious Loire. When I’m on the water, I feel good. In fact, time seems to stop a little. Mornings like this are pure luxury. These colors, this green, this sky that’s constantly changing, and being with friends and Giovanni. Amazing. It’s not like it’s a highway, you know. There’s life here, but we all know each other, and it remains very calm and peaceful. As if by some sign, the gray sky gives way to bright sunshine. The Loire River changes color and atmosphere. On the old shipyards, now transformed into Loire riverbanks, the journey holds a few surprises for those who take the time to enjoy them. Dorothée and her daughter Anou have made cycling their main mode of transport for exploring the riverbanks. “Look there, we’re going to take the footbridge. We’re going to go under the crane, the yellow Titan crane. I like it when you have the wind in your hair; you can see all sorts of cool things. All these places, too, are now places of conviviality for the people of Nantes. When we set off like this, I like to tell the girls, ‘Go, your memories are ahead,’ because I think that ‘s really it. We have so many beautiful things to see, and we take this time together. It’s a life with lightness, and then moments where we can be both in the city, in an urban environment, and at the same time close to the water. I know I need these moments.” We have all the elements to feel at home in our city, to appreciate it, and to stay. Giovanni and his boat have one last maneuver. Three hours before low tide, the lock is the gateway to the city center. The left-hand gate, it goes up there. You have to try to go in more or less straight, but it’s a small boat, so it’s sensitive. You’re going to take the end at the front there at Tribor and put it around the chain, and then I’m going to do the same at the back. I’ve been coming to this for a few years now. Nantes, and I’d never been inside the Saint-Félix canal lock. It’s cool. It’s impressive. She can tell something’s going on there. The old branch of the Loire, which disappeared when Nantes was filled in, has given way to a marina right in the heart of the city. We’re rediscovering the city from a different perspective, one we’re not used to. A moss. Yeah, it’s even surprising to see the city like this. Yeah, it’s calmer, gentler, more serene, more beautiful. Even more beautiful. A little stroll in Nantes. A source of pleasure, the Loire has long been the muse of writers, painters, and travelers fascinated by this estuary that evolves with the tides. With his camera, Éric has also made the river his favorite subject. In the morning, there’s mist, and on one side, 30 Mou, which is more of an old-fashioned fishing village. On the other side, there’s the Île de Nant, industrial wastelands, and then on the other side, old buildings; it’s a city that has changed a lot. So it allows photographers to get a lot of very different images. Considered by Balzac to have the most beautiful sky in the world. At the end of the day, as the sun sets, the Loire reveals all its beauty. The Loire is always magical. Anyway, whether you get up in the morning or wait for sunset, there are always superb images to be taken. It’s just a matter of patience and having the patience to wait for the right light. That’s the whole point. From these rare and fleeting moments, Eric has taken new photos that add to his large collection of Loire landscapes. Now that’s what I call ” Hello.” That’s nice. Who’s the winner? So, for now, it’s 1-11. Okay. Tie. Are you a student here? Yes, we’re at ESMA, which is a school that does 3D animation, and we’re trained to make cartoons. And when you’re on break, you come here to play foosball. Absolutely. Student life in Nantes is great, isn’t it? Not bad, huh? It’s true, it’s not bad at all. Hello. Yes, hello. Can I help you? Yes, excuse me for bothering you. I’m looking for Olivier, a friend of mine. Olivier le Duran, the blacksmith. Well, that’s right. He told me to meet him at the canteen’s vegetable garden. Okay. So, it’ll be right next to the canteen behind. Okay. Very good. In any case, it’s very nice here. What’s the concept? Can we eat? Yes. Well, it’s a restaurant that’s open from the end of April to mid-October. So you have the restaurant on this side and here’s a bar, and you also have games like pétanque, and just so you know, the travel canteen is really nice. That’s it. Thank you very much. So you told me that’s where I get the soup. Thank you very much. Goodbye. Ah, there’s the green man. And hi Olivier. You’ve got me, haven’t you? Yes. How are you? How have you been since the other day? Yes, everything’s fine. You must have your hands in the soil. What are you digging there? We’re preparing the ground. We’ve just finished harvesting the lettuce. He says there’s always something covering the ground. Oh yeah, this is really the ultimate urban vegetable garden. Yes, and it’s more than a vegetable garden, we call it a vegetable garden but really, it’s an agricultural space. We’re talking about urban agriculture here. I’m a farmer by trade, so I work in the countryside, I work in open fields, and well, we have this 2000 m² plot right in the city. And it’s true that with the urban agriculture trend, I thought it would be interesting for us farmers to leave the countryside and come to the city to show what we do and explain how we work. That’s what led me to be here. I’d really like you to give me a tour because I’ve already seen some lovely lettuces, pretty little tomatoes, and beautiful flowers. The idea is that it’s an experimental garden. That means we’re always introducing new things, even though we’re in the heart of the city. And here, We’ve brought back fruit diversity, especially with these trees. Each tree is a different variety, including old apple and pear varieties. There’s a lovely pear tree here, isn’t there? Yes, exactly. Greenery is returning to the heart of cities. There’s a real momentum around it. And people need to recharge, reconnect with their roots, and perhaps get back in touch with nature. That’s it. And in Nant, we have a very strong history with plants. Market gardening developed with the port in the 18th century to supply the ships, especially the sailors who went to sea for several weeks. Well, we have a professionalization of gardeners who have become market gardeners. And what do you have here? Well, we have radishes, and I also have to deliver to Chef Je Guo who’s right next door. So, delivery now, Sophie. Yes. So, we’re back at the Quai des Antilles. Yeah. Just the Antilles, with Buren and Bouchin’s rings next to them. Yeah. The idea is to revisit the chains that bound the slaves who worked the slaves. Exactly. So here, you can see the historical side with the crane from the old Bijon shipyards , and there’s a slipway that allowed the boat leaving the shipyard to reach the Loire. We’re arriving at Jean-Yves Gu’s place. And, well, at this hour, he must be in the vegetable garden. So, the Atlantis vegetable garden, and with a chef. Hi friends, I’m coming. Hello chef. Let’s kiss. Let’s kiss. Let’s kiss. Hello chef. Very good. Nice to meet you, Jean-Yves . Me too. Do you have them in the vegetable garden? What are you harvesting there? Listen, I’m picking green beans. Oh yeah, they’re beautiful. You see? Ah, magnificent. Hm! They’re delicious. Delicious. Very good. It’s very, very good. It’s such a pleasure for you to be in this vegetable garden after the market, you see, I spend my little hour harvesting, looking around a bit, loosening the soil a little, watering if necessary. Olivier explained to me how to loosen all this. And then when you’re in the kitchen, things get serious. Right? Oh yes, it’s different. There, we change outfits. We take off the blue apron, we put on the white one, and then we go into the kitchen. Yeah, but it’s something else. And so, with seasonal produce, seasonal vegetables. There you go, from the garden. And right now, you can cook these beans. And if you like, let’s go. Let’s go into the kitchen. OK. Oh well, with great pleasure. Oh my. I never refuse to go into a chef’s kitchen, especially when they have a Michelin star. Come on in front, please. So we’ve arrived in the inner sanctum. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello. Here’s your brigade. Yeah. There you go. Here’s the kitchen of Atlantis. Okay, what are you going to do with these beautiful beans, Chef? Well, I’m going to prepare them with sardine fillets. I’m going to make raw sardine fillets cooked with green beans, eggplant, radishes, and a little bit of leek. Just to explain the eggplant caviar, I took the eggplants cut in half, scored them, drizzled them with olive oil, seasoned them with fleur de sel, mignonette pepper, and chives. We put them in the oven for about twenty minutes. So, the eggplant caviar after cooking. Then, the idea is to purée it. I ‘ll take care of that. Okay. No need to be too smooth, too strong, okay? So, this is the zucchini. So, we’ll plate this up a bit. This is a pastry chef’s method using a piping bag, but you can also do it with a spoon. This is my favorite part, the tasting part. Okay, let’s get started, all three of us. So, I’m going to add a little bit of emulsion, a little bit of emulsion, with the fans of rad. There you go, it’s sublime, isn’t it? You can really taste the crispness of the vegetables. They’re perfectly cooked, even here. You have cooked and raw, that’s what’s interesting. We can work with the freshness. Olivier, I imagine that when you taste this beautiful plate, you know why you get up in the morning to produce good vegetables that end up on beautiful plates. Yeah. What’s interesting is that, well, I do my job with passion, and I’m also passionate. And from farm to fork, we combine these two passions and we get things like this. And there you have it, we enjoy ourselves. Yes, we enjoy ourselves. We give pleasure to people. We really want to give pleasure, but we also receive it. Yeah, you can feel it. But I ‘ll raise a glass to your health, by the way. What shall we drink with that? Of course. Thank you. Thank you very much. Hello. Hello. Welcome to the SOS Hotel. Thank you. I’ve booked a room in Sophie’s name. In Sophie’s name, you’ll also give me your key. Perfect. Thank you very much. In any case, it’s not your average hotel, is it? A chapel hotel. And you’re the one who started all this? Yes, absolutely. So, we bought this chapel. It’s a 19th-century chapel. Okay. But it’s not a consecrated church anymore, is it? Oh no, not at all. It’s become a very quiet hotel. Very nice. Oh yes, it’s surprising, isn’t it? So, to admire the stained-glass windows, I have a front-row seat. Nant, the town with the S park, squirrel, and garden. From the very start of the day, many Nant residents are already enjoying this gentle way of life, amidst the centuries-old trees. Let’s close our eyes. Inhale. Exhale. Far ahead, then towards the ground. And savor this moment. Give this moment to your body. Let it sink into the earth. It’s for these moments of relaxation, just steps from the town center, that Mary chose to settle in Nant about ten years ago. Yoga is a practice you can take anywhere. Especially here in Nant, we really have this opportunity to create little havens like this in the heart of the city and to reconnect with nature. And what’s more, with yoga, breathing exercises, and breath control, we really come to enjoy it to the fullest. Try to maintain this state. Keep it for the rest of the day. With 37 square meters of green space per inhabitant, Nant ranks among the greenest cities in France. Often colorful, sometimes surprising, vegetation now colonizes unusual spaces like this former foundry transformed into an exotic plantation. Once an industrial city, Nant has become an experimental garden for landscape architects and botanists. In the center of an eco-district under construction, this imposing wooden block hides a roof that one might think is neglected. And yet, specialists are keeping a close eye on it. These are grids on which I have the names of the plants that are likely to be present here. And so, we’re going to check if these plants are indeed present. There are always surprises. Along the winding paths, a landscape of dunes and heathland typical of the Nantes coastline unfolds, forming a natural barrier around the schoolyard. The green roofs retain water, thus cooling the urban environment, and also act as a kind of coat for the building, keeping it warm in winter and cool in summer. The Loire River is right here, and the Loire in Nant represents the confluence of the river and the ocean. This landscape was born from that idea. We thought, let’s bring back to Nant, just as history tells of the sea being brought to Nant, and we brought back the coastal landscape. To recreate this landscape, more than 200 coastal species were collected and replanted here. Today, nature is the sole gardener. Here, you can see all of these young plants. These are young sand everlasting plants that have naturally established themselves in this environment. So this is a second generation. It’s also when the environment begins to thrive on its own. As on the Atlantic coast, the wind and birds, in turn, bring new species that benefit from this protected habitat. While this small dune in the city is developing through self-management, further afield in the Nantes metropolitan area, work is needed to bring glass back into the neighborhood. And it is in this impasse that a few The residents have found a solution. Brigitte, Jean-Paul, Christine, and Claudine are hard at work. On the site of what was supposed to be a new apartment building, the neighborhood residents are rediscovering the pleasure of getting their hands dirty. We’ll see what we can keep, what we can use. We’re tackling a big project here. You should know that this used to be a vacant lot. We’ll have to try and break up the surface a little, it’s very hard. Oh well, this garden is for us, we’ve been here for 30 years, more than 30 years even. It’s vital. There you go, this is the big plot of land. The card-making thing, we leave that when it rains. It’s always been a dream. I used to live in the countryside, I had a garden. After a separation, I ended up in an apartment and I always said I’d go back to the countryside. But I never did. So here, right at my doorstep, it’s perfect. People can really make this space their own. In fact, for many, it’s like a second home. The climate is also perfect for it since we don’t have particularly harsh winters. It’s market country, you know, definitely the Nantes region. That’s where you get the famous Nantes carrots, lamb’s lettuce, you know, all that kind of produce. So I think that’s pretty ingrained in the people’s mentality. Here around the old mill, the neighbors love each other much more than just fruits and vegetables. They, who didn’t know each other, imagined a haven of peace together. Look, Ti, where are there loads of them? Big ones? And Lilou eats a lot of raspberries every day, you know. Yes. And yesterday, she made jam with her mom. Yeah. Wait, there are tomatoes, raspberries, and figs that I picked along with some herbs. There you go. And on top of that, we gardened them. It’s great. That’s the result of our work. A gathering place, a space reserved for rest and relaxation. Green spaces naturally punctuate the lives of Nantes residents of all ages. Ah. Hello Hélène. Hello Sophie. I’m so glad to be here. No, I’m already happy to meet you, my dear Hélène, and I’m delighted to be here because I ‘m going to be able to discover the famous Machines of the Isle. You can’t come to Nant without seeing these absolutely extraordinary machines. Well, it’s definitely a must-see. You crossed the Loure River to join us, I believe. That’s right. Well, yes, because we’re on the Isle of Nant here, and these giant animals occupy the city’s former shipyards. Okay. So, you’ll show me all this. Oh, with pleasure. And so, here’s the gallery. And here are your colleagues. Exactly. This spider is very impressive, anyway. Yeah. Well, it’s clearly the most imposing and complex machine we’ve had delivered to the gallery since the beginning of the project. So, here we come with the traveling ant transporter. But that’s what I should be traveling with. Oh, that’s for sure. And you can take people with you because it’s a family model with 5 seats. So, how does it work? Tell me. Well, it’s not very complicated. Actually , there’s a rolling chassis, you see, that allows you to move the puppet. My colleague Leslie is in charge of that with the big remote control over there. Oh yes, actually it’s with a joystick, right? That’s it. Come see the girls. Pardon? Hello. Ex. Hello. Hi. Oh yes, actually it looks almost simple like that. You just have one or two little joysticks to make it move. When I push left, I turn left, and when I push right, the ant turns right. Ah, that’s brilliant! It’s the puppeteers who bring the animal to life. And what’s the purpose of these babies here? Actually, this hangar is just a place for them to pass through. We call the gallery our laboratory gallery, so we ‘re kind of like lab technicians. We’re here to really test the machines. The goal, well, is to install them in their final habitat. So, well, this will be a giant tree. The tree you’re talking about, that’s the one, the Heron Tree. Yeah, the Heron Tree, the big project coming in 2022. And, uh, so it’s going to be right next to the Jules Verne Museum in a future garden that we’ll probably call the Extraordinary Garden, echoing Jules Verne’s extraordinary novel. So the Heron Tree, it’s there. Well, at least here’s one. So this one is our prototype, actually, on a smaller scale. Uh, this one’s half scale. So we’d have to try to imagine a much larger aircraft than that. And that’s what we’ll have at the Tree SIM in 2022. Sophie, have you ever flown in a Heron Tree? Oh no, never. No, would you like to start the day off right now? I’d love to . Yeah. OK. Okay, well, listen, I’m climbing up here. You climb into the gondola. Perfect. Oh my! Ah, that was my first Hélane Heron flight. Thank you so much! Ah, there you go, well done. Now, an elephant water ride. Not just any elephant. Oh no, a 12-meter, 50-ton elephant. He’s our oldest. Yeah, he’s kind of the star of the show, you have to admit. How old is he? He’s a little over 11 years old, right? He celebrated his 11th birthday this summer. Oh, and he draws a crowd, doesn’t he? Yeah, it can get up to 800,000 visitors a year. Okay. Yeah. Well then, listen, let’s go. Here we go. Hello. Hello. Ah, it feels like we’re traveling around the world in 80 days, like we’re being swept away by fog. But it’s crazy because, you see, when you’re up there at the top of the elephant, it all seems normal. Absolutely natural that this elephant is almost alive, completely like you said, it’s normal, at least for the Nan and the Nanzes, it’s their elephant, you know? There you go, it’s part of life here. Okay, let’s go to the carousel now. With pleasure. Come on. Oh, I can’t wait to admire these machines. They’re all more beautiful than the next. I’m really very happy to have discovered this dreamlike, magical world with you. In any case, a thousand thanks for introducing me to this extraordinary world. I’m really delighted to be here and to meet you. Thank you for coming to visit us, it was a pleasure. Across 2,000 hectares, a vast checkerboard reflects a multicolored landscape. Bathed in the morning light, the salt marshes of Guérande have been patiently shaped by the salt workers. These men, and more recently a few women, are reproducing age-old techniques. Essentially, you have to create a delicate wave. It’s this wave that will roll the salt to the bottom. In this grand puzzle, at 51, Brigitte has finally found the missing piece. More than a career change, this manual labor in the heart of nature was a dream come true. What I still feel is the calming, peaceful aspect. You forget you’re working. Brigitte is one of the small-scale producers. She manages 26 salt pans, or “secret salt,” entirely on her own. “I’m happy to produce salt because, well, it’s the most basic thing in the world. It’s a very simple product. All you need is seawater, sun, and wind. It’s a healthy product. The unique thing here is that it’s a salt that’s harvested entirely by hand.” You could almost say it goes straight from the salt pan to the plate, since there’s no chemical treatment, no washing. Well, there’s only one left. In the salt marshes, more than anywhere else, the weather dictates the rhythm. When the sun and wind are out, 7 days a week, the salt workers are busy. At 28, Juliette, Brigitte’s daughter, has also embarked on the salt-making adventure. Before starting her training, she’s already managing this small salt pan, and the first harvest is promising. It’s quite exhilarating. I’m quite proud. It’s true that you really want to make it grow throughout the season. You see all the effort rewarded. Well, that’s something I still need to learn. It’s good to be able to climb a mound properly. But it seems you’re always learning. Even after 20 years, you’re still learning things in the salt marshes. So I still have a lot to learn. On the Guérande peninsula, nearly 300 salt workers cultivate this white gold that has become the emblem of an entire region. The road that winds through the marshes is now a must-see for tourists who come to discover the magic of salt or simply leave with the precious product. Lemon salt, curry salt, Provençal herb salt. It’s salt that comes from the saltworks behind here. 500g, €10 per kilo. Well, 500g. 500g. There you go. And it works. You get that original taste of the sea, I think. There you go, you feel a bit useful for these people who work so hard. It’s short supply chains, they’re good supply chains, actually. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. Goodbye. While the salt marsh landscape may seem unchanging, it nearly disappeared in the 1970s, coveted by industrialists and property developers. A few salt workers then joined forces to defend their traditional craft by creating an agricultural cooperative. Year after year, the small operation has transformed into a gigantic processing facility where 75% of Guérande salt production passes through. Modernization has also been necessary, as we’ve enjoyed considerable success over the last thirty years. Today, we’re reaching volumes of around 12,000 tons per year, and to process this kind of volume, we’re forced to use a certain amount of mechanization, while still maintaining a completely natural product. So, here we are at the finished product warehouse. You have about a month’s worth of stock here. We’re now present on roughly three continents. We do roughly a third of our international business in Europe, a third in the Americas, and a third in Asia, which now represents about 20% of our sales. The reason for this success is that Guérande salt has moved from the tables of humble salt workers to those of great chefs who have elevated it to a gourmet product. Since we started with citrus fruits, we have the flavors of orange and grapefruit. I’m going to add a touch of fleur de sel with lime. These are the small fleur de sel crystals that we flavor ourselves. And we’ll sprinkle them like this. When they come into contact with the product, they’ll melt onto the meat or fish and really infuse it with their aroma. You get subtle notes of clay, and there are many plants that grow throughout the salt marshes. All of this inevitably influences the taste of the salt. It’s truly an extraordinary product. Prized worldwide, this white gold is the result of meticulous work in harmony with nature. As long as there are chefs and salt workers, the marshes will remain a unique protected area. Come on, let’s turn it over on Eugénie. Hello. Whoa, I’m coming in here, critical. Hi. You’ve arrived just in time to help us? Yeah, well, there you go, that’s it. It’s heavy, tell me. How are you, Anna? Yeah, I’m fine. A bit heavy. Yeah, I’m happy to see you and your friends from the Nantes rowing club again. Well, we’re delighted to have you too. Yeah, I’m listening to this, I didn’t think I’d be helping you out like this, but here we are. Ah, you’re going to do more than just help us out. We found you, we found a spot especially for you. Oh really? With us in the boat. Yeah, but a little less physically demanding than us. That might work for you. Yeah, thank you. Yeah, that’s the coxswain’s job. Yeah. I don’t know if you’re familiar with it. So tell me all about it. This boat is called a “violet.” In a violet, there are four rowers and a coxswain who’s in charge of steering. Okay. I hope I’ll be a good coxswain, huh? It’s my first time doing this. Let’s get the weights on, girls. Yes. Yes. There you go. And whenever you’re ready. So, what you can tell us is, it’s ready everywhere. Okay. Ready everywhere. And off we go. So , you tell me what I have to do, right? So, to go straight, you keep the line taut on both sides. Okay? If you want to turn one way or the other, you push your hand on the side you want to go. We always have to stay to the right, right? It’s like on the road. Like on the road. Be careful because they’re not going the right way. Yeah, we have to stay at the hostel, please, because we can’t see where we’re going. There are waves now. Oh, we’ve taken on water. Wait, we’re taking on water now. We can paddle at least 15 km with more and more greenery, castles, and we see landscapes that few people have the chance to see. From the other side, we’re on the Herdre River. I think it was François who said it was one of the most beautiful rivers in France. Yes, because it’s said to be one of the most beautiful river basins in France. How old were you when you started, Anna? I started at 13. Before that, I did classical dance. I wanted an outdoor sport, and I’d only recently started. So I discovered HRDE (Herdre River Sports and Leisure) and it made me want to try it. And in Nant, you really found the ideal club. It’s the top French club for the last four years. And it’s a competitive club. That’s what I wanted. It was about competition. Yeah. So, tell me a little bit about your experience at the World Championships. We managed to win that silver medal. So it was incredibly emotional. It was a bit of a dream come true because I’ve always seen international rowers at the club. They’re wonderful memories, yes, many. Coming home as vice-world champion, you’ve joined the big leagues. Hello Gonel. Hello Sophie. It’s a pleasure to meet you in such a beautiful place. Did you find it easily? Well, yes, it’s actually quite easy to find the castles of the Dukes of Brittany. It’s very imposing, isn’t it? It’s true that Duke Francis I decided to build a real fortified castle and, above all, established his palace there with its large Flamboyant Gothic windows, which allow for beautiful light in all the large rooms. So, Francis I is the father of Anne of Brittany. Anne of Brittany left her mark here. She took advantage of it after the death of her first husband, Charlu. She came back, she actually expanded her father’s buildings and created a harmony between them all. It’s moving, isn’t it, because there are six centuries of history here. Exactly. Ah, the view is superb. Yes, you see, Sophie, this is where you can see the full scale of the buildings and a castle, quite imposing. After all, we’re in a Brittany that was still independent, facing a King of France who would very much like to reclaim this territory. Well, the Duke decided to build a castle worthy of his rank, of Brittany’s wealth, of his power, with a magnificent residence and a fortified castle all around it. What’s hidden in this loggia? That’s what I wanted to show you. The graffiti, yes, carved centuries ago by prisoners. The balcony, which was supposed to be a parade ground, to show off, indeed, here in Brittany, was meant to greet the court, right? Exactly. Well, much later it was used as a prison cell, and so a number of men were imprisoned here . When you see these elements sculpted in a boss’s circle, you can tell the detention lasted quite a while. Oh yeah, definitely. You’re transporting me to another world here. Oh yes, we’re taking a big leap through time. We’re going from the medieval castle to the modern and contemporary era with this city history museum, which notably discusses the major industries of Nantes and the Lu factory. The Utile Fèvre. Yes. The Utile Fèvre, right? The family that made Nantes’ biscuit factories famous. That’s one of the things. Yes, that’s right, especially with the famous Petit Beurre biscuit, which you can see… Here’s the cookie cutter. If you count the little teeth, the little scallops, there are 48 because it takes 48 hours to make the biscuit and put it in the box. I didn’t know that. What a story these Petit Beurre biscuits are! We’ve all eaten them. A must-have in the streets of Nantes, its mischievous eyes invite you to indulge. Created in 1897, the image of the little boy has accompanied the afternoon snacks of several generations of children, young and old. Well, it’s our whole childhood. I’ve changed, but he hasn’t. Among these biscuits in their delightfully retro boxes, the iconic, genuine Petit Beurre Nantais comes in all shapes and sizes. It’s a timeless product. Both the wealthy and those outside Nantes really want to take home a souvenir, a Petit Beurre product. To discover the secrets of the longevity of this biscuit with its four irresistible little corners, you have to delve into the city’s past. In the mid-19th century, in an era focused on maritime trade, the love story of two pastry chefs, Jean-Romain Lefèvre and Isabelle Utile, gave birth to the famous Petit Beurre brand. In 1882, Louis Lefèvre Utile, the ambitious youngest member of the family, took over the business, determined to revolutionize the French biscuit. One day in 1886, he embarked on an extremely simple recipe: flour, butter, sugar, and milk. For the shape, the entrepreneur drew inspiration from a lace apron belonging to his grandmother. The true Petit Beurre was born, and its success was immediate. The product’s image is playful, featuring Lefèvre with his children, a smile, and a touch of indulgence. It’s a quintessential object of temptation. So, it’s something that inspires desire and continues to inspire it to this day. The visionary industrialist used to say that to awaken desire, nothing beats appealing to the eye. A saying he would also apply to the construction of his new project. To keep pace with the buns that everyone was clamoring for, the factory expanded and moved to the banks of the Loire, opposite the castle. Right in the heart of Nant, the two buildings engaged in a battle of wits. Here, we clearly see how the company was glorified with this tower, its decorations, the signs of the zodiac, the gilded elements, and the statue of Fame, which has been affixed by the manufacturer as the brand’s logo since the 1860s. So, we’re dealing with an object that isn’t a purely technical object. This tower serves no purpose in the industrial process. It’s there purely to create a sense of monumentality, with the two towers acting as both gateways—factory gate and city gate—simultaneously. In 1974, LU production was moved to the outskirts of the city. Only one of the two towers narrowly escaped demolition. The former factory of this delightful treat then discovered a new and unexpected purpose. In the 1980s, this section was somewhat taken over, becoming a kind of cultural squat, and in 2000, this space reopened as the heart of Le Lieu Unique, Nantes’ national theater and contemporary cultural center. Now, this space is primarily used for exhibitions, performances, and major events. A symbol of the city, the two letters now designate Le Lieu Unique. Far from the buttery aromas of the past, the factory has become a workshop of the imagination. But if there’s one thing that has never changed, it’s the taste of these golden biscuits. In his bistro, chef Christophe François plays with this popular ingredient to create a pan-fried apple and ginger dish with a Petit Beurre crumble. 100g pack of Petit LU biscuits. And then, we indulge ourselves, we crush them into large pieces to find those little chunks inside because it’s fun, they fall onto your teeth and crunch. I think it’s more than important to celebrate the Petit Lu biscuit in our city of Nantes, and it represents so many little biscuits, necklaces that have been eaten and devoured, and that ultimately all the customers, deep down, remember, “Hey, that’s…” Something I’ll eat in my afternoon snack, and that we also find at the table in our desserts. In over 130 years of existence, the Petit Beurre biscuit hasn’t aged a day. Every year, 6,400 tons are sold, and one in four French households is tempted by this little piece of nostalgia. Hi François. Hi Sophie, how are you? Is the news good? I see you reading your newspaper. Ah, the weather is excellent. Very good. Listen, I’m very happy to be with you because you’re going to be the perfect travel companion to discover this magnificent city of Nantes, which we’ll also explore a bit by boat because we’re right at the confluence of the Loire, the Herdre, and the Sèvre Nantes rivers. And it’s true, not very far from the Atlantic Ocean. The reason I’m telling you all this is that, at 54 km, I’m stirring up your inner sailor here. Yes, I’d say it runs in the family, since my paternal grandfather went to the Hydrographic School to get his captain’s certificate on the Longcourt in Nant in 1905, and my son has the same diploma as he did about ten years ago. So, with you, it’s a Breton who’s going to show me around. Nant. Okay, let’s get straight to the point. Nant isn’t in Brittany, or at least it’s no longer in Brittany. Ah well, that was a very heated debate indeed. Nevertheless, we still have some iconic Breton monuments here, like the Château des Ducs de Bretagne (Castle of the Dukes of Brittany), the Cour des Comptes de Bretagne (Court of Accounts of Brittany), which is now the prefecture. And in the Middle Ages, Nant was called the “Eye of Brittany” because it was on the Loire River and could see the entire Kingdom of France from this strategic location. So, we’re really in a very beautiful place, François. Absolutely. We’re in the Passage Pomery, which is considered one of the five most beautiful covered passages in Europe and has been a listed historical monument since 1976. Yes, it was built between 1840 and 1843 at the initiative of Monsieur Pa, who ruined it, but it kept his name. It allows passage from the lower town, Rue de la Fosse, to the upper town in a place that mixes shops and apartments. The staircase comes from the same foundry as the fountain in Place Royale: Voruse, a very important Nantes foundry, to which we also owe quite a few of Paris’s manhole covers. If you look, it will say “VUS foundry in Nantes.” Okay. Well, listen, my dear Sophie, we’re going to stop at La Cigale, an iconic Nantes brasserie. You’ll be able to try a Nantes specialty, the famous gâteau d’an (year’s cake). Oh dear, you’re tugging at my heartstrings! Hello. Hello, sir. Hello. I’m fascinated by the decor. Yes. Oh yes, I find it very beautiful. It’s a beautiful decor with lots of different fancy materials. It’s very rich. Yes. Yeah. When exactly was it built? It was inaugurated on April 1st, 1895. Oh yes, indeed. Well, we came here to try the Nantel Ghetto. Do you have some, miss? Yes. Good, we’ll try that then. Very well, madam. Thank you. I love this place. It’s a place where people come to be seen, to see, and also to taste because it’s true that it’s good and the staff is very friendly. So here it is, the serrated cake in its original form. So there you have it, the almond sponge cake which is soaked beforehand in white wine and at the end, we add the icing sugar. Okay. At the last moment, and here’s the poor lady. Perfect. And here, sir? Thank you. Thank you very much. You’re welcome, and enjoy . Thank you very much. Here we go, let’s get started. Well, I think so. Yeah. Ah, you can definitely taste the R, but it’s quite subtle. Hultra is good. In any case, we’ve already had a good walk around the streets of Nantes. So we’re reviving ourselves with this delicious Nantes cake. Absolutely. Oh my, I feel like I’ve been on a great trip. We’re at home. There you go, I live here. I’ve been in this neighborhood since 1977. So when you arrive here, you can’t miss this lovely advertisement for Petit Beurre biscuits, right? Yes. Well, for us it’s a memory of the The filming of the movie “La Reine Blanche” by a local, Jean-Louis Hubert, took place here. This film recreates the atmosphere of the 1960s, based on a true story that took place around the Nant carnival. The film boasted a prestigious cast, including Catherine de Neuf, Richard Boring, and Bernard Girodu. Yes, Jean Carmet. So, I imagine there were lots of people from the 30s who were extras. Absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah. And this was traditionally a fishing district. Exactly. In the 17th century, when the merchants decided to develop the quayside, to extend the port of Nant downstream, they had to relocate an entire community of fishermen who lived there. They crossed over with their boats, families, and belongings to settle on this sandbank and create this village of 30s. Now, this small architectural detail that’s very interesting is this hook that you can see at the top. Well, these hooks were used to get furniture upstairs when the Loire River flooded. Every year, there were about 15 days of flooding where people actually lived with water in the streets. Children went to school by boat, mail carriers delivered their mail by boat, and this continued until 1952. Sophie, here’s the Pendulum Hangar where the new generation of 30 craftsmen and artists are working with materials, and so I’m going to leave you in Swasi’s expert hands. Okay. And I’ll see you soon on my boat. Oh, well, I’ll meet you on your boat. Thank you for everything, François. You’re welcome. Goodbye. See you later. It’s a pleasure. Hello. Is that you, Swasi? No, she’s here. Okay, thank you very much. Hello Swasi. Hello. It was François who sent me a long-time resident of 30 who told me I had to come visit this workshop. Oh yeah, I’m delighted to meet you. Was I bothering you? No, what are you doing? No, no, no, printing linocuts, actually. Yeah, they were linocuts not so long ago. You see, you put your little piece of paper, well, a little bit of water on the medium. Yeah. Little piece of paper, like a stamp, actually. And then it prints. Oh yes, it’s very pretty. And there you go. And these are my little women’s backs. They’re so cute. New collection. I saw that there were lots of people, lots of different activities. Actually, there are about fifteen of us artists and craftspeople. Okay. And the project was created in 2012 with the aim of having shared workshops to collaborate and bring artistic projects together. Want to show me around? Yeah, sure. I saw some lovely things here. So, here we have Anaïs, who’s a mosaic and fresco artist. And this is Julie, the upholsterer from the workshop. Okay. Very good. So you can reupholster all kinds of furniture . Anything to do with fabric in a house is my specialty. Okay. And Sophie, I’d like you to meet Clovis, the luthier from the workshop. Hello Clovis. Hello. Are we interrupting? Excuse me? No, no, not at all. What exactly are you doing? I’m bending ribs for a lute. Okay. It’s easy to work alongside a stonemason, a metal sculptor, and a painter. Well, it allows for a lot of mutual support, and we’re currently exchanging some boards with Robin. We’re swapping quite a few materials, especially precious woods and other steels. Yeah. So there are quite a few exchanges possible between each trade. Okay, I won’t bother you any longer, you know, because you have work to do. Anyway, thanks. Thanks for having us. Well, I’ll let you enjoy the workshop and take Sophie for a walk, and thanks for coming anyway. Listen, thank you for the welcome. My pleasure. See you soon. See you soon. There you go, it’s Sasique. An hour from Nant, time seems to have stopped in these wild lands. The second largest marsh in France, after the Camargue, the Briè marsh is slowly awakening. A mosaic of meadows and reedbeds unfolds across this vast expanse of water where silence reigns supreme. In perfect harmony with nature, each inhabitant travels by Chalan, the local boat. It’s a marsh that remains very secluded, partly because it’s only accessible via Chalon; it’s a small natural gem. And so, for those who are nature lovers and naturalists, here they find ample opportunity to study the remarkable flora and fauna. Mathieu and Alice, the marsh’s biodiversity manager, take advantage of the first light to observe migratory birds. “Along the edge of the marsh, we have teals here in the lowest parts of the reserve. And I think they’ll be heading up soon.” Alice, “I think they’re coming up. Good, I ‘ve got them. Good. Fifty on the left, and then a group of about seventy or eighty that went off to the right.” The best way to admire these wild ducks is to get a little closer to the sky. Hello Pauline. Hello sir. Hi. Pauline, what did you see there this morning? Well, this morning there were snipe, groups of lapwings, and then shovelers. Hm. This marsh is for the spawning and feeding of these birds. We have an important role to play in the preservation of these birds. That’s why, uh, it’s to preserve this natural heritage that the Brière Regional Natural Park was created. Spanning 20,000 hectares, the Brière marsh is home to about twenty towns nestled in a verdant setting. Come on, let’s go, girls. Come on, come on. The Michelin-starred chef Eric Guérin has set up his restaurant there, as close as possible to the fauna and flora. How are you? Yeah, very good. Yeah. Ah, I’m so happy to go fishing. Doing good and the weather’s nice. Far from the hustle and bustle of the kitchen, he goes out onto the water to find his inspiration, accompanied by his fisherman friend. It does me good. I get some fresh air. Coming here, for me, is essential, it’s my roots. It’s the beginning of the whole story that turned my life upside down, changed my life, and led me to come and give up everything to live here. Arriving at the age of 16 for a hunting trip with his father, this man from Toulouse never left the marsh. Like every resident of Brière, he legally shares ownership and management, a unique status in France. Okay, let’s get this net in. Me, I’m a Brière resident by adoption, you could say. And then there’s Michel, he’s a native, and ultimately, today, the Brière is opening up to the future, and I think we’re managing to understand each other and do things together. Of course, we’re all communal, we don’t have individual plots, no land. It’s just one big garden where we can fish, hunt, wherever we want. It’s a great freedom. Of course. Of course. We’ll take our time. Ah, there’s a big pike. There’s a big pike. A carp. Oh, a beautiful carp. Look how beautiful it is. Magnificent. There are some carp here. Are you keeping the carp? No, you release them afterward. Put them back in the water. We have pike to eat blood. We’re not going to eat the carp. We have refined palates. It’s pleasant. Now the sun is coming out and then immediately the light changes. The colors, the contrasts, the sky meeting the water which finally meets the land. And all of that really inspires me in my cooking. And when I see what we did this morning, all I want to do is go cook the fish right there, fresh as it is. I have various herbs that evoke that very marshy, vegetal feel. I mean, plant-like. I’m recreating my own little secret garden around the fish. What I’m trying to reproduce on the plate is to bring back all its life, everything it needs to eat, to live, to reproduce, so that it’s a little bit like another little marsh where no one would come looking for it. On the plate, as on the land, the Brière marsh is a true playground for its inhabitants. Have you chosen your weapons? With their gold-digger look, Jean-Henry and Vimala explore The riches buried deep within the marsh. An unusual activity that cultivates a certain mystique. Right now, I’m searching for tree trunks from this ancient forest that was where the tides are today, 5,000 years ago. So, 5,000 years ago, the trunks fell one by one during storms. They were eaten away by the soil and they’re waiting for us. So now, we have to find them. Ah, there we go, that’s it. But I don’t know if it’s really that good, but there’s something there. In any case, if Jean-Henri is reviving his trees, it’s to give them a new life. From this wood in the process of fossilization, called morta, he makes knife handles. So there we go, we’re starting to see the trunk. But just because we can see it doesn’t mean it’s out. My two index fingers are touching, and that’s pure bliss. To extract this precious material, this cutler uses a unique technique. Each log of bog oak unearthed is always the culmination of hard work because it’s not something that can be done easily. And to think that it spent 5,000 years nestled in its natural sarcophagus and that it finally emerges into the light— that’s something. Of course, a bog oak knife isn’t indestructible. Just because the wood is 5,000 years old and of great quality doesn’t make it stronger or more resistant than any other. But what makes them special is that they are made with a great deal of love and passion, and with a deadly knife in your pocket, you carry a little bit of immortality and a little bit of the Brière marshes with you. Well done. Whether they are passionate about birds, gastronomy, or knives, these men and women know how to listen to the marsh. Filled with a sense of freedom, he continues to write the history of this fertile land. Hi François. Hi Sophie. How are you? I’m very well. Give me your hand. I’ll start. I was lucky enough to see the Loire and the Herdre. And now, with you, I want to see the Sèvre. Well, let’s go then. So, off we go, Captain, a lovely spot of greenery and nature just a few kilometers from Nantes, eh? Well, what I love about this river is that we’re already fully immersed in Southern Europe. Whereas on the other side of the Loire, 8 km away, we’re in Northern Europe, eh? Slate roofs, cider, and here, Roman tile roofs and then the vineyards. There you have it. Traditionally, was this river a trade route or not at all? Oh, well, it’s a very important route for the wines of Nantes, eh? There’s no wine known without a river to carry it. The main waterway for Muscades is the Sèvre and Maine. And so, at any time of the tide, we can transport heavy loads. First the wine, and then also the stone. So, I see you’ve planned a skiff. That’s in case I want to get away. I’m going for a little jaunt. I’m leaving with the little boat behind. Absolutely. If you’re passing by, we’ll put you in and that way, we’ll go. It’s a boat I built over 13 years as a builder. I built 400 boats. My ambition was to revive boating as it existed on the rivers. So, a local, green leisure activity. And when we were on the boats, we sang songs of sailors that my grandfather taught me. How many songs are there? Attention, sailors’ songs, my friend! It’s now. What was the sailor’s song about? Well, I don’t know what we could say, Jean-François de Nant for example. Go ahead. It’s Jean-François de Nante. Yeah, yeah. The most beautiful servant at the Jeanfranouis mess. But it’s true that when you see a notebook or a book about sailor’s songs , practically every other song is about Nant. Since Nant at that time was the leading port in France, even in Europe, passing through Nant, stopping in Nant to see the girls of Nantes, having a drink in Nant, is something extremely important in the minds of French sailors. Well, listen Sophie, I’ll drop you off there at the castle nearby. It’s one of the estates which makes one of the 25 best Muscadrbel wines. A great place then, and it’s a 20-year-old woman. If you arrive, ask for Aurore. Thank you for everything anyway, François, you have my deepest gratitude and mine in return. Hello, hello Sophie, hello Aurore. François sent me. Yes, I know. Hello Mom. Delighted to meet you. Hello Sophie. Delighted to welcome you to the local castle at the corner of the two rivers. Corner of the two rivers. And it’s an extraordinary place. In fact, the castle represents several periods. It has a medieval foundation with the dovecote, which is a listed building. There’s a very significant 18th-century influence with the Nantac shipowners who remodeled it. A 19th-century influence with all the turrets and pepperpot roofs. It’s a story of a woman, isn’t it? Is that right? Ah, a story of a woman? Yes, because if you like, I was certainly one of the first women in the vibrant city of Nantes to run a vineyard, and my daughter joined me in 2011 after finishing her oenology studies. It’s true that now, well, the torch will be passed on to the women. Ah, that’s good. That’s good. Here, we’re right in the middle of Muscadet fever. It could only be in Loir-et-Atlantique, in the Nantes region. Uh, and you see, what’s important is that the grapes, what we call “vat grapes,” it’s true, they’re small, but they’re so concentrated, they’re tiny, but they’re packed with things. They’re full of sugar, they have all the acids we need to give structure to our wine in the bottle. Was it immediately obvious that you’d take over from your mother or not? Well, no. Oh no. Oh yeah. It was more the nose, perfumery actually, that interested me. Okay. You liked being born into perfume? Well, yeah, it’s true there was a creative side to it all too. And then, well, obviously the scent, and then, well, finally, well, look, a vineyard, but look, the wind, it smells good too, all that, and then it worked out on the estate. So now we’re getting into our historical background on the bottle labels. We see Muscadé Sèvre and “sur lit sur lit,” which is actually a sediment that appears after alcoholic fermentation . It’s dead yeast, actually, since it’s eaten all the sugar from the juice, which has now become wine, and it settles to the bottom of the vat. So, being afraid of this sediment? No. That ‘s it. Ah, so here’s someone who isn’t afraid of sediment. But where are we now ? This isn’t the bride’s wine at all. We’re talking about this year’s wine, Millésim 2018. Okay. So, it ends here, and we’ll find all these fruit aromas. Oh, it’s true, it’s very fruity. Ah, it’s all about the fruit, the deliciousness. Yeah, completely. That’s because it’s not fully fermented. So we still have the sugar and all the fruit, really like grape juice. It’s what we actually call “bourru.” Uh, yeah, that’s right. Would you like to come and taste some Finistère wines, then, Mother? To say goodbye to your mother, after all. Come on, thank you very much. Thank you. There! Ah, that’s a pleasant sound. We’ve arrived at the right time. Véronique, what are you having us taste? Well, actually, a local Château Comte de Saintubert 2010, a very good year. Ah! Ah, wow! It’s already fabulous. Yeah, perfect, right? Well, fantastic, right. Nothing to say, nothing to say. Musquet des Power. Saer is the port of all voyages. The leading port on the French Atlantic coast. Its name evokes legendary ocean liners with a touch of the exotic. It was here that the Normandie, the France, and the Queen Mary 2 were born. Even today, these giants of the seas are launched from here, in search of distant horizons. With its 8,000 employees, the Saint-Azer shipyard is a true economic engine for the region. 24/7, the teams relax, and the shipyard manager begins his rounds aboard the Bellissima. My daily routine is to arrive early in the morning and do a general walkaround of the ship. The ship, which had been somewhat dormant, He sees all his workers arriving. So, there will be roughly 1,800 to 2,000 people coming to work on the ship today. It’s a pretty nice working environment to have this view; when you can enjoy this landscape, this work environment, it’s a real bonus. This cruise ship, worth close to a billion euros, will be one of the largest European ships. In six months, it will set sail with 5,500 people on board. Here, we’re in the heart of the ship. So, we’re in what’s called the Triom. This is the ship’s reception area. It’s the first place passengers see. It’s a truly iconic place that will define the signature of the cruise ship. A place like this, completely empty, without any visible structure, is a real technological challenge. From workshop construction to launching, the Bellissima will have required two years of work. With this beautiful package, Bertrans marks its sixth completion. It’s a bit like raising a child. You take care of them. They bring us a lot of worries, a lot of hassles. It’s almost a daily stress. It’s a huge satisfaction to see them leave, and I think I still have a few decades left to work at the shipyard. I can’t even imagine the ships we’ll be building in 15 or 20 years, innovation is so fast. We’ve lost count of the speed and size records broken by the ocean liners launched from Saint-Nazaire. Ideally located on the Loire estuary and the Atlantic Ocean, the town became the outer port of Nantes in the 19th century. Its meteoric economic development was akin to a rush for order. The shipyards are fully integrated into French industrial history. 150 years of industrial activity that hasn’t stopped. Here, we don’t build ships in series; we build almost unique pieces. The Normandie was nicknamed the “elite’s ocean liner” because of its predominantly first-class cabins. It was undeniably luxurious, remarkable for its exceptional interior design , undoubtedly representing one of the pinnacles of Art Deco on board ships. During the first half of the 20th century, these “traveling machines” connected Le Havre to New York nonstop in five days—a record time. But with the rise of air travel, ships could no longer compete and had to reinvent themselves. From the 1980s onward, mass tourism paved the way for a new form of travel. Littoral ocean liners gave way to cruise ships. The focus shifted to coastal cruising, with stops in ports for excursions. This completely changed the philosophy, although it seems to me that the spirit of travel remains strong for many who choose to take these cruises. To meet these demands, Saint-Nazer has built a city within a city, where humanity borders on the gigantic. Like all major cities, the shipyard has its cathedral. Here, it’s the red gantry crane, an immense structure piercing the Saint-Nazer sky. Capable of lifting monumental components, it’s an essential tool at various stages of construction. Morgan Peret, operations manager, is supervising the assembly of the Grand Dioza’s components. What? End of shift on the 851. Yeah. And the night shift will take the next one, the tacking panel, but will actually enter from the other side over there. We’re lifting the panel as high as possible so that it can then be moved onto the pre-assembly area. It’s a panel that weighs almost 100 tons. It’s always impressive to see these panels being installed. On the Grand Dioza, there are more than 500 panels to install. All these moments are moments of great pride for the people who work at the company. It’s true that it’s a fascinating profession. I came from Brittany to work in the construction industry and to experience the kind of emotion of launching a ship, which are truly symbolic moments for everyone involved in the project. A jewel of the French shipbuilding industry, the shipyards bear witness to exceptional expertise. With each ship’s departure, a piece of Loire-Atlantique is exported to the world’s oceans. Come on, Sophie, I’ll take you. We’re going to Pornique. Oh, that’s a good idea. It’ll be a nice change of scenery . It’s been so long since I’ve left my vineyards. It’s so pleasant. Lots of people come for the weekend too. Come on, let’s go to Pornique. Off we go! Oh, what a great idea to come here to Pornique. It’s so lovely. A beautiful place, in any case. Pornique is actually located on the Jade Coast, at the mouth of the Loire, and we’re in the Pays de la Loire region, in the historical heart of Brittany. There you go. And here, I think it’s quite well-known, attracting many artists, isn’t it? Renoir Flobert really loved Pornique, and it’s also famous for its strawberries and its earthenware. Yes. So, about the strawberries, if you like, we can go get some ice cream later . Great idea. And for the earthenware, I suggest we go directly to the earthenware factory in Pornique. I know someone who could welcome us there. It’s lovely. So, ah, here are the famous bowls with the handles. Yes. Well, the ones we all have here at home, everyone has one, actually. Okay. Well, we need to find a bowl with her name on it. Aurore. Ah, there you are, Aurore. We’ll get one for your mom. There’s a Véronique. Wait. Oh, look. Véronique is there. And for Sophie, I can’t find one. Well, wait, what’s going on? Wait, that’s a classic name. Sophie, I have a friend, listen, she can make you one. We ‘ll go watch her, see how she does it. We’ll ask her for a bowl, Sophie. Very well. Hello Laori. Oh, hello Aurore. Hello Laori. Hello. Nice to meet you. I’m sorry. Nice to meet you. I ‘m sorry. I looked, we looked for a bowl, Sophie, we couldn’t find one. Oh well, don’t worry, I’ll make you one. Ah, there you go, it’s good to have friends here at the pottery workshop, isn’t it? It sounds so simple when you say it. Well, yes, it’s true, when you watch it it’s simple, but to make it is harder. Oh yeah. Wow! How long have you been doing this? For 8 years. 8 years. Well, there you go, we can see that you have the touch of the brush. And the dexterity. Tell me, Lori, didn’t you have a little surprise for Sophie? Yes, you did. Let’s see what you made. The Sophie bowl. Oh, the bowl is beautiful. Oh, it’s so cute, it’s adorable. Thank you. Thank you for thinking of that. Exactly. It will be a lovely little souvenir of my trip here from Pornique. Ah, it’s really a delicate one. Careful. Thank you very much. Have a good day. Goodbye. Ah, we’re making a fuss, aren’t we? Thank you. Great. But why are these Pornique strawberries so famous then? The fields are 2 km from here. There you go, it’s the Syrahine variety. Okay. There you go, enjoy! Thank you. Thank you very much. Delicious, isn’t it, this strawberry with a lovely view there in the sun. We’re lucky. Thank you anyway, Aurore. I was really delighted to discover your vineyard and give your mother a big hug from me. I’m ending this weekend in and around Nant in style. Thank you for everything, anyway. Thank you. H Right away, right away. Well, that’s what I need. Hello. Hello. How are you? Yes, very well. And you? You’re smiling, that’s nice. It’s pleasant to be here. It’s true, this market is lovely, isn’t it? Yes, it’s a listed market. Okay. There you go. So people come both to visit the market and to buy your products. And the products. Okay. I want to reconcile everyone. I’m all for domestic peace. I’ve finished my weekend here in Nant and the surrounding area, and I’m going to get you a Queen Yaman, the typical Breton cake, and a Nantel cake, the typical Nigerian Nel cake. I see you also make mini versions of these cakes. Will you try them? Okay, before I leave, I’ll try one. I’m going to take these home with me; they’ll be good. Delicious memories. Thank you so much anyway. Thank you for the goodbye. Have a good day. Well, that’s already the end of this Nantail weekend, unfortunately. I hope you enjoyed this stroll. We parted ways admiring some pretty boats. From the banks of the Herdre and the Loire to the Machines of Nantes, from the vineyards and Muscadet wine to the kitchens of a great chef. I hope you enjoyed this Nantes getaway and that you’ll be able to pick up plenty of ideas to organize a trip here yourself. In any case, if you want to relive these adventures, you know there’s a replay. We can also keep in touch on social media. I send you lots of love and , as always, have wonderful travels.