Map of Nantes
Sadly, this was our last day in France.
We were now back in Nantes, where our trip to France had started two weeks before. We’d got here from Quimper by train at about 3pm.
I love cities, and Nantes was certainly worth visiting.
Heading for the Château
Simon had chosen the perfect location for the night, and the view from our hotel room said it all.
View of the Château des Ducs de Bretagne from our hotel window
We left our rucksacks in the room and went out for a walk to enjoy the glorious afternoon.
A war monument
We headed straight for the Château, an extensive site with several buildings, a huge courtyard, walls, towers and gardens around it.
The Château was the residence of the Dukes of Brittany from the 13th to the 16th century. That’s why Nantes is often called “la Cité des Ducs” (the City of the Dukes).
The Château des Ducs de Bretagne from outside
After fifteen years of a massive restoration undertaking, the Château reopened in 2007. It’s now a popular tourist attraction, not least because of the Nantes History Museum inside it.
Partly to hide from the sun, partly to learn something new, we visited the temporary viking exhibition at the museum.
The Château des Ducs de Bretagne court
I’m glad we did, because our trip to Shetland a couple of months later would be full of vikings.
The Château des Ducs de Bretagne west entrance
Wandering around Nantes
We left the château and went into the old town with no particular purpose.
Simon looking cool in the sun
This two-week trip to France at times felt like a pilgrimage. We seemed doomed to hop from one church to another in search, if not of salvation, at least some memorable snapshots.
Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul
Thus, we paid an unavoidable visit to the imposing Gothic cathedral and its 335 ft (103 m) long interior.
1891 is the year when this magnificent building was completed, after a whopping 457 years of construction.
And I thought I was being bamboozled when that builder I hired took three months to finish my bathroom. Gee, that brings things into perspective.
Inside the cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul
We continued our walk and stopped to admire another man-made construction: the tram. It was less imposing than the cathedral, but more useful to humanity.
In the 1950s, like many other cities across Europe, Nantes lost its trams; but not for long. In 1985 they were brought back, and now they’re here to stay. Aren’t they cute?
The Nantes tram
We kept walking, partly searching for a restaurant and partly to enjoy our last evening in sunny France.
Church of Sainte Croix
More about Nantes
Nantes is the 6th largest city in France, and has a population of just over 300,000. Its first inhabitants date back to the Bronze Age, and were attracted to the area by the iron and tin deposits.
I wasn’t expecting the city to be so full of live. There were people everywhere: sitting in cafes, playing football in the parks, roll skating, cycling, or just strolling, like us.
Nantes is another cycle friendly place, like Les Sables d’Olonne. We’ve been amazed by how easy it is to use bikes in France, that’s why we’re planning to come back.
Lively Nantes in the early evening
Eventually, we found a cute little restaurant tucked in a corner. The temperature was perfect for eating outside, so we got one of these tables.
Our dinner restaurant
After dinner, we continued our tour of the city, and got another history lesson.
On 18 June 1940, Nantes was captured by the Nazis during the Battle of France. A year later, to avenge the killing of a German officer by French rebels, forty-eight French civilians were executed. This poignant memorial commemorates that massacre.
WWII memorial to the 22 October 1941 hostages
We couldn’t resist visiting what would be our last French temple: a neo-Gothic basilica.
Basilica of Saint Nicolas
Today I’ve learned that Nantes found a new source of wealth after the establishment of the French colonial empire: slavery. By the 18th century, half of the Atlantic slave trade took place in Nantes.
It’s mesmerising how an unproven God and a very real injustice can live side-by-side in the human mind.
Inside the basilica of Saint Nicolas
Saying hello to Monsieur Verne
On our last day in Nantes we paid a visit to the Jardin des Plantes. It wasn’t so much the garden I wanted to visit, but the memorial to Jules Verne, one of my childhood heroes.
You see, I have a debt with Monsieur Verne.
When I was about fourteen my parents bought a holiday cottage near Madrid. They loved getting bored there. Sister and I dreaded it.
To while away the hours in the long summer days, I took to reading Verne’s novels. Ever since, he’s had a special place in my heart.
Monument to Jules Verne in the Botanic Garden
The following day, we had a few spare hours before our flight.
We took our rucksacks, checked out of the hotel, and went for lunch to a half-Italian-half-French restaurant. The best of both worlds.
The Château des Ducs de Bretagne in the evening
Those two weeks in France were an unforgettable experience.
How could we not love it with all those bike paths, terrific cliffs, spectacular views, wonderful food and friendly people?
I took all the photos with the Panasonic.