NANTES.TOURISME LE VOYAGE A NANTES www.levoyageanantes.fr A y urne Jo tes an tes.fr anan N yage to .levo www Catalogue for professionals GROUPS AND INDIVIDUALS #2011.12 LE VOYAGE A NANTES... In 2011, our city of Art and History emerges experiments. This water sprite is personified crown of angels blowing the trumpet at the fitted with new flagship facilities whereas by Laetitia Casta, a worshipped icon of our four cardinal points of Eglise Sainte-Croix in 2012, this rich cultural heritage will em - society, that has become here a mythical and (the Sainte-Croix church). A crossroads, an bark upon a more enriched journey and contemporary nymph. area to stroll, to go shopping, the district truly… out of the common ! swarms with a permanent crowd and at night Then go back towards the cours Saint-Pierre changes into a festive spot. Go out Gare Sud side to enjoy a first view - and push open the door of the Chapelle de point on the Canal Saint-Félix and on l’Oratoire . This beautiful desecrated building, While crossing the Cours-des-50-otages to this peaceful little marina, sheltered from with a wooden arch evoking the hull of a reach « the other city centre » – the one of the the tumult of the Loire river. A first unusual ship, is an annex of the Musée des Beaux- Quartier Graslin (Graslin district), named vision: trees growing in some of the boats ! A Arts (Fine Arts museum) and houses tempo - after its developer, that even if it was hit by proposal from Fabrice Hyber, a reflection on rary exhibitions. the bombings of the last global conflict, it the place of nature and of its mutations. Right in front the St Peter ’s and St Paul’s Ca - remains one of the finest example of urban A few meters away, you can see the coloured thedral , whose construction lasted 457 years, planning of the XVIII th and the XIX th centuries and richly decorated dome of the LU Tower . is standing in front of your eyes. Fall under – first look up to the Tour de Bretagne … And Keep it in focus: this is le lieu unique , your the spell of the clarity of this monument, who knows, the boldest ones will be able to next destination. By pushing open the door remarkable for a number of reasons, from its enjoy a 360° view on the urban community of these old Lefèvre-Utile biscuit factories, flamboyant gothic style, to its arches higher of Nantes, perched on the 32nd floor, 150 discover the most atypical national stage in than those of Notre-Dame-de-Paris (37,5 m), meters above the floor of the inhabitants of France.You will have access to plenty of or to the masterpieces confined in its naves… Nantes. opportunities: enjoy a drink at the bar, stop at the bookshop, visit the contemporary art A few steps away, while the cobblestones Come back down to earth for a shopping « à exhibition in the Courtyard, that used to foretell the medieval district, cross over the la nantaise » by crossing the Place Royale house the production workshops of La Paille drawbridge of the Château des ducs de whose fountain is reminiscent of the fact that d’Or, relax in the hammam or enjoy a first Bretagne (the castle of the Dukes of Britanny) Nantes is a city on a river, then walk up the view over Nantes from the top of its Tower. and discover Duchesse Anne’s residence. stairs of the Passage Pommeraye , this shop - After leaving, cross the canal, under this Fully restored, this fortified castle confines all ping arcade dating back from the XIX th bridge, the water looks still but if you come the architectural refinement of the court of century: there are very few cities in Europe back by nightfall, you’ll get an unusual sight Britanny. It is the opportunity to visit the that can boast of having a covered passage thanks to Nymphéa , an artwork by Ange musée d’histoire de Nantes (museum of the with such an architectural value. This peace Leccia, belonging to the cultural tour Estuaire History of Nantes) with the very contemporary have inspired more than one artist, from Nantes <> Saint-Nazaire . A young woman, a scenography, or, from the battlements, ask Jacques Demy, the filmmaker ( Lola, Une nymph or a mermaid, quietly moving in an “Anne whether she can see anything coming”. Chambre en ville ), to Tardi, the cartoonist aquatic environment: the creature seems to (L’Histoire du soldat inconnu ). It results in the be imprisoned by the tunnel, her body seems Then lose yourself in the pedestrian streets of Crébillon street where you can « Crébillo - to disappear in the inhospitable narrow pas - the Bouffay district . Depending on your nate » among the chic boutiques. sage. The light of the projection plays on the course, you can go past timbered houses, the moving surface of the water, a quite percep - remains of an old Renaissance chimney on tible homage to Claude Monet’s painting the side of a building, the metal belfry with a — 02 — Les quais de Nantes ... a new cultural offer that positions Nantes as the inevitable destination of urban tourism... Up this street, enjoy a gourmet break at La focused on energy has been developed there, (sun), white (clouds) or blue (rain) will forecast Cigale , this Modern Style brasserie, registered where culture and creation are mixing with with certainty the weather in four hours. historical monument, offers at any time of the the port, the industrial and the maritime While on the other side of the river you can day a XX th century decorum as a lunch setting. heritage. the Memorial stretching out, walk along the The view from the terrace is also well worth a contemporary architectures signed by the visit with a breathtaking view on the corin - First of all stay in the realms of dreams and greatest architects of our time and more par - thian columns of the Graslin Opera House . of the ocean, straddling one the animals of ticularly the Courthouse designed by Jean Open to the public, you will probably hear the Les Machines de l’île and of the Carrousel Nouvel , the Maison de l’avocat (Counsel lyrical outbursts of a diva or of an orchestra. des Mondes Marins (Merry-go-round of house), or again the incredible Manny buil - Marine Worlds). Why not going towards the ding (from the nickname of the mammoth in The musical notes ring out as far as the pea - Station Prouvé by Elephant ? This prototype the movie “the Ice age”) of the Nantes agency ceful alley of the Cours Cambronne . The twin of a service station created in the sixties by the Tetrarc to which two artworks of Estuaire are buildings running alongside this public architect Jean Prouvé changes at night into a reacting with, to the new school of architec - square throw them back at each other magic lantern, as an invitation to a still jour - ture of Nantes of Lacaton et Vassal . From its mischievously. All of this doesn’t seem to ney and to a discovery of the artworks terrace, its a new breathtaking vista that you bother the General, who, determined, gazing through an open air tour of Estuaire Nantes will discover and for those who’d rather take a when he says: « the Guard dies but does not <> Saint-Nazaire . break, the peculiar sculpture and snack-bar surrender ». Make a detour via the Natural L’Absence designd by Atelier Van Lieshout is History museum , one of the most important Along the Loire River, compare yourself to the waiting for you ! in France in the number of specimens. yellow Titan crane , discover the various Make your way to the Quai de la Fosse viewpoints offered by Les Anneaux by Daniel To finish off your visit, the district of the through the small alleyways where, in former Buren, Estuaire ’s emblematic artwork. Conti - Feydeau Island links the Memorial to the times, sailors used to enjoy themselves before nue to the Hangar à bananes restored into a Château des ducs de Bretagne thanks to a new sailing back to faraway lands. succession of bars and of restaurants with heritage tour. Of the word « island », this area their own various but original universe for a today only bears the name (around twenty In this part of the city that opens up on the deserved break. The sight on Trentemoult , on years were necessary for its filling) but the harbour, our slave-trading past resonates. You the estuary, and on the Chantenay district , buildings of the wealthy families of shipow - can share our work of collective memory by will make you really want to go for a stroll ners, put up on a sandy ground, have ignored visiting the Mémorial à l’abolition de l’escla - there… This works out great, each of these these changes: they are leaning, creating a vage (Memorial museum dedicated to the area offers new facets that are essential for very peculiar optical effect ! Trimmed with Abolition of slavery) built by the artist Krzystof your trip in Nantes ! mascarons (the head of animal, man or Wodiczko and the architect Julian Bonder . woman placed on facades), equipped with Retrace your steps to discover more tho - wrought iron balconies, these residences Cross the Loire river via the Anne de Bretagne roughly the contemporary architecture and illustrate with their pomp the whole dimen - bridge and leaning on the railing, take a this changing area. Behind the naves of the sion of this commercial past.