City Guide:
What used to be a hotbed for industry, now is a showpiece of French culture.
The main ''chantier naval'' of France, Nantes is active in culture. Along with vibrant university and leading research centers in Nantes stands the famous “Folles Journées de Nantes” - a festival of classic music ever introduced to the world.
Whether you are culture buff or other travel type, Booked.net can help you find a hotel to suit your needs. Be it a room in cheap hotel in Nantes to luxury offer all are available with maps, photos and secure forms.
Along with music events Nantes celebrates its troubled past. Its calm as a Celtic settlement was disturbed by Julius Caesar in 56 BC. The great emperor captured the area and he was the first to initiate a set of attacks on Nantes. The city was taken over by the Saxons around 285, the Franks around 500, the Britons in the 6th and 7th centuries, and the Normans in 843.
In the 18th century Nantes became an embodiment of slavery through the slave trade. Thus, it grew to the first port in France and industrial city by the 19th century. Development was fueled by railway in the area in 1851, but Nantes fell victim to German occupation in 1940. After British bombing the city was finally liberated by the Americans, but the concentration of business has been already lost.
Consequently, Nantes moved in to the new millennium with a modern economy, less heavy than it was before the war, but more service-oriented and very welcoming to tourists. Thus, after huge renovations, Nantes breathes with the nostalgia of days long gone with medieval architecture like the Castle of Ducode Bretagne and the Musee des Beaux-Arts and the Musee de Jules Verne to explore for culture buffs.
Other attractions include;
- Château des ducs de Bretagne, a striking museum of history
- Le Passage Pommeraye, a shopping mall from the 19th century
- Place du Bouffay, a medieval quarter known for its Breton culture
- Palais de Justice, designed by Jean Nouvel in 2000
- La Place Mellinet, a cradle of architecture in Nante
Looking around the city, you will see Nantes is packed with students. With university in the area, the city of Nantes has more than 30,000 students therefore Nantes is on the way to the educational and cultural hub in the region.
As young people come and pack the city, you should take care of your stay before you go to Nantes. Booked.net can take a hassle with accommodation out if you check out hotel offers at our website.
