CITY BREAK: NANTES:Nantes is witnessing the fruition of its decades-old rebranding efforts – from shipping town to artistic and cultural centre, writes SIMON TIERNEY
HE MOST FAMOUS tourist destinations in the world are expertly branded. We instantly associate a particular city with an image: Rio de Janeiro and Christ the Redeemer. Sydney and the Opera House. Florence and the Duomo.
Nantes, a smallish city in northwest France, has no such image. It is less obvious, but certainly just as intriguing. It is a city of whispers and secrets and its size makes it ideal for a city break.
What makes Nantes special in 2012 is the launch, on June 15th, of the voyage à Nantes project – a cultural trail through the city, designed to reintegrate the Loire and the surrounding area back into the city’s life.
It is an ambitious programme which illustrates a desire to promote Nantes as a destination of choice. Local and regional government have invested millions, attracting artists and other creative minds from all over the world. The level of organisation and cutting-edge creativity witnessed there is reawakening a part of France that has been neglected by tourism for some time.
Nantes, a city of roughly half a million people in the Pays de la Loire region, was once a great shipping centre. During the 18th and 19th centuries it was one of the major ports from which the slave trade operated. Throughout the 20th century, shipping remained integral to the local economy, until the shipyards closed in 1987.
At that time the mayor decided the city should change direction – and so the idea of Nantes as an artistic and cultural centre was born. The voyage à Nantes is the culmination of this intention. Running from June 15th to August 19th, tourists can follow a trail through the city and beyond, along the Loire to neighbouring Saint-Nazaire. The trail can be explored in many different ways – by foot, car, boat or bicycle.
It is designed as a journey of discovery, with surprises along the way. These include old parts of the city, but also new art installations, especially commissioned for the event. The juxtaposition of Nantes’ medieval and neo-classical architecture with the modern and contemporary makes the city a delight to stroll around.
The Quartier Bouffay is a must – beautiful squares and narrow, winding streets are full of delightful cafes and bars spilling on to the pavement. Nantes is famously unspoilt by tourism, so the city, unlike parts of Venice or Paris, feels authentic. The Passage de Pommeraye, just off the Place Royale, is a beautiful 19th-century shopping arcade. While nearby, be sure to pop into Debotte, Nantes’ famous chocolate shop, dating from 1823.
The Cathédrale de Nantes is surely one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture in the region. The Château des ducs de Bretagne is advertised as one of the city’s key attractions – but, while it is interesting for its interactive exhibitions on Nantes history, I was disappointed that it didn’t have any rooms reimagining the living quarters of its most famous resident, Louis XIV.
The Loire cuts right through the the city. Its hefty breadth contains the Ile de Nantes, a continuation of the cultural trail. The island is the site of two of Nantes’ best attractions: the Machines de L’île de Nantes and the Quartier de la Creation. The Machines project is emblematic of Nantes’ fascination with surrealism, with its roots in the writings of the famous Nantais, Ándre Breton and Jules Verne. For just €7 you can take a ride in the gigantic, 50-tonne wooden elephant. There are a number of these mechanical structures on display, with the much-anticipated Marine Worlds Carousel (a large rotating ride with mechanical creatures of the sea) opening in time for the voyage à Nantes in June.
The Quartier de la Creation is home to the city’s most important contemporary architecture. The Manny Building, designed by Tetrarc Nantes, is the site of the design company Coupechoux and is very funky, like a giant steel bird’s nest.
The Harmonie Atlantique building is another key attraction, with a weather projection spanning the entire facade, forecasting four hours in advance. While on the Ile de Nantes, there are plenty of bars and restaurants lining the banks of the Loire, with great views across the city.
Estuaire is the part of the cultural trail along the Loire towards Saint-Nazaire, 30 miles downstream. Deriving its name from the estuary of the Loire, this part of the trail is intended to reclaim the river – which became redundant with the fall of the shipping industry.
Several world-class, international artists were commissioned to create site-specific installations that say something about the area and its people.
Artists include Erwin Wurm and Felice Varini. Wurm, an Austrian sculptor, works with the idea that inanimate objects have their own thought processes. He has created a life-sized yacht by the Canal de la Martinière, which appears to be jumping from the pier into the river.
Varini has been commissioned with his largest project yet: a 2km wide “painting” on buildings and walls. Seen from a specific point, it appears to be a giant two-dimensional canvas.
A highlight is the Villa Cheminée, by Japanese artist, Tatzu Nishi. Casting light on an industrial plant at a neglected corner of the Loire, the artist has created an enormous red-and-white chimney and, as a commentary on France’s penchant for two-up two-down suburban housing, has planted one of these structures on top.
The installation says a lot about what the city represents as a destination. It is unexpected, fun and thoroughly imaginative. It is also representative of the scale of Nantes’ ambition as a cultural destination.
By investing so much in its artistic programme and managing to attract such an array of artists, the city is putting itself on the map. While we may be tempted to fly to more famous cultural hubs such as Barcelona or Vienna, Nantes offers a fulfilling alternative, with the opportunity to immerse oneself in Nantes’ history and contemporary art scene.
While the artistic side of things is electrifying, Nantes is also a great option for a city that is calm, unspoilt and eclectic, guaranteeing the continental charm of bubbling streets and bustling restaurants.
HOW TO:
GET THERE
Nantes Atlantique Airport is 20 minutes from the city centre. Ryanair flies from Dublin to Nantes on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays and from Shannon on Mondays and Fridays. Return tickets start from about €70. For further information on Nantes, visit: levoyageanantes.fr, nantes-tourisme.com, paysdelaloire.eu, rendezvousenfrance.com
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel Pommeraye, 2 Rue Boileau, 44000, Nantes, tel: 0033 240 487879, hotel-pommeraye.com
Located in the heart of the city, minutes from the Place Royale, this is a chic and very affordable hotel. Prices start at €54 per night.
Château du Pé, Rue de l'égalité, 44640, Saint-Jean-de-Boiseau, 0033 609 430163, chateaudupe.fr
This is a special sleeping experience, located outside of the city. Set in beautiful woodland, it has six bedrooms designed by different artists, especially for the voyage à Nantes project. Although a €400 deposit is required, the price of a bedroom is only €75, going up slightly at weekends. This includes breakfast.
WHERE TO EAT
Brasserie La Cigale, 4 Place Graslin, 44000, Nantes, 0033 2 51 84 94 94, lacigale.com
Probably Nantes’ most famous restaurant, this is a beautiful example of Art Nouveau style. Main courses start at around €14.
Beckett’s Canteen, 3 Rue Guepin, 44000, Nantes, 0033 2 40 48 76 46
Run by Waterford man, Mark Kelly, this is a lovely spot for lunch, serving delicious salads, local dishes and cheeses. Mains are between €9 and €11. With a cosy interior and a bustling atmosphere, this is a popular meet-up point for the native Nantais.