The Beauty Of Nantes' Architecture In 10 Buildings

Nantes is an architectural melting pot. New bold building projects sit alongside historic landmarks and ancient facades. Here are our top 10 buildings from both these angles that simply shouldn’t be missed.

1. Église Sainte-Croix de Nantes

Church, Cathedral

This ornate church lies in the historic Bouffay district of Nantes and has been its parish church since 1138. In 1860, the beautiful bell tower, which can’t be helped to be noticed on first approaching the church, was added, with a circle of angels playing trumpets out over the city.

2. Social Housing Units

Park

French architect Antonini Darmon is the man behind these bold social housing blocks, entitled 30 Social Housing Units. These mid-rise buildings rest upon timber-strutted plinths that contain the community spaces. Located on the Île de Nantes, these stark white, striking buildings can easily be seen when visiting Machine Island and look quite at home in Nantes’ ever-changing skyline.

Nantes Social Housing | © Kevin Talec/Flickr

3. Manny

Building

Initiated by the Coupechoux design group, Manny is an incredible building of metal mesh, meant to illustrate two essential components of Nantes society: creativity and eco-responsibility. The light veil of metal used to drape around the building really looks striking any time of day. From its opening in 2009, the building plays house to various architecture and creative businesses. The two staircases snaking up from the lobby are pretty impressive, too.

Nantes architecture | © Guilhem Vellut/Flickr

La Tour Lu

Lu is a well-known biscuit brand in France and La Tour Lu—now an exciting arts space in Nantes—was one of its first factories. The restored art deco tower (there used to be a pair, but sadly the second didn’t survive WWII) can be seen from various points around the city. In particular, note the eagles that symbolize prestige and an angel with a trumpet in his hand.

http://www.instagram.com/p/Bd2Uk74HRUg/

5. Passage Pommeraye

Shopping Mall

The elaborate Passage Pommeraye is a 1840s shopping mall in the heart of Nantes, classified as a historic monument since 1976. When it was built, Nantes was a booming industrial city, so the mall injected an elegance that was not so often seen. The beautiful statues represent agriculture, fine arts, maritime trade, and more.

Building B

In the creative quarter in Nantes, Building B is an energy efficient exhibition space constructed from local trees. Architectural firm Barre-Lambot was behind the design and it serves as an information center on wood and regional businesses.

6. La Fabrique

La Fabrique is a hub for contemporary music and digital arts in the city. Constructed by the City of Nantes as part of its massive cultural and arts initiative, it is made up of two buildings, both housing studio spaces, broadcast rooms, and so on. The bar space of Trempolino is a trendy spot to have a drink and there is always a full calendar of events and performances at both venues.

http://www.instagram.com/p/BMA0kKlA8-J/

7. Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul

Cathedral

One of Nantes’ most iconic landmarks, the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul, is as striking on the inside as it is externally, thanks in part to the colorful stained-glass windows (pictured below). Taking over 450 years to complete, the cathedral is a fine example of Gothic architecture and has been listed as a French historical landmark since 1862. Well worth the visit.

Nantes cathedral | © Public Domain/Flickr

8. Pont Éric-Tabarly

Bridge

Named after Nantes’ famous navigator Éric Tabarly, this road bridge was built entirely in a workshop in Belgium and installed in place in 2011. Head down to Île de Nantes for a great view of this impressive structure. Does it remind you of another bride in France? The famous Millau Viaduct had the same project management.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.