In the middle Indeed, the regional capital, Nantes, was once the capital of Brittany - to which it no longer belongs. 103 likes. His life in Nantes, a city close to the ocean, open to the rest of the world, inspired him to write these books. Moreover, every year, Nantes holds a classical music festival called la “Folle Journée” (crazy days).

Unfortunately, due to the discovery of underground water, the Museum will  not reopen until 2016 for the exhibitions and in 2018 for the rest of the building.

The map pointing westwards and upwards should give the impression of dynamism. Inside the Musée des Beaux-arts, you will find different collections, from Ancient Paintings (13th to 18th century) to Modern Art (19th and 20th century), which includes various famous painters such as Rubens, Watteau, Delacroix, Monet, Picasso, and Renoir.

The Pays de la Loire is an extensive region of north-western France to the west and south-west of Paris, separated from it by the adjoining region of Centre-Val de Loire with which it shares many affinities.

The île de Nantes is also well known for the new Law Court (Palais de Justice) building facing the northern part of the city, the Loire River as well as the Memorial to the abolition of slavery, recently opened. Maine, Area: 32,082 km2 When Britain was conquered by the Roman Empire, many British people fled to French Brittany.

The Fine-Arts museum © Yhs CC BY-SA 3.0, from wikimedia commons. Even though some prehistoric items, such as axes, have been found there, the history of Nantes begins during the Gallic period, with the Namnetes, a tribe which founded the city in 70 BC.

Finished in 2000, the new Law Court is different from other traditional Law courts in the main cities which are often roman style buildings.

This official building was designed by the famous architect Jean Nouvel. Nevertheless, the edict which put an end to the troubles between Catholics and Protestants, was signed by Henry IV in Nantes in 1598 and is known in French History as “l’Edit de Nantes” (the Edict of Nantes). On  25 May 1800, a violent explosion destroyed the Tour des Espagnols (Spaniards Tower) leaving a hole in the rampart. (1999) 3,222,061; (2014 est.) L'aventure des drapeaux [dou87]). It is one of the most important  (Paris excluded), together with those of Lille, Toulouse, Rouen, Bordeaux and Lyon. Nantes soccer club logo © Football Club de Nantes®. Jourmagic, Bouchemaine, Pays De La Loire, France. Thanks for visiting! Nantes was also at the heart of the religious war in France.

There’s no extra cost to you. Daniel Buren wanted his rings to symbolise the chains of the slaves and also the idea of union between the land, the river and the ocean. During the Revolution, Nantes played a major role, especially when the rebellion in the Vendee broke out in 1793. This square might remind you of some places in Paris. With a bit of luck, you might find the fairground on Cours Saint Pierre which is always a good place to chill out and meander around the many roller coasters. After a long walk in the direction of the Cours Cambronne you can lie down on the grass and rest for a while under the trees.

If you’re planning a trip, using these links helps us keep things running. 50 Beautiful Photos Of Rural France To Cheer You Up! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Jean Nouvel kept to the tradition and idea of pillars but added a modern touch, creating a beautiful building, well integrated into the natural environment of the island. For example, the city has recently created a network of “busways” (part of the policy encouraging the inhabitants to adopt the habit of using the public transport system). Find any address on the map of Pays de la Loire or calculate your itinerary to and from Pays de la Loire, find all the tourist attractions and Michelin Guide restaurants in Pays de la Loire.

Old “Lu” factories’ tower ©Sémhur CC BY-SA 3.0, from wikimedia common. La Nuit des … Keywords: pays de la loire |

During the Revolution in 1789, the separation of the historical provinces of France resulted in Brittany being split into five regions; the lower of the five, Loire-Inférieure (today known as Loire-Atlantique) was where Nantes was situated and was detached in 1955 to constitute the region Pays de la Loire which unites four other departments: Mayenne, Sarthe, Maine-et-Loire and Vendée. The main colours are yellow and green, which explains the nickname of “les Canaris”.

To some extent this helped in the development of the city. One of these hostages was Guy Mocquet, a 17 years old communist.

It is one of the most famous monuments of the city, a symbol of the former power of the Duchy of Brittany whose capital was Nantes and which even today creates some tensions or debates about the affiliation or not of Nantes to Brittany. The Law Court and Victor Schoelcher footbridge © Adam Bishop CC BY-SA 3.0, from wikimedia common. French people call them ‘les Nantais’ and ‘les Nantaises’. It was most of all a place to relax and observe the daily life of the castle, the different shows in the courtyard, via four rooms open to the outside.Le Grand Gouvernement is a part of the castle which was rebuilt under the reign of Louis XIV, due to a fire and named after Charles de La Porte who was the Governor of Brittany. That is why, from 850, after the death of Charlemagne, there were many battles featuring the Kings of France and the chiefs of the Bretons’ which took place in the Duchy of Brittany. Maine-et-Loire, Botanical garden © rosier CC BY-SA 3.0, from wikimedia commons. The words "PAYS DE LA LOIRE" should have appeared on a single line instead of two. Back to the Cours des 50 Otages, if you continue your walking tour on the right hand-side of the historic centre, you will discover the Nantes Cathedral, where a tragic fire took place on the 28th January 1978 an again on the 18th July 2020. The repaired wall made of schist is visible because of its darker tone. Nantes is only 1 hour 15 minutes flying time from Paris Charles de Gaulle. Brittany, In fact, the Machines de l’île occupy former disused shipyards. Nantes is the sixth largest city in France and the largest city in the western part of the country, ahead of Bordeaux (9th) and Rennes (10th).

The only jazz festival of world standing in the region, its unique and original programming allows plenty of room for improvisation, modern and European jazz, fusion styles and the jazz greats.

The castle at night © Crackzv8 CC BY-SA 3.0, from wikimedia commons, Nowadays, the castle hosts different exhibitions, from museums previously installed there. Held in April and May.

Five minutes from here is St Peter’s Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint Pierre) the construction of which took more than 450 years! in addition to the usual bus network, the advantage of the “Busway” is that those buses use a separate and reserved lane, allowing an easier traffic flow and avoiding traffic jams for users.

Conscription acts sparked the first uprising in Vendée, and unrest spread to neighbouring départements.

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The flag is vertically divided, at hoist the banner of arms of

That is why, from 850, after the death of Charlemagne, there were many battles featuring the Kings of France and the chiefs of the Bretons’ which took place in the Duchy of Brittany. Her influence can be seen in the sculptural décor such as dormer windows on the main residence, the Golden Crown Tower (Tour de la Couronne Dorée), all marked by early signs of the Renaissance style, emerging in Italy.

Just like “’île de la Cité” in Paris, Nantes also has its island which has been shaped by the Loire River. Vendée. Regional prefecture: Nantes, The flag of Region Pays de la Loire, designed in 1976 by the heraldist Hervé Pinoteau, was hoisted on the building of the Regional Council at Nantes in October 1986.

From the Royal Square, continue on Orléans Street (rue d’Orléans), cross the “Cours des 50 Otages” and continue on La Barillerie Street (rue de la Barillerie) then on La Marne Street (rue de la Marne), where you can drop by the Galeries Lafayettes for some shopping.

This was a completely new architectural element and symbolised the ducal crown. Nantes is the capital city of the Pays de la Loire region and the département of Loire-Atlantique. As a reprisal, the Nazis chose fifty hostages who were shot 2 days later on  22  October 1941. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam.

Departments and Former Provinces. Welcome back to the French Moments blog! North extremity of the Cours des 50 otages with the statue of General de Gaulle and the Tower of Britanny in the background ©Jibi44 CC BY-SA 3.0, from wikimedia common. disclaimer and copyright | The Island is linked to the city by ten bridges: six on the north side and four on the south.

Then, follow Crébillon Street and you will reach Graslin Square (Place Graslin) and its theatre, named after Jean Joseph Louis Graslin, a very important public figure at the end of the 18th Century who extended the city centre of Nantes and built the theatre. It is located on the estuary of the Loire, the Erdre and the Sèvre Rivers, about 50 km from the Atlantic Ocean. Even though debate has continued,  the question remains: Does Nantes belong to Brittany? During the Second World War, the city of Nantes was at the heart of the French Résistance.

As this is not the first time you are here, you may be interested in downloading the guide "20 Amazing Offbeat Places in Paris". write us | Les drapeaux bretons de 1188 à nos jours [rau98]]. If you are more interested in arts, do not miss seeing the Musée des Beaux arts, located on Georges Clemenceau Street, perpendicular to Cours Saint Pierre in front of the rear entrance of the Cathedral. As mentioned before, Nantes was for a long time the capital city of the Duchy of Brittany. After the integration of the Duchy of Brittany into the French Kingdom, the castle became the Breton residence of the kings and later an arsenal and a prison. On the left side of the Cours des 50 Otages, each step will bring you to another magnificent building.

Oddly enough, the logo as shown on the flag does not strictly match the graphical charter. used inside the building. Valentin Poposki & Olivier Touzeau, 22 September 2007, Former flags of the Regional Council of Pays de la Loire - Images by Olivier Touzeau, 21 September 2017

Bretagne, It will not be long before you see the Castle, just to your right. Traditional provinces: From here, if you want to see the Castle, head south, following Cours Saint Pierre. This place, located on île de Nantes, combines both a museum, with the exhibition of various machines and an entertainment centre, with different activities offered to visitors: discovering the workshop of the company or enjoying a tour of the factories, on board the most famous and the biggest of the machines: the elephant!

One century later, in 1685, Louis XIV revoked the Edict in order to restore the supremacy of Catholicism, the basis of his divine right to power. After the war, the city grew fast and became the first city in France to have a modern tramway network (1985).

The Zénith hosts various events such as big concerts but also one man shows and important ballets. Poitou,