Nantes Audioguided Walking Tour 2h30 and 30 Audio Commentaries

Here you see a beautiful bronze statue of a naked woman, wielding a sword towards the sky, her face turned towards the light. You only have to look at it to feel the explosion of mixed feelings that our ancestors had to live with the declaration of the armistice in 1918.

You arrive in front of Marshal Foch Square named in honor of the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Forces, at the end of the First World War.

As you approach the back of the cathedral, you come across the best preserved vestige of the medieval era of Nantes. This is the Porte Saint-Pierre, which allowed to pass the city walls.

You are now in St. Peter's Square facing St. Peter and St. Paul Cathedral. About the size of Notre-Dame de Paris, it was also affected by a major fire in 2020

In the heart of medieval Nantes, the castle of the Dukes of Brittany welcomes you in the part of the ramparts, the courtyard and the moat for a jump in time and through history.

From the castle walls, you can see, on the quay in front of you, the beautiful tower with a blue and gold dome, belonging to the former factory of the famous biscuit factory Lefèvre-Utile, I named “LU” and its timeless little butter.

You now enter the Rue de la Juiverie, which, as its name suggests, was the area where the Jewish community of Nantes lived in the Middle Ages. A Jewish presence has been attested since Roman times.

You arrive at the forecourt of the beautiful Sainte-Croix church, elegantly set in the heart of the Bouffay district, of which it has been the parish since the 12th century. Its harmonious white façade is Jesuit style, an artistic trend born of the Catholic Counter-Reformation, and close to Baroque art.

The Bouffay district is the Nantes life par excellence! And it’s not a long time since it’s here that the Namnetes created their Celtic city. It is known that the village had a beautiful bronze industry and that tools, wheat, hemp were exchanged there for amphorae, carpets, oils and jewelry.

Let’s follow this green line for a moment that you certainly saw several times during your visit. Nantes has so many nuggets to discover that the municipality has made your life easier, by drawing a 12 km green line on the ground, traveling through every corner of the city in search of its heritage old as new.

You cross Kervégan Street, the main artery of the old island of Feydeau. It was at the base separated from the city of Nantes by branches of the Loire.

You're here in the Trade Square. It is the meeting point par excellence, due to its proximity to transport and the main streets of the city.

You can't miss the Cigale by crossing Graslin Square. It is true that this brewery is sublime. It is considered one of the most beautiful breweries in France.

You are inside the square Cambronne. This beautiful garden is an integral part of Graslin's grand urban plan. He wanted to create an urban project dedicated to the bourgeoisie.

Just a word about that nice statue you see now. This is the Praise to Transgression by Philippe Ramette.

I would like to draw your attention to this strange installation that you see on the Inn’s facade on your left. This is a sheep meter!!

Graslin Square, where you are now, is the heart of the Graslin district. This is the chic side of Nantes.

So, figure out you're scribbling! Yes, I do. How many streets can boast of having given birth to a verb?

Anyone passing through Nantes remembers a sublime stairway surrounded by beautiful shops. And you will not escape the rule. Passage Pommeraye impresses and envelops you with a sense of beauty.

Look at the beautiful wooden bookshop that is unveiled on either side of Rue de la Fosse. Created in 1919, Coiffard Bookshop is one of the oldest in the city and retains its authenticity thanks to its beautiful wooden bookcases and ancient ladders.

The Place Royale was born at the end of the 18th century, by the hand of Mr Crucy, the architect of the city, who is responsible for the Graslin Opera. The old medieval wall has just been destroyed and we must therefore develop the space liberated.

You are in front of one of the two basilicas of the city. Small church of the twelfth century that will become large with repeated enlargements century after century. So here, at the end of the 12th century, there was a small church or chapel and its St. Nicholas cemetery.

Arriving on the exchange square, you can admire one of the few vestiges of the Middle Ages present in Nantes. Unlike other cities in Brittany, such as Rennes or Vannes, you have noticed that the city has very few half-timbered houses.

You see here, well sheltered behind its wrought iron gate, the beautiful City Inn of Nantes. Today, all buildings house the Mayor’s Offices, the City Trip Tip, and various administrative departments.

You may have noticed that some houses in Nantes tended to lean dangerously. This is particularly evident on the quay of the Fosse, facing the port, where the facades seem to follow a surreal angle.

The 50 Hostages Square and its memorial remind us of a painful story, but one that must be told well. Like all the horrors that men have been able to commit and the suffering inflicted on so many others, remember not to repeat.

You now have a beautiful panorama of L’Erdre. François 1st loved it and said it was the most beautiful river in France. The Erdre is a tributary of the Loire.

The quays take you to the island of Versailles built from scratch on the Erdre. Previously, you had a swamp here.

Here you have access to the House of Erdre. This space, modelled on a Japanese tea pavilion, raises awareness of the biodiversity of Erdre.

Leaving the island, enjoy this high walkway for a panoramic view of the Erdre and its pretty houseboats. It’s the perfect time to capture the place!