The French city of Nantes has spent the last two decades quietly transforming itself into one of country’s most important artistic and cultural centres — these are just some of the showstoppers not to miss.
The 425ft-long aluminium skeleton of a sea serpent, named 'Serpent d'océan' and installed on the foreshore of the Loire estuary, is just one of the many artistic landmarks to discover in Nantes.The long green line twists and turns on Nantes’ city pavements for 14 miles. Why? It’s leading visitors to more than 100 different outdoor artworks, standout monuments, parks, buildings, architectural features and artistic playgrounds for both adults and children.
Le Voyage à Nantes offers an ideal way of discovering the city's artistic side, but there are plenty of other ways to explore its creative culture throughout the year. Just outside Nantes, there’s also a 75-mile wine trail, the, which leads visitors on a boozy loop through the local vineyards, from Nantes to the Italianesque town of Clisson. Along the way are works of art, recreational spaces, castles, a museum, windmill and numerous wine cellars.
Les Machines de l'île, an artistic project in Nantes, includes the gargantuan Grand Elephant, which has become an emblem of the city.It’s the Grand Elephant that strikes you first. Constructed of wood and steel, 40ft high and weighing nearly 50 tonnes, it’s become something of an emblem of Nantes. It’s powered by a motor, and with space on board for 49 passengers, it regularly takes walks along the Loire riverside, trumpeting loudly and spraying water from its trunk.
The contemporary HAB Galerie hosts paintings, sculptures, videos and installations and is situated on the western tip of Île de Nantes.'We will walk on the moon' playground, a collaboration between French architecture firm Detroit Architects and French artist Bruno Peinado, situated in Parc des Chantiers.
Mémorial de l'Abolition de l'Esclavage opened on the riverside Quai de la Fosse in 2012 and is dedicated to the abolition of slavery., which opened in 2012 on the riverside Quai de la Fosse, is located on the very spot from which many ships involved in the Atlantic slave trade originally set sail. As the curators explain: ‘It pays tribute to those who have fought and those who are still fighting against human trafficking and slavery around the world.
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