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After having been occupied by the [[Gaul]]s and the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]], Nantes was Christianised in the 3rd century. The city was successively invaded by the [[Saxons]] (around 285), the [[Franks]] (around 500), the [[Britons (historical)|Britons]] (in the 6th and 7th centuries) and the [[Normans]], who laid waste to it in 843: ''"The city of Nantes remained for many years deserted, devastated and overgrown with briars and thorns."'' The [[Chronicle of Nantes]] continues until about 1050 and it recounts that [[Alan II, Duke of Brittany|Alain Barbe-Torte]], who was the grandson of Alan the Great, the last king of [[Brittany]] who was expelled by the Norse, drove them out and founded the [[Duchy of Brittany]].<ref>David C Douglas, ed. ''English Historical Documents'' (Routledge, 1979) "Secular Narrative Sources" pp 345f.</ref><ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=EUSqIR2qaaIC&pg=PA345&lpg=PA345&dq=the+city+of+nantes+remained+for+many+years+deserted+devastated+and+overgrown+with+briars+and+thorns&source=web&ots=bEZsuXxRnR&sig=6HLYBIhCTbbyxi3i79yZ4lRqO4k#PPA345,M1 Chronicle of Nantes] English [[Historical document|Historical Documents]]. Dorthy Whitelock, David Charles Douglas. Routledge, 1996 ISBN 0-415-14366-7. Retrieved 30 October 2007.</ref>When the [[Duchy of Brittany]] was united to the [[kingdom of France]] in 1532 by the Treaty of Plessis-Macé, Nantes kept the [[Parliament of Brittany]] for a few years before it was moved to [[Rennes]]. In 1598, King [[Henry IV of France]] signed the [[Edict of Nantes]] here, which granted [[Protestantism|Protestant]]s rights to their religion.
After having been occupied by the [[Gaul]]s and the [[Ancient Rome|Romans]], Nantes was Christianised in the 3rd century. The city was successively invaded by the [[Saxons]] (around 285), the [[Franks]] (around 500), the [[Britons (historical)|Britons]] (in the 6th and 7th centuries) and the [[Normans]], who laid waste to it in 843: ''"The city of Nantes remained for many years deserted, devastated and overgrown with briars and thorns."'' The [[Chronicle of Nantes]] continues until about 1050 and it recounts that [[Alan II, Duke of Brittany|Alain Barbe-Torte]], who was the grandson of Alan the Great, the last king of [[Brittany]] who was expelled by the Norse, drove them out and founded the [[Duchy of Brittany]].<ref>David C Douglas, ed. ''English Historical Documents'' (Routledge, 1979) "Secular Narrative Sources" pp 345f.</ref><ref>[http://books.google.com/books?id=EUSqIR2qaaIC&pg=PA345&lpg=PA345&dq=the+city+of+nantes+remained+for+many+years+deserted+devastated+and+overgrown+with+briars+and+thorns&source=web&ots=bEZsuXxRnR&sig=6HLYBIhCTbbyxi3i79yZ4lRqO4k#PPA345,M1 Chronicle of Nantes] English [[Historical document|Historical Documents]]. Dorthy Whitelock, David Charles Douglas. Routledge, 1996 ISBN 0-415-14366-7. Retrieved 30 October 2007.</ref>When the [[Duchy of Brittany]] was united to the [[kingdom of France]] in 1532 by the Treaty of Plessis-Macé, Nantes kept the [[Parliament of Brittany]] for a few years before it was moved to [[Rennes]]. In 1598, King [[Henry IV of France]] signed the [[Edict of Nantes]] here, which granted [[Protestantism|Protestant]]s rights to their religion.


During the 18th century, prior to [[abolitionism|abolition of slavery]], Nantes was the [[History of slavery|slave trade]] capital of France.<ref>Leslie Choquette, ''Frenchmen into peasants: modernity and tradition in the peopling of French Canada'' (1997), p. 56</ref> This kind of trade led Nantes to become the largest port in France and a wealthy city. In 1754 the ship Saint-Phillipe, owned by the Nantes based Jogue brothers crossed the middle passage with 462 slaves in 25 days, whereas vessels earlier in the century would often take up to nine months. Nantes remained the principal slave port until the 1780s. Even after the official end of the slave trade in 1818, the trade continued. Over the next 13 years, 305 expeditions are recorded as having left from Nantes docks for the African coast.<ref>group="Breaking the Silence, Learning about the Transatlantic Slave Trade website, is a joint initiative between UNESCO, Anti-Slavery International, the British Council and the Norwegian Agency for Development Co-operation (NORAD).">{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Zns|title=Nantes Slave Port|url=http://old.antislavery.org/breakingthesilence/slave_routes/slave_routes_france.shtml|accessdate=9 January 2013}}</ref>
During the 18th century, prior to [[abolitionism|abolition of slavery]], Nantes was the [[History of slavery|slave trade]] capital of France.<ref>Leslie Choquette, ''Frenchmen into peasants: modernity and tradition in the peopling of French Canada'' (1997), p. 56</ref> This kind of trade led Nantes to become the largest port in France and a wealthy city. In 1754 the ship Saint-Phillipe, owned by the Nantes based Jogue brothers crossed the middle passage with 462 slaves in 25 days, whereas vessels earlier in the century would often take up to nine months. Nantes remained the principal slave port until the 1780s. Even after the official end of the slave trade in 1818, the trade continued. Over the next 13 years, 305 expeditions are recorded as having left from Nantes docks for the African coast.<ref>group="Breaking the Silence, Learning about the Transatlantic Slave Trade website, is a joint initiative between UNESCO, Anti-Slavery International, the British Council and the Norwegian Agency for Development Co-operation (NORAD).">{{cite web|last=Smith|first=Zns|title=Nantes Slave Port|url=http://old.antislavery.org/breakingthesilence/slave_routes/slave_routes_france.shtml|accessdate=9 January 2013}}</ref> When the [[French Revolution]] broke out, Nantes chose to be part of it, although the whole surrounding region soon degenerated into an open civil war against the new republic known as the [[War in the Vendée]]. On 29 June 1793 the town was the site of [[Battle of Nantes|a Republican victory]] in this war. The Loire was also the site of thousands of [[Republican marriage|executions by drowning]].<ref>Ruth Scurr, Fatal Purity: Robespierre And the French Revolution (2006) p. 305</ref>
When the [[French Revolution]] broke out, Nantes chose to be part of it, although the whole surrounding region soon degenerated into an open civil war against the new republic known as the [[War in the Vendée]]. On 29 June 1793 the town was the site of [[Battle of Nantes|a Republican victory]] in this war. The Loire was also the site of thousands of [[Republican marriage|executions by drowning]].<ref>Ruth Scurr, Fatal Purity: Robespierre And the French Revolution (2006) p. 305</ref>


In the 19th century, Nantes became an industrial city. The first public transport anywhere may have been the [[bus|omnibus]] service initiated in Nantes in 1826. {{Citation needed|date=May 2008}} It was soon imitated in Paris, London and New York. The first railways were built in 1851 and many industries were created. In 1940, the city was occupied by [[Nazi Germany|German]] troops. In 1941, the assassination of a German officer, Lt. Col. [[Fritz Hotz]], caused the retaliatory execution of 48 civilians.<!--many sources state "50"--> The city was twice severely bombed by [[British Armed Forces|British forces]], on 16 and 23 August 1943, before being liberated by the Americans in 1944.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reception.com/US/nantes/histoire.htm |title=tourisme/culture – France – Nantes – histoire page |publisher=reception |date=22 October 1941 |accessdate=8 July 2009}}</ref>
In the 19th century, Nantes became an industrial city. The first public transport anywhere may have been the [[bus|omnibus]] service initiated in Nantes in 1826. {{Citation needed|date=May 2008}} It was soon imitated in Paris, London and New York. The first railways were built in 1851 and many industries were created. In 1940, the city was occupied by [[Nazi Germany|German]] troops. In 1941, the assassination of a German officer, Lt. Col. [[Fritz Hotz]], caused the retaliatory execution of 48 civilians.<!--many sources state "50"--> The city was twice severely bombed by [[British Armed Forces|British forces]], on 16 and 23 August 1943, before being liberated by the Americans in 1944.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reception.com/US/nantes/histoire.htm |title=tourisme/culture – France – Nantes – histoire page |publisher=reception |date=22 October 1941 |accessdate=8 July 2009}}</ref>

Revision as of 20:48, 9 January 2013

See Wiktionary for the name of Nantes in various languages other than English, French, and Breton.
For the place in Brazil, see Nantes, São Paulo. For the city in Canada, see Nantes, Quebec.

Nantes
Place royale at night
Place royale at night
Flag of Nantes
Flag
Coat of arms of Nantes
Coat of arms
Motto(s): 
Latin: Favet Neptunus eunti
("Neptune favours the traveller")
Location of Nantes
Map
CountryFrance
RegionPays de la Loire
DepartmentLoire-Atlantique
ArrondissementNantes
CantonChief town of 11 cantons
IntercommunalityNantes Métropole
Government
 • Mayor (2012-) Patrick Rimbert (PS)
Area
1
65.19 km2 (25.17 sq mi)
 • Urban
 (2008)
524.6 km2 (202.5 sq mi)
 • Metro
 (1999)
2,242.6 km2 (865.9 sq mi)
Population
 (2007 census)
283,025
 • Rank6th in France
 • Density4,300/km2 (11,000/sq mi)
 • Urban
 (2007)
580,502
 • Urban density1,100/km2 (2,900/sq mi)
 • Metro
 (2009)
862,111
 • Metro density380/km2 (1,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
44109 /44000, 44100, 44200 and 44300
Dialling codes02
WebsiteOfficial website www.nantes.fr Template:Fr icon
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Nantes (French pronunciation: [nɑ̃t]) (Breton: Naoned, Gallo: Naunnt) is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, 50 km (31 mi) from the Atlantic coast.[1] The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants.[2]

Nantes, labeled art and history city, is the capital city of the Pays de la Loire region and the Loire-Atlantique département and also the largest city in the Grand-Ouest (North western France). Together with Vannes, Rennes and Carhaix, it was one of the major cities of the historic province of Brittany, and the ancient Duchy of Brittany. Though officially separated from Brittany over 60 years ago, Nantes is culturally Breton and still widely regarded as its capital city.[3]

In 2004, Time described Nantes as "the most liveable city in Europe".[4] In 2010, Nantes was named a hub city for innovation in the Innovation Cities Index by innovation agency, 2thinknow.[5] The city was ranked 36th globally from 289 cities and 4th overall in France, behind Paris, Lyon and Strasbourg for innovation across multiple sectors of the economy.[6] As of 2013, Nantes holds the title of European Green Capital [7] for its efforts to reduce air pollution and CO2 emissions, for its high quality and well managed public transports and for its biodiversity with 3.366 hectares of green spaces and several Natura 2000 zones which guarantee a protection of nature in the area.[8]

Etymology

The name Nantes, pronounced [nɑ̃t] in French, derives from that of its pre-Roman-era inhabitants, the Gaulish tribe known as the Namnetes, who founded a town there around 70 BC. The city was called Portus Namnetum during the Roman occupation that began in 56 BC. The inhabitants of Nantes are known in French as Nantais ([nɑ̃tɛ]).

Nantes' most common nickname is the Venice of the West (French: La Venise de l'Ouest, Breton: Venezia ar C'hornôg),[9] a name owing to its position on the river delta of the Loire, the Erdre, and the Sèvre.[10]

History

The Marité schooner anchored in the port of Nantes
L'île Feydeau

After having been occupied by the Gauls and the Romans, Nantes was Christianised in the 3rd century. The city was successively invaded by the Saxons (around 285), the Franks (around 500), the Britons (in the 6th and 7th centuries) and the Normans, who laid waste to it in 843: "The city of Nantes remained for many years deserted, devastated and overgrown with briars and thorns." The Chronicle of Nantes continues until about 1050 and it recounts that Alain Barbe-Torte, who was the grandson of Alan the Great, the last king of Brittany who was expelled by the Norse, drove them out and founded the Duchy of Brittany.[11][12]When the Duchy of Brittany was united to the kingdom of France in 1532 by the Treaty of Plessis-Macé, Nantes kept the Parliament of Brittany for a few years before it was moved to Rennes. In 1598, King Henry IV of France signed the Edict of Nantes here, which granted Protestants rights to their religion.

During the 18th century, prior to abolition of slavery, Nantes was the slave trade capital of France.[13] This kind of trade led Nantes to become the largest port in France and a wealthy city. In 1754 the ship Saint-Phillipe, owned by the Nantes based Jogue brothers crossed the middle passage with 462 slaves in 25 days, whereas vessels earlier in the century would often take up to nine months. Nantes remained the principal slave port until the 1780s. Even after the official end of the slave trade in 1818, the trade continued. Over the next 13 years, 305 expeditions are recorded as having left from Nantes docks for the African coast.[14] When the French Revolution broke out, Nantes chose to be part of it, although the whole surrounding region soon degenerated into an open civil war against the new republic known as the War in the Vendée. On 29 June 1793 the town was the site of a Republican victory in this war. The Loire was also the site of thousands of executions by drowning.[15]

In the 19th century, Nantes became an industrial city. The first public transport anywhere may have been the omnibus service initiated in Nantes in 1826. [citation needed] It was soon imitated in Paris, London and New York. The first railways were built in 1851 and many industries were created. In 1940, the city was occupied by German troops. In 1941, the assassination of a German officer, Lt. Col. Fritz Hotz, caused the retaliatory execution of 48 civilians. The city was twice severely bombed by British forces, on 16 and 23 August 1943, before being liberated by the Americans in 1944.[16]

Until the 1970s, Nantes' harbour was located on the Île de Nantes, when it was moved to the very mouth of the Loire River, at Saint-Nazaire. In the subsequent 20 years, many service sector organisations moved into the area, but economic difficulties forced most of these to close. In 2001, a major redevelopment scheme was launched, the goal of which is to revitalise the island as the new city centre.[17]

Nantes seen from Spot Satellite

In 2003, the French weekly L'Express voted Nantes to be the "greenest city" in France, while in both 2003 and 2004 it was voted the "best place to live" by the weekly Le Point. In August 2004, TIME designated Nantes as "the most livable city in all of Europe."[4][18]

Geography

Nantes is located on the banks of the Loire River, at the confluence of the Erdre and the Sèvre Nantaise, 55 km (35 mi) from the Atlantic Ocean. The city was built in a place where many branches of the Loire river created several islands, but most of those branches were filled in at the beginning of the 20th century (and the confluence with the Erdre river diverted and covered) due to the increasing car traffic.

Nantes is the central point of the land hemisphere (the half of the earth containing the largest possible area of land).

A panoramic view of the Île de Nantes, taken from the Butte Saint Anne

Climate

About 50 kilometres from the coast, Nantes has generally cool winters and mild summers, with rainfalls at least every week, which makes Nantes a temperate city, though winters can bring freezing temperatures and occasional hot spells in summer, especially during the month of July.[19]

Politics

Further information: Urban Community of Nantes and List of mayors of Nantes

Nantes is the préfecture (capital city) of both the Loire-Atlantique département and the Pays de la Loire région.

The Nantes metropolitan area (Nantes Métropole) is the intercommunal structure connecting the city of Nantes with nearby suburbs. It had a 1999 population of 554,478, 48.7% of which comprised the city of Nantes. The current mayor of Nantes is Patrick Rimbert, (PS), elected on 29 June 2012 to replace long-serving mayor Jean-Marc Ayrault, who had become Prime Minister of France.[20]

Neighbourhoods

Château des Ducs de Bretagne's drawbridge and entrance

Since 1995, Nantes has been divided into 11 neighbourhoods, each resembling a historic city quarter. Each of these neighbourhoods is controlled by a Comité Consultatif (Consultative Committee), comprising directly elected officials and a team of municipal members, similar to a New England board of selectmen. These neighbourhoods are:

  • Centre-ville
  • Bellevue-Chantenay-Sainte Anne
  • Dervallières-Zola
  • Hauts-Pavés-Saint-Félix
  • Malakoff-Saint-Donatien
  • Île de Nantes
  • Breil-Barberie
  • Nantes-Nord
  • Nantes-Erdre
  • Bottière-Doulon
  • Nantes-Sud

Nine of these neighbourhoods are situated on the right bank of the Loire, one is on the left bank, and one is on the Île de Nantes island.

Nantes and Brittany

Flag of the Pays de la Loire
Flag of Brittany
Panoramic view of Nantes.

The city of Nantes, and the Loire-Atlantique département, were formerly part of the historic province of Brittany; Nantes was one of its traditional capitals, along with Rennes.[21]

Historically, the country around Nantes (French: Le Pays Nantais; Breton: Bro Naoned; Gallo: Paeï de Nàntt) was always seen as being part of Brittany. In 1207, the Dukes of Brittany made Nantes their home, building the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany on the banks of the Loire. Most of the dukes and duchesses were buried in either the cathedral or the nearby abbeys.

In 1789, the separation of the historical provinces of France resulted in Brittany being split in five; the lower of the five, Loire-Inférieure (today Loire-Atlantique) was where Nantes was situated. As such, Brittany as an administrative region did not exist during the 19th and early 20th centuries, although it did still exist culturally and informally.[22] When regional regroupments during the 20th century resulted in the reinstatement of the regions, Loire-Atlantique found itself split from the other four départements by the Vichy regime in 1941; a new région had been created centred on Nantes, the Pays de la Loire.

Much debate surrounding this move persists. Those against (sometimes called the Breton militants) maintain that the separation was made by a non-democratically elected government, and that Loire-Atlantique is culturally, historically and geographically united to Brittany; those in favour argue that any reunification would reopen a "quarrel of the capitals" between Nantes and Rennes, and that it would be fatal to the Pays de la Loire région.[23]

The issue of language is also relevant; in Upper Brittany (locally called Bretagne Gallèse or Haute Bretagne) Romance languages especially the local Gallo, as well as French, have long had more influence than Breton. However, in many large cities, including Nantes and Saint-Brieuc, the Breton language has sometimes been spoken more widely than Gallo by the very urban and bourgeois population there (even though in Le Pays Nantais the opposite was true). In recent years, many bilingual plaques have appeared on tourist attractions in the city, with the help of the Ofis ar Brezhoneg (French: Office de la Langue Bretonne; English: Office of the Breton Language).

Most recently, on 15 May 2004, a hastily organized demonstration in Nantes calling for the reunification of Brittany attracted 6,000 participants, while in five surveys on the issue, between 62% and 75% of the population of Loire-Atlantique have come out in favour of reunification.[24]

In 2008, 1.4% of the children in Nantes attended bilingual primary schools.[25]

Education

Colleges and universities

Transport

Public transports

The tramway in Nantes

The first organized omnibus transit system within a city appears to have originated in Nantes in 1826.[26] The Nantes Tramway originally began operation in 1879, but the first generation network closed in 1958. A new generation of tramway was re-introduced in 1985, and the current network is now one of the largest and most efficient in France.

The current network operated by Semitan includes three tramway lines, one Busway line, two Navibus lines, an extensive bus network that includes 56 lines, a night bus network and an airport shuttle bus labeled "Navette Aéroport" between downtown Nantes and Nantes Atlantique Airport. Additionally, Semitan has an exclusive agreement with French national train operator SNCF to allow TAN passengers ride suburban trains within the urban area limits with a valid TAN ticket or pass. Long distance travel throughout the Loire-Atlantique département is operated by Lila (run by the Loire-Atlantique council), which runs inter urban buses. All transport modes share a common ticketing system within Nantes Métrople (with the exception of Lila buses) and there are no travel zones on the TAN network and suburban trains (within the Métropole).[27]

Cycling

Bicloo bikes at Duchesse Anne station

The Nantes built-up area’s inhabitants make about 2 million journeys a day. So as to ensure all its inhabitants of mobility while at the same time conserving its environment, Nantes Métropole provides efficient complementary modes of travel, public transport in particular. Furthermore, Nantes Métropole provides soft mode of transport: bicycles.

  • Bicloo: 790 self-service bikes and 89 stations in central Nantes.
  • City by bike: in partnership with NGE, rent a bike at the car parks.
  • Velocampus: over 300 bikes for hire for students.
  • The Loire Valley by bike: 240 km of continuous cycle tracks in the Pays-de-la-Loire.
  • 376 km of cycle tracks.

Nantes Métropole is also taking part in the bid process of Velo-city 2015 under the guidance of the European Cyclist Federation.[28]

Railway stations

Nantes railway station lies on a number of rail lines. Nantes is connected by TGV (high speed train) to Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Lille, and Strasbourg, with trains to Paris via the LGV Atlantique taking just over 2 hours. By Corail, Nantes is connected to Quimper, La Rochelle, Bordeaux, Lyon, and Toulouse. The regional trains and buses of the TER Pays de la Loire provide links to Saint-Nazaire, Angers, Le Mans, La Roche sur Yon, and many other regional cities.

Harbor

Nantes was formerly a major commercial harbor, with facilities on River Loire in Quai de la Fosse and the west side of the Île de Nantes in downtown. Much of the commercial traffic has since migrated downstream, principally to the area around Saint-Nazaire, although the river remains navigable to ocean-going ships as far as Nantes. River cruises operate on both the Loire and its tributary the Erdre. The Tan network also includes two urban water bus routes on both rivers known as Navibus.

Airport

Nantes Atlantique Airport, located 8 km to the south-west of the city center, serves the city and surrounding areas. It is the biggest airport in western France, linking with several French and European cities, as well as Montreal in Canada and some northern Africa cities. As the current airport reached saturation, it is currently planned that this airport will be replaced by the larger Aéroport du Grand Ouest, that will be situated 30 km to the north-west of Nantes in the commune of Notre-Dame-des-Landes. The €580 million project was approved in February 2008, with construction expected to start in 2012 and an opening date in 2015.[29]

Cityscape

Nantes' cathedral
Sainte-Croix church and its belfry
Thomas Dobrée museum
Château des Ducs de Bretagne seen from the courtyard
Porte Saint-Pierre facing place Maréchal Foch
Passage Pommeraye decorated for the Christmas period
Jardin des plantes of Nantes

Churches

Nantes has many churches, amongst which the most famous are:

  • Cathédrale Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul (colloquially called "Cathédrale Saint-Pierre").
  • Église Notre-Dame de Bon-Port (also known as Basilica of Saint-Louis).
  • Basilique Saint-Nicolas (Basilica of Saint-Nicolas, erected in 1844).
  • Église Sainte-Croix (once designed as the chapel of Bouffay castle built during medieval times, then destroyed in the 19th century).
  • Église Saint-Clément.
  • Église Saint-Similien.
  • Église Saint-Donatien et Saint-Rogatien.
  • Église Saint-Félix (former bishop of Nantes).
  • Église Sainte-Thérèse (made out of red bricks in its entirety).
  • Église Saint-Pasquier.

Other worship places

  • Saint-Basile-and-saint-Alexis orthodox church.

Nantes has three mosques[30]:

  • Mosquée Arrahma
  • Mosquée en langue turque
  • Mosquée El Forkane de Nantes

Historical places

  • Bouffay district, with its place Bouffay is the city's medieval and oldest district close to the castle and the cathedral.
  • Place du Commerce, the city's main square with the Palais de la Bourse on it.
  • Place Royale, a historical square with a large fountain in its center representing the Loire river.
  • Place Graslin, a historic square featuring the Théâtre Graslin and famous brasserie La Cigale.
  • Place Général Mellinet.
  • Place Maréchal Foch, a historical square with the statue of Louis XVI erected on a pillar in its center.
  • Crebillon and Orleans streets, avenues lined with luxury boutiques and linked by Place Royale.
  • Île Feydeau.
  • Marché de Talensac (Talensac market), the oldest and main public market.
  • Quai de la Fosse, part of the former port of Nantes.
  • The west part of the Isle of Nantes, a former shipyard turned into a leisure and cultural site, including the Machines of the Isle of Nantes public attractions and some warehouses turned into bars, restaurants and night clubs.
  • Quartier de la creation (creation district), on the Isle of Nantes close to the Machines of the Isle of Nantes.
  • Tour Bretagne, an office building built in 1976.

Museums

Monuments and landmarks

  • Château des Ducs de Bretagne (castle of the Dukes of Brittany) is the most important castle and hosts the History Museum of the City of Nantes.
  • Porte Saint-Pierre, the best preserved remnant of the former battlements of the medieval city.
  • Passage Pommeraye, built from 1841 to 1843 is a historical shopping mall on three levels.
  • Historical Brasserie La Cigale, is an Art Nouveau designed brasserie opened in 1895, and described by Jean-Louis Trintignant as "perhaps the most beautiful brasserie in the world".[31]
  • Tour LU, an Art Nouveau tower standing at the entrance of the former famous Lefèvre-Utile biscuit factory. Its twin tower was destroyed during the war.
  • Cours Cambronne, a promenade park close to place Graslin.
  • Palais de la Bourse, which now houses a branch of FNAC.

Parks and gardens

  • Jardin des plantes de Nantes (botanical garden of Nantes), three centuries of botany made by sailors bringing seeds from around the world and expert gardeners.
  • Jardin Japonais de l'Île de Versailles (Japanese gardens of the Isle of Versailles).
  • Parc de Procé, with its hundred years old trees and its 1789 mansion.
  • Parc de la Gaudinère.
  • Parc floral de la Beaujoire.
  • Parc de la Chanterie.
  • Parc du Grand-Blottereau.
  • Square Élisa-Mercœur.
  • Jardin des cinq sens.
  • Petite Amazonie.

Leisure

  • Beaujoire Stadium, Nantes' largest sports stadium and home of FC Nantes football club.
  • Parc des expositions de la Beaujoire, the city's exhibition center.
  • La Cité Nantes Events Center.

Nantes has several cinemas including:

Arthouse cinemas:

  • Katorza, close to place Graslin.
  • Concorde, close to place Émile Zola.
  • Le Cinématographe, the oldest cinema in Nantes.
  • Bonne Garde.
  • Beaulieu.
  • Saint-Paul.

Multiplex cinemas:

Concert halls

  • Nantes Zénith (concert hall), with 8,500 seats.
  • Théâtre Graslin (Graslin Theatre), Angers-Nantes opera house with the Grand Théâtre of Angers & historic theatre.
  • Lieu Unique, located in the former LU biscuit factory.
  • Olympic, built in an old cinema in 1927.
  • Carrière, located in Saint-Herblain.
  • Trocardière, located in Rezé.
  • Onyx, located in the Atlantis commercial zone in Saint-Herblain, designed by Jean Nouvel.
  • Théâtre de Poche Graslin.
  • Salle Vasse.
  • Pannonica.
  • Stereolux.
  • TNT, Terrain Neutre Théâtre.
  • Bouche D'Air.
  • TU, Théâtre universitaire (University Theatre).
  • Théâtre du Sphynx.
  • Le Grand T.
  • Théâtre Beaulieu-Sémaphore.
  • Théâtre du Cyclope.

Culture

Cultural events

Nantes hosts a variety of cultural events, among which:

  • Estuaire, a contemporary art exhibition that takes place every two years between Nantes and Saint-Nazaire (along the Loire estuary).
  • Les Rendez-vous de l'Erdre, a jazz festival centered around the Erdre river.
  • Les rencontres du fleuve, a festival centered around ships and the river.
  • Le Festival Eidos du film d'environnement et de développement durable, a cinema festival themed around the environment and sustainability.
  • The Festival des trois continents, dedicated to African, Asian and South American cinema.
  • La Folle Journée, a classical music festival,
  • Les Utopiales, international science fiction convention,
  • The Festival Voisinages, various theatre performances (Théâtre du Grand T, Théâtre universitaire de Nantes, salle Onyx de Saint-Herblain).

Music and artistic creation

There are quite a few bands from Nantes who play different genres but are not well known outside of France.

  • The Celtic band Tri Yann was originally known as Tri Yann an Naoned (the three Johns from Nantes).
  • The DJ group C2C, champion of the Disco Mix Club World Team DJ Championship four years in a row (2003–2006)[32] is native of Nantes.
  • The Hip Hop group Hocus Pocus is from Nantes.
  • 18-year-old electropop producer Madeon is a native of Nantes.
  • Depth Affect is from Nantes.

To see a list of Bands from Nantes, see fr:Rock à Nantes (French).

Royal de Luxe street theater company, famous for its performance featuring giant puppets, is based in Nantes.

Local food

Petit beurre biscuit produced by LU
Berlingot candy
Muscadet wine

Specialties from Nantes include:

  • Muscadet, a white French wine.
  • Beurre blanc (white butter) also called "beurre Nantais" is a butter sauce created by Clémence Lefeuvre.
  • Galettes, which are a heavier, less sweet version of the crepe, are traditional fare in Bretagne, the region in which Nantes historically resides. Galettes can be eaten at any time of the day, feature buckwheat flour, and are usually filled with meat, eggs, cheese, or a variety of other things. However, they are much less of a dessert food than the traditional crepes.
  • Curé Nantais, a French cheese.
  • Berlingot Nantais, a French candy created during the 19th century.
  • Petit Beurre, a biscuit produced by LU.

Sport

The local football team is FC Nantes, members of the Championnat de France de Ligue 2 for the 2011-12 season. Since its creation in 1943, the club has gained reputation for its offensive style of play, locally named "jeu a la nantaise", and captured 8 Championnat titles and 3 Coupes de France.

Former players include Didier Deschamps, Marcel Desailly, Christian Karembeu and Fabien Barthez who were members of the France team that won the 1998 World Cup. Other notable players are Maxime Bossis, Philippe Gondet, Henri Michel, Claude Makélélé and Mickaël Landreau.

FC Nantes holds several records in the history of French professional football, including most consecutive seasons in the elite (44), most wins in a season (26), season invincibility (32 games) and all-time home invincibility (92 games, nearly 5 years). No French player has ever scored more goals than Philippe Gondet in a single season (36 in 1965-1966).

Media

Nantes seen from Erdre river

Local television channels

  • Télénantes
  • France 3 Pays de la Loire

Radio stations

  • Nova @ 87.8
  • Rires Et Chansons @ 88.4
  • MFM Sud Loire @ 88.8
  • Alouette @ 89.5
  • RFM @ 90.1
  • France-Inter @ 90.6
  • JET FM @ 91.2
  • Radio Prun' @ 92.0
  • Radio SUN @ 93.0
  • Virgin Radio @ 94.7
  • FIP Nantes @ 95.7
  • AlterNantesFM @ 98.1
  • Hit West @ 100.9
  • Radio France Bleu Loire-Ocean @ 101.8
  • NRJ @ 102.4
  • Fidélité @ 103.8
  • RTL @ 104.3
  • Europe 1 @ 104.7
  • France Infos @ 105.5
  • Cherie FM @ 106.2
  • Radio Classique @ 106.7
  • BFM @ 107.2

Local newspapers

Newspapers for sale:

  • Nantes Poche
  • Nouvel Ouest
  • Le Journal Des Entreprises

Free newspapers:

  • Pil
  • Kostar
  • Fragil
  • 20 Minutes
  • Métro
  • Bretagne Plus
  • Direct Soir

Local websites:

Famous people

File:Anne of Brittany statue Château des ducs de Bretagne.jpg
Statue of Anne de Bretagne in front of the Château des Ducs de Bretagne

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France


Nantes has established sister-city cooperation agreements with:


The city has also built close ties with:

References

  1. ^ Nantes Hutchinson Encyclopedia. Retrieved 14 August 2007.
  2. ^ Population des villes de France au dernier recensement PopulationData.net. Retrieved 14 August 2007
  3. ^ A New Luster in the Ancient Heart of Brittany The New York Times, 5 August 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2007.
  4. ^ a b The Last Best Place In Europe Time Europe, 22 August 2004. Retrieved 4 August 2007.
  5. ^ "Innovation Cities™ Top 100 Index » Innovation Cities Index & Program – City data training events from 2THINKNOW for USA Canada America Europe Asia Mid-East Australia". Innovation-cities.com. 1 September 2010. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  6. ^ "Innovation Cities™ Global Index 2010 » Innovation Cities Index & Program – City data training events from 2THINKNOW for USA Canada America Europe Asia Mid-East Australia". Innovation-cities.com. 1 September 2010. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  7. ^ http://ec.europa.eu/environment/europeangreencapital/winning-cities/2013-nantes/index.html
  8. ^ http://www.energy-cities.eu/Nantes-European-Green-Capital-in
  9. ^ The Venice of the West RugbyWorldCup.com. Retrieved 7 December 2007.
  10. ^ Blue Nantes FranceGuide.com. Retrieved 7 December 2007.
  11. ^ David C Douglas, ed. English Historical Documents (Routledge, 1979) "Secular Narrative Sources" pp 345f.
  12. ^ Chronicle of Nantes English Historical Documents. Dorthy Whitelock, David Charles Douglas. Routledge, 1996 ISBN 0-415-14366-7. Retrieved 30 October 2007.
  13. ^ Leslie Choquette, Frenchmen into peasants: modernity and tradition in the peopling of French Canada (1997), p. 56
  14. ^ group="Breaking the Silence, Learning about the Transatlantic Slave Trade website, is a joint initiative between UNESCO, Anti-Slavery International, the British Council and the Norwegian Agency for Development Co-operation (NORAD).">Smith, Zns. "Nantes Slave Port". Retrieved 9 January 2013.
  15. ^ Ruth Scurr, Fatal Purity: Robespierre And the French Revolution (2006) p. 305
  16. ^ "tourisme/culture – France – Nantes – histoire page". reception. 22 October 1941. Retrieved 8 July 2009.
  17. ^ Revit Metropolitan Development[dead link]
  18. ^ A recognized quality of life Business in Western France. Retrieved 4 August 2007.
  19. ^ Climate information for Nantes. Retrieved 8 September 2007.
  20. ^ "Ville de Nantes: Mairie - Conseil Municipal". Nantes.fr. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
  21. ^ Presentation of Nantes CRWFlags.com. Published on 28-04-07. Retrieved 7 December 2007.
  22. ^ "Reviews of The Life and Science of Léon Foucault. The Man who Proved the Earth Rotates". .phys.canterbury.ac.nz. Retrieved 8 July 2009.
  23. ^ Loire-Atlantique guide
  24. ^ "Does the Breton language have a future?". Breizh.net. 2004. Retrieved 7 August 2007. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  25. ^ Template:Fr icon Ofis ar Brezhoneg: Enseignement bilingue
  26. ^ Rodrigue, Dr. Jean-Paul. "Omnibus, Paris Late 19th century". Hofstra University. Retrieved 9 August 2007.
  27. ^ Wansbeek, C.J. (January 2001). "Nantes expansion – City tram now a mature network". Tramways & Urban Transit. Ian Allan Ltd / Light Rail Transit Association. Retrieved 9 August 2007.
  28. ^ http://blog.bid-nantes-france-velo-city2015.com/
  29. ^ "New Notre Dame des Landes Airport, Nantes, France". airport-technology.com. Retrieved 24 July 2008.
  30. ^ Nantes religious buildings. Retrieved 21 December 2011.
  31. ^ Birkin, Jane (9 February 2003). "My favourite table". The Observer. UK. Retrieved 21 March 2008.
  32. ^ "DMC website". Dmcworld.com. Retrieved 13 April 2010.

Further reading

Published in the 19th c.
  • "Nantes", A handbook for travellers in France, London: John Murray, 1861 {{citation}}: External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
  • C.B. Black (1876), "Nantes", Guide to the north of France, Edinburgh: Adam and Charles Black {{citation}}: External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
  • "Nantes", Northern France, Leipsic: Karl Baedeker, 1899, OCLC 2229516 {{citation}}: External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
Published in the 20th c.
  • "Nantes", The Encyclopaedia Britannica (11th ed.), New York: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 1910, OCLC 14782424 {{citation}}: External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
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