"Le Voyage à Nantes"

What is the Voyage à Nantes?

The city of Nantes is considered to be one of the most culturally vibrant cities in the French provinces... And every year, Nantes hits hard since the launch of the "Voyage à Nantes".

Announced as a "Cultural Apocalypse", the Voyage à Nantes transforms the city of Nantes into a huge, offbeat work of art. At the time, very little information was circulating about the real projects that would animate the Nantes summer, but the whole programme was unveiled in mid-May on the official website.

Here is a video, featuring actress Julie Depardieu and writer-actor Jackie Berroyer, which expresses the misunderstanding that is slowly taking hold in the capital of the Loire:

The Voyage à Nantes programme

The advent of the Voyage à Nantes in recent years was the inauguration of the "Carrousel des Mondes Marins", an immense carousel over twenty metres high. This carousel has been added to the already impressive collection of the Machines de l'Île.

The Perennial Works of the Voyage à Nantes

The Voyage à Nantes ends in mid-August, but due to its success, various attractions have been chosen to remain forever in the Nantes landscape! Indeed, this summer event has attracted more than 1 200 000 visitors in 3 months! A real craze!

The Nest

Among them, there is of course the famous "Nid"; certainly, the most appreciated place of the Travellers of Nantes. Nestled at the top of the Tour de Bretagne, a 144-metre skyscraper, you can enjoy a Dantesque panorama of the city of Nantes, crossed by the Loire River. Designed by the artist Jean Jullien (who works for the New York Times, Centre Pompidou, Nike...), you will have the opportunity to sip a drink at the bar or sit on egg-shaped seats in the middle of a décor that looks strangely like the refuge of a giant white bird. Don't forget your binoculars or your cameras and admire the richness of Nantes from above... from up there!

Other permanent works in Nantes

• The Basket Tree: Go to the Ile de Nantes, where you will come across a very original basketball court since the central basket is made up of... 5 baskets. A surprising and friendly way to play basketball in front of a place very well known to the people of Nantes, La Maison des Hommes et des Techniques, which houses a permanent exhibition on the "Shipbuilders" which allows you to retrace the life in Nantes, a few decades ago.
  More information and photos of the Arbre à Basket on the VAN website
• The Carrousel of the Marine Worlds: A real attraction of the 2012 Nantes summer, this carrousel allows its occupants to discover the maritime world as they will never see it. 25 metres high and built on 3 floors, this new "island machine" will allow you to dive with 35 species from the flying fish to the Manta Ray...
  More info and pictures on the Carrousel of Nantes
• The Great Elephant: The now legendary Elephant of Nantes is not a work of the Voyage à Nantes per se, but it is perhaps the trigger for this Nantes euphoria. Released on the island of Nantes in 2007, it is an imposing 12-metre high structure. Able to accommodate about fifty passengers, the elephant will not hesitate to roar to impress the youngest among you.
  More info and photos on the elephant, king of the Machines