Exploring Nantes

You’ll find stuff about Paris, Cannes, Nice or even Marseille in a lot of travel blogs but not about the lesser known cities. One such place is the beautiful city called Nantes and like my Paris post here are a few things you can do to explore the city.

1.      Parc de la Chantrerie

Being a nature freak that I am, the number one thing on the list had to be the most beautiful and gigantic park I found wandering around the college campus area one evening. This place is so close to my heart that if someone were to tell me that they have an extra ticket to Nantes and if I’d like to go, my answer would always, no matter the time and the situation, be a huge YES, just because of the possibility of going to this park and lazing around on the wide grass fields, taking long walks through it and then just standing and watching the river flow. I assure you that you won’t regret going there. Pack a picnic and spread out your legs, feel the fresh air take away all the sorrow and the tension of the day. Watch Erdre flow and calm the unrest inside you. Or if you are an observer in silence kind of person, then you’ll have things from the soft rustling of the beautiful green lush around the park, to the animals from cows to horses, the ducks in the river and the people running, exercising, school baseball teams out practicing or a family out enjoying a nice picnic or just a small evening stroll, or the all time favorite, watching the sunset standing by the banks of Erdre. This park has a lot to give and explore, and if you happen to be there during fall, then I am sure you’ll be giving your eyes a colorful treat with all the changing colors of the leaves around you and the underlying coldness in the fall winds will make you smile for sure.

2.      Ride the public transport

I know here I am saying again after asking you to ride around the metro in Paris to ride around the public transport here as well. But trust me, those tram and bus rides will be worth the time invested. If you find joy in finding the small things in life like graffiti on the wall, then you most definitely should ride around the town in the trams and buses. For the graffiti in the photo below is one of my discoveries while riding around the town on Ligne 1 of TAN, or the line 1 of the city’s tramway. If you don’t want to spend the days buying tickets then get a booklet or better yet a 24 hours ticket and roam around hassle free with just one punch and nothing to do for the next 24 hours on either a tram or a bus. If someone comes to check, just show them the punch time and make sure it’s within the 24 hours time slot and you’re good to go.

3.      Walk around town

Walk, walk and walk. Any city needs to be explored with you walking its streets and finding the smallest things you can that fascinates you or something pretty among the chaos of the city that catches your eye, which you can’t find unless you’re on foot and go the corners of the city. I am a people observing person to some extent and I spent an entire evening just walking around the town listening to people talk, though it was all French going around me and I had no clue what they were talking about, but it was nice observing that every household is almost the same no matter where you are. You’ll find dads fixing up the basketball hoops, or washing the cars, the ladies tending to their flowers or sipping tea by the porch, and kids as always just running around and playing their hearts out. It’s the little things that make a house into a home, and no matter if you’re an observer or not, these small things will bring a smile on your face almost as a reflex.

4.      Go to the top of Tour Bretagne

Tour Bretagne is the third tallest building in France outside of Paris located in downtown Nantes. The roof is a popular hub for big parties, but other than that its open for people to visit and check out the view from the top since the tower dominates the city’s skyline and gives a great 360 view of the city be it in the day or the night.

5.      Ile de Nantes

Enclosed by the rivers flowing through the city, Ile de Nantes is always a fun place to be and you’ll always find people there with Les Machines being the center of attraction on the isle. Why you ask? Well because of the giant mechanical elephant they have on display there that moves around the area. Moving along the isle you’ll find the famous neon rings and the happening pubs of the city to enjoy a night out with friends dancing it out on the awesome club music you’ll find there.

6.      Buck Mulligan’s

Want some awesome music not just of the pub’s sound system but live music playing with a rustic Irish look and a sweetheart of an owner with some Irish drinks? Then this is the place to be. Even if you aren’t a fan of drinking but love some bagpipes, guitars and flutes making awesome music around you, then you definitely should go to Buck Mulligan’s. Don’t believe the things I am promising you’ll find there? I got real sweet recordings for you guys from the pub one night with people making awesome music, check it out and then decide for yourself if the vibes are good or not.

     

     7.      LASER TAG

     Why it’s in caps shouldn’t be a wonder. I mean who doesn’t love laser tag? Or being a stupid vengeful kid again? Or being super competitive trying to “laser” the opposite team? People love laser tag, period. And Nantes has just the place for you to “laser” people all you want, either alone or with a huge party. I had my friends over one weekend and we played till our clothes were drenched in sweat and we were out of breath, which was followed by three rounds of air hockey. Basically we went bonkers and played like little kids all afternoon at Zone Laser Games near Ile de Nantes. Have a big gang and nothing to do on the weekend? Go there and laser people up. It’s not a huge place, but you’ll surely have fun and curse a lot when your vest vibrates because someone got you good. Oh and here are some cool names we got while playing (Sniper and Yoshi).

8.      Chateau des ducs de Bretagne and Passage Pommeraye

The castle of Bretagne is a beautiful place for a picnic during a nice fall day and you can end the day there by the light show that happened every night on the walls of the castle. It is a beautiful sight with all the light play and the people walking around the castle. And right outside the castle entrance, you’ll find Princess Anne looking over the castle. The second name there, Passage Pommeraye for me is an architectural landmark of the city. That market is so awesomely constructed that you won’t even realize how many floors you passed through until someone asks you, “hey, any idea which floor we were at and are now?” And that place is so fancy with large stairs and shiny shops all around you. Don’t even think about not going there because you will regret it. You’ll even find the endless mirror positioning along the paths like we did.

            9.      Churches

I love churches. There must be some of you out there who love churches just as much as I do. Well then I have good news for you. There are beautiful churches there and if there is a cemetery fan somewhere out there like me who at times has been called a weird freak for finding solace in a cemetery then you should definitely go to Nantes and visit the churches and find a beautiful cemetery attached to it. I apologize for not remembering the church, I am still feeling so sad about forgetting it but that cemetery was so beautiful that I still remember it as if I were standing there, even some of the graves (I know I sound totally creepy). You’ll find an entire family buried there, a nameless soldier, kids who couldn’t live to see the beauty of life around them and if someone’s been by then you might just find fresh flowers on some graves. Even if you aren’t into praying just go see the beautiful architecture, the stories those old walls and pillars have to say, the whispers of the cracks they bear, the gentle croons of the candles that burn with the hopes of people who light them, or just the calming silence of the church. Sit there, relax, think, or just close your eyes and be there in the moment. No one is going to disturb you, no one will ask you to leave, or ask you to pray. Just sit there with you, yourself and your thoughts or better yet don’t bring any thoughts just be with yourself. For me a church is the second best place after nature to be in solace, and I know some of you will agree with me.

There are probably so many places I am missing here but hey, you guys can go out there explore more and come back here to tell me if you like. It will just add more places to go when I am back in the city. So go out and get exploring, and I hope you make even happier memories than I have of that city.