Nantes Off The Beaten Path

I discovered recently l'Epicier d'Art. I had heard several times about this art gallery that sold paintings, photos and sketches for very cheap prices (under 50€!), but could not really figure out where the shop was located. I knew it was near Saint Nicolas' church, a few minutes from where I live but did not find the shop. Thing is l'Epicier d'Art is located underground. you just find a notice board in front of the building to tell you there is an art gallery downstairs. Added with few advertsing, you have to be told about this shop to actually find it. Well, lets go to the point. The art gallery is really unusual and truely interesting. Claude, the owner, exhibits art from 600 different people. His philosophy: art at a cheap price. Which does not mean cheap quality. Excellent art gallery for those who want to buy art but usually cannot because it is too expensive. The local itself is very interesting. it is actually a kind of apartment, fulled of paintings and tags. Even if I live in Nantes, every time I go there it is actually if I was escaping from the city to go to another world. Recommended for curious people and art lovers.

Trentemoult is a quarter where fishermen used to live. It is right along the Loire and has a very small harbor facing the more impressive other side of the city.

Trentemoult is now becoming quite dynamic, with some bobos settling there and living a more arty life. Because, Trentemoult inspires and make you feel you are not really in the city.

Some nice cafes and restaurants along the Loire. Only been there once when the weather was alright but must be terrific in spring and summer.

I love this kind of place, where you just take time to enjoy usually "unsignificant" pleasures: taking a glass of white wine and eating fresh fish on a terrasse, with people you love.

You can go there by bus (check on Nantes' TAN website) or car.

Along the Loire harbour, you can visit a militiray boat: le MAILLE BREZE. I did it when I was quite young so I dont remember very accurately.

Thing is you actually have a very special atmosphere, that of cold war (even if this boat probably never get involved in any cold war conflict).

The boat is pretty big, grey and most people in Nantes have either visited it or heard about it.

A great unusual place to visit.

L'Ile de Nantes is definitely an off the beaten place to go. It is a small island south of Nantes. Well, dont think tropical island or anything like this. Right now, it is an industrial island. It used to be a main industrial center for the city and hosted Nantes' harbour.

Since a few years, the city decided to rehabilitae this place and make it a new center for the city. Thus the new court of justice has been implemented there (and was designed by famous architect Jean Nouvel). The architecture school is to be built there too. And there are many other projects to be done there.

Interesting thing to see right now is the evolution of this place. Currently it is a kind of no man's land, with buildings in construction, old industrial places and weird modern buildings. For those who know Rotterdam, it reminds of Kop van Zuid.

Going there give you a good feeling of what is Nantes' potential. And if you come back to Nantes in a few years, you will not recognize the place...

If interested, check on www.iledenantes.com

I've been there this week-end and just walked there for about 1.5 hours.
They have nice trees and flowers, a small lake and it seems pretty quiet, that's what I liked.
There are also tennis courts up there, but they were full at the time we arrived there.
At the beginning was pretty difficult to find the park, but then I easily found the way back throught the center.

a cinema called' UGC Apollo' where you can see movies for only 2 euros! located in 20 & 21 rue Racine, next to theater Graslin. Be careful, sometimes there's only one showing in the week
more information:www.ugc.fr

Shop until you drop in the lovely old streets of Nantes! Many souvenirshops and clothing shops are here. You can also take a walk in the parc or enjoy a nice club sandwhich on a terrace with a nice housewine to combine with it.

There are a lot of vineyards nearby Clisson. They produce Anjou Wine (red or white)and the famous MUSCADET.

We enjoyed a 'Porte Ouverte' by a wine grower in Beaulieu sur Layon and we tasted his 'Coteaux du Layon' which is sweet white wine. I brought a sufficient number of bottles to taste for some years in the future.