Top 5 Must Do's in Nantes

There is no question about it, a Nantes must do's list should include touring the city inside and out. Explore the city and take in the history with a little wild adventure on the side. Nantes is a city for lovers, families, the imaginative, the history buff, and the artistically inclined.

1. Take Cruise Tour

Begin your Nantes holiday with a tour on the Edre River. You can find tour cruises that will take you to the end and back giving an informative highlighted historical background of the all the sights you will be viewing. You can also cruise the Loire river with tour guides and learn about the city's historical and industrial past and visit the village of Trentemoult. Cruises along the Sevre Nantaise can be found, as well, and you will pass the vineyards as you cruise by and delight in the landscape surrounding you. The river tours are a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours on the water. If you are wanting a more intimate tour, guided canoe tours are available as well. Canoe tours let you paddle your way slowly through the beautiful waterways and where you can do a little bird-watching as well. It is a wonderful activity the entire family or group will enjoy.

2. Discover Isle

Finding the unusual in Nantes is the most fascinating part of your must-do list. Ride a giant "elephant" for 45 minutes as you get a great view from atop the mechanical contraption made of wood and steal at Machines of the Isle. Located in the old ship yard on Nantes isle, you will find the most amazing and adventuresome art projects that you can imagine and the project is interactive. It is almost like an amusement park because it definitely has the air of one.

3. Check Flowers in the Gardens

Step into the serenity of romance, a sense of peace, and history when you stop and smell the flowers of Jardin des Planted de Nantes, the municipal botanical gardens. These lovely gardens began as a small patch of land growing medicinal vegetation outside of the city. In 1820 the park opened to the public as a municipal garden. Long-living magnolia trees still thrive in the gardens, today as well as over 11,000 different species of plants intermingled with a collection of statues, pavilions, fountains and cascades. The park is free but there is a slight charge for entrance to the green houses. It is a lovely way to spend a few hours of the day.

4. Shop Around

Tour the historical streets of Nantes with a shopping expedition. The Passage Pommeraye is a unique market center that connects two other streets in an artistic, pedestrian-friendly way. To get to the Passage Pommeraye you must enter through a small shopping street where you can find designer clothing and art galleries. Once you enter the Passage Pommeraye, you are treated to a shopping tour you will want to do again and again, just to see the beautiful neoclassical statues that grace every level of the fantastic little mall.

5. Enjoy a Safari

Every tour should include a tour through the in's and out's of the nightlife. You can spend an evening under the stars on a safari expedition through an African Savannah and then dine under the stars with zoo keepers after you have participated in bringing the animals in at night. You will get the chance to hear your guide’s favorite stories about the animals they know so well. You will sleep in a camp among the zebra and antelope and wake up in the morning to breakfast being served.

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Nantes hotels are as individual as the people who stay there. Each room has its own décor and theme, all with fantastic service and great rooms with all the amenities. You can choose art deco with angular lines gracing the furniture and room and modern lobbies that look as though they have sprung from a fantastic hotel magazine or you can choose hotels for comfort and elegance. Most are easily affordable for those on a budget.

Hotel Saint-Yves

Hotel Saint-Yves is family-friendly and right for the money at around $66 a night. Every room is not like the other; each has its own personality and décor, but the service is always friendly, warm, and helpful. Breakfast is available in the morning with great coffee and tea. It is simply a sweet place to stay. If you are worried about the noise from the streets outside the windows, no need, the rooms are amazingly sound-proofed. A mini-bar and Wi-Fi are available in the rooms, as well. This hotel is conveniently located to great shopping and attractions.

Hotel Pmmeraye

Hotel Pmmeraye is one of those hotels that encompasses modern edgy designs. Starting at around $77, you can rest in the luxury of the modern décor, spacious rooms, and comfortable bed. Unless you are fluent in French, the television will probably not be of much use as the selection of channels is limited to the French channels. You can relax with a cocktail at the bar or check out a book at the library. You will be subject to friendly hosts and hostesses as you spend a few spectacular nights in this trendy hotel.

Mercure Ile de Nantes

Mercure Ile de Nantes is an elegant hotel that is well worth the $103 a night. Being in close proximity to transportation to the city center, this hotel will spoil you with roomy comfort. Enjoy the restaurant on sight and a cocktail in the bar. Sun yourself next to the pool on warm summer days with a cool refreshing drink at your side. There is Wi-Fi access and express check-in. The rooms are well designed with black-out curtains for uninterrupted sleep as well as satellite television.

Hotel La Perouse

Hotel La Perouse is edgy and chic. You will find the furnishings artistic and creatively designed. At $123 a night, this hotel will put you within walking distance of great nightlife and shopping. The rooms are large with the bare necessities but the bathrooms are fully-equipped. A daily breakfast is served using fair-trade and organic produce. The hotel offers great services such as child care, dry cleaning, and wireless Internet. Plus the hotels welcomes pets. as well.