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Along the quays of the Loire in Nantes

A visit to Nantes to stroll along the quays and visit the Memorial dedicated to slavery and the famous machines of the island

The departure of the walk is located in the city center near the Ile de Nantes, it is not easy to move by car and find a parking space in the center of Nantes, there are so many spaces reserved for public transport and bicycles that it becomes difficult to circulate by car. Once there you can visit the island of Nantes with the famous machines of the island, you will also pass in front of the memorial of slavery. At the end of the walk you can head towards the historical center of Nantes to continue the visit, be careful the distances are important.

The Galerie des Machines

Interest: ratingvery good (2 users)
Difficulty: difficulty
Duration: 2 h.
Departure point (Google Maps)

Catwalks

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Catwalks
To get to the Ile de Nantes, take the pedestrian bridge in front of the Tribunal de Grande Instance de Nantes.

The Loire

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The Loire
Very nice view on the Loire from the footbridge.

The machines of the island

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The machines of the island
The machines of the island are imposing machines inspired by the world of Jules Verne. There is "the Great Elephant", "The Gallery of Machines", "The Carrousel of the Marine Worlds" and "The prototype branch of the Heron Tree". It is located between the amusement park and the museum, it is very original. You can take a ride on the back of the elephant or just watch it go by (it is the most interesting). You can see on the official website the hours of passage of the elephant (1 time per hour in high season).

The hangar

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The hangar
The main hangar is located in the former shipyard hangar. To enter, you need to pay an entrance fee and book in advance.

The carousel of marine worlds

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The carousel of marine worlds
Here again, there is a lot of originality, there are three rides stacked one on top of the other. The first level describes the ocean floor, the second level shows the abyss and the last level is about the surface of the ocean. The attraction is not free, the organizers could simplify the prices and the opening hours, it takes a lot of time to understand the price list.

The prototype branch of the heron tree

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The prototype branch of the heron tree
The Heron Tree is a monumental tree made of metal and plants. The final project, weighing over 1,000 tonnes, was to have been built in an old quarry near Nantes, but after 10 years of planning, the town council decided to shelve the project.

The Nantilus

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The Nantilus
The Nantilus is a restaurant moored on the banks of the Loire, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Loire while having a drink.

The Maillé-Brézé

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The Maillé-Brézé
On the other side of the river, you can see "Le Maillé-Brézé", a former escort ship that has been converted into a museum. It can be visited for €12. Allow a good half-hour's extra walk if you want to get to the other side of the Loire.

Memorial of the abolition of slavery

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Memorial of the abolition of slavery
A strange place, the entrance is not well indicated and it looks like an underground parking lot entrance. The Memorial is free and open to the public.

The milking panels

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The milking panels
Panels show you how the slave trade worked. Nantes was the first French slave trade port.

🚶‍ Practical information 🌳

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