Okay let’s roll up my sleeves and just dive right into what I actually did in Nantes last Tuesday. Woke up stupidly early thanks to jet lag, grabbed a strong coffee that honestly tasted like tar near my cheap hotel, and just started walking. Maps? Nah, just head towards the river. First thing that hit me? The air felt different, kind of damp and salty, reminds you it’s practically the ocean out there.
Mechanical Madness First
Heard weird clanking sounds. Followed it like a lost puppy and boom – there it was, the giant elephant at Les Machines de l’Île. Seriously, pictures don’t do it justice. This thing is enormous, walking around spraying water, and it’s made of wood and metal like something out of a Victorian nightmare. I stood there gawking like an idiot. Paid my €8.50 (prices weren’t wild) to get into the gallery. They’ve got giant insects you can sit on and make move with levers – felt like a kid again trying to make a metal heron flap its wings. The highlight though? Watching the giant ant twitch. Whole place feels like someone’s crazy shed project, but on industrial steroids. Spent way longer here than planned just poking around.
Chilling with Dukes and Ducks
Walked it off towards the old castle, Château des Ducs de Bretagne. Big white walls look kinda fancy-pants now. Wandered the ramparts for free, getting a decent view over the city rooftops. Nice spot for a breather. Inside? Paid for the museum part. Lots of old stuff about Nantes and Brittany – honestly, some bits dragged (lots of documents behind glass), but seeing the sheer size of the place and the deep moat makes you realize how much clout those dukes had. Could easily imagine guys in armor stomping around.
Art Attack
After that history dose, switched gears to the Musée d’Arts de Nantes. Big imposing building. Inside felt… clean. Big rooms with everything from creepy old religious paintings to splodges of color that looked like my nephew threw paint. They had some cool modern installations upstairs. Best part for me? Finding the Klimt. Small, tucked away, but seeing that shimmering gold up close was worth the admission alone. Took way longer than expected just cruising through the ages.
Greenery and Gear Down
Legs screamed at me by this point. Headed towards the Jardin des Plantes, which is basically their central park but way classier. Perfect spot to just collapse on a bench. Huge old trees everywhere, like proper granddaddy trees you need three people to hug. Flower beds manicured within an inch of their lives. Found this massive warm greenhouse – stepping inside was like hitting a wall of damp heat, packed full of giant ferns and weird spikey things. Felt almost tropical. Stumbled upon the infamous “Tree with a Face” sculpture – kinda creepy, kinda cool. Spent ages just wandering the paths, watching people walk dogs or nap in the sun. Absolute haven.
Winding Down the Water
Daylight started fading. Walked slowly back towards the main island area along one of the smaller canals. Passed some fancy old buildings clearly reimagined into offices or swanky flats. Passed quirky little cafes and bookshops starting to twinkle. Grabbed a simple crepe stuffed with ham and cheese from a hole-in-the-wall joint near the tram lines – messy, cheap, hit the spot. Sat on a bench overlooking the water as the city lights reflected, just letting the sheer weird mix of industrial grit, canals, history, and that giant elephant vibe wash over me. Totally different feel to Paris – less frantic, more like it’s comfortable in its own slightly offbeat skin.
Whole day was a proper mixed bag: jaw-dropping mechanical beasts, quiet history corners, crazy art bits, and loads of green chill-out spots. Just walked my feet off, but wouldn’t change a thing.
