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Belle-Ile-a bicycle tour

Treguier, lawyers pilgrimage and Lannion

Rennes

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Carnac-Trinite sur Mer

Auray, StGoustan and the Quiberon peninsula

Vannes

Gulf of Morbihan, its fisher ports and more

Guerande and  salt, and La Baule, beautiful beach resort 

St.Nazaire to Nantes (1)

Nantes, visit of this elegant city, shopping,churches, museums

Brest - Douarnenez - Pointe du Raz

Quimper-Concarneau

Pont Aven -Quimperlé

Nantes, visit of this elegant city, shopping,churches, museums.

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Introduction

Climate

Bretons

Music

Cuisine

History

For the CATHEDRAL SAINT PIERRE ET PAUL in NANTES, is in limestone, not the Breton granite, but something about the style looks familiar: Yes, it’s Flamboyant Gothic. A lot of travelers compare this cathedral to Notre-Dame de Paris, since it has a typical flamboyant art style. Built between 1434 et 1882, there is no “Last Judgment” on the last tympani. Walls are consolidated by arched vaults and pierced by numerous windows or a big glass-case, typical of Gothic style.
Inside, the height and light impression is given by the long pillars going as height as the ribbed vaults without ruptures and capitals. The stone cultures are very fine and precise. On the northern portal you can the Anne de Bretagne armories. The nave soars to a 39 meters height.
This cathedral is a very fine church, which no visitor to Nantes should miss.
We are already in old town and let’s proceed to the place de la Psalette, a delicious square on the south side of the church, surmounted by a 15th century cloister. A quiet place. 
The town itself conations many 18th and 19th century houses. Many fine examples of elegant domestic architecture.
Stroll west of the cathedral along the Cours Franklin Roosevelt, to the place du Marechal Foch, a beautiful architectural ensemble of the 18th. Let yourself attract by the mixture of steep streets beside the river and many fine squares. Interesting buildings are especially gathered for you on the Place Graslin and the Place Royale. Don’t forget that the famous Jules Verne was born in Nantes, the famous general “Cambronne” is from here, who commanded the old guard at the battle of Waterloo and gave the French the famous “word of Cambronne: “MERDE”, refusing to surrender to the British. Other say, and himself in later life said that he actually proffered: “La garde meurt mais ne se rend pas!”
Nantes is a very pleasant city, with excellent shopping of an almost Parisian elegance.
But those visitors who crave culture have (besides the Ducal castle), many more options to choose from.
The FINE ARTS MUSEUM has its own collection of Kandinsky's and is now also showing the Kandinsky collection from the Beaubourg Museum in Paris, together wit its own Ingres, Georges de la Tour and Courbet.

Jules Verne museum

The JULES VERNE Museum is in a charming 19th century house in the St. Anne quarter. The heart of Anne of Brittany is contained in a reliquary in the elegant THOMAS DOBREE Museum. One of the most striking sights in Nantes is the  PASSAGE POMMERAYE. Built in 1843, this shopping arcade is on three levels linked by wooden stairs and wrought-iron balconies topped by statues. The adjacent Rue Crebillon is Nantes answer to the Faubourg Saint Honore. Window gawking at the expensive stores is so prevalent that the Nantais have a verb for it: crebillonner. At the top of the street, the 18th century Graslin Theater faces La Cigale, a restaurant with an elaborate 1900s decor, which is always buzzing with Nantais sipping cold Muscadet and savoring oysters on the half shell. Want to die happy? Stop at the Gautier confiserie and try a mascaron, a chocolate filled with muscadet.
Apart of the cathedral, two other sights are well worth seeing: both Botanical gardens, the JARDIN DES PLANTES and the ISLAND FEYDEAU, which is now attached to the mainland. It used to be once a fashionable lively quarter
Nantes is well worth discovering. Visitors may even end up agreeing with surrealist Andre Breton, who wrote: "Nantes, perhaps with Paris, is the only city in France where I have the impression that something worthwhile might happen." Like an urban beach.

Bibliography

Vie quotidienne à Nantes au temps de la traite des Noirs de Petre Grenouilleau-Nantes, 1830-1940 : une ville et ses écoles ( 1999) de Marc Suteau-Nantes et la Côte de Jade (1992) de Guide Gallimard-Les grandes heures de Nantes de Armel de Wismes(1992)