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Arrival, information and accommodation
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Nantes'
gare SNCF
, a little way east of the centre, is served by a dozen TGVs daily from Paris (just 2hr away). It has two exits; for most facilities (tramway, buses, hotels) use Acces Nord. There are two central
bus
stations. Local buses use the Gare des Bus on cours Franklin, alongside place du Commerce, while the long-distance
gare routiere
(tel 02.40.47.62.70) is 400m away on allee Baco, near place Ricordeau. Rubber-wheeled
trams
run along the old riverfront, past the
gare SNCF
and the two bus stations. Flat-fare tickets are valid for one hour, rather than just a single journey, though one-day tickets are also available.
Nantes' tourist office , in the foyer of the Palais de la Bourse, in place du Commerce (Mon-Sat 10am-7pm; tel 02.40.47.04.51, www.reception.com/nantes ), provides free guides to hotels and restaurants, rents out bikes at 50F/€7.62 per day and runs guided tours of the city. It also sells the Nantes City Card , available in one-day (90F/€13.72), two-day (160F/€24.39), and three-day (200F/€30.49) versions, which grants unrestricted use of local transport, including river cruises, and free admission to a wide range of museums. A subsidiary information office is located alongside the chateau at 1 rue de la Chateau (July & Aug daily 10am-7pm; rest of year Mon-Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 10am-noon & 2-6pm). For Internet access , head to Cyber City , 14 rue de Strasbourg (daily 12.30pm-midnight; 25F/€3.81 per hour). Although it holds plenty of hotels to suit all budgets, Nantes is one of those cities where you won't necessarily stumble upon a suitable place just by walking or driving around at whim. Instead, there are two main concentrations: one, as ever, in the immediate vicinity of the gare SNCF , and one in the narrow streets around the place Greslin. The HI hostel , Cite Universitaire Internationale , in a postmodern former tobacco factory at 2 place de la Manu (tel 02.40.29.29.20), is open from July to mid-September only; within 100m of the gare SNCF , it's accessible by taking tramway #1 towards Malachere and getting off at Manufacture. Hotels Cholet , 10 rue Gresset (tel 02.40.73.31.04, fax 02.40.73.78.82). Quiet, friendly option very close to place Graslin, where all the wide assortment of rooms have en-suite facilities. Rates drop at weekends. 220-300F/€34-46. des Colonies , 5 rue du Chapeau Rouge (tel 02.40.48.79.76, fax 02.40.12.49.25). Spruce, good-value hotel a couple of blocks up from place Graslin, and in walking distance of everything. Discounts at weekends. 300-400F/€46-61. L'Hotel , 6 rue Henri-IV (tel 02.40.29.30.31, fax 02.40.29.00.95). An insouciant name for perhaps the city's finest option, a grand, new edifice facing the chateau that offers all mod cons. Parking costs 30F/€4.57. 400-500F/€61-76. St-Daniel , 4 rue du Bouffay (tel 02.40.47.41.25, fax 02.51.72.03.99). Simple but pleasant and well-lit rooms, on a cobbled street just off the place du Bouffay in the very heart of the old city, which are much in demand in summer. Paying 20F/€3.05 extra gets you a TV in your room. Under 160F/€24.
Terminus
, 3 allee du Commandant-Charcot (tel 02.40.74.24.51, fax 02.40.74.44.11). Simple hotel very near the
gare SNCF
, on the way towards the chateau. All rooms have double beds and TV, and the restaurant is reasonable, so long as you skip the very limited 55F/€8.38 menu and opt for those at 90F/€13.72 and upwards. 220-300F/€34-46. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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France,
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