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Saint-Nazaire > Nantes
67 km - For practical reasons (a well-served railway station), the town of Saint-Nazaire is the perfect starting point for Eurovelo 6. After crossing the spectacular bridge over the Loire estuary to reach the seaside resort of Saint-Brévin-les-Pins, we begin the ascent of the Loire to Nantes through marshland and tranquil hamlets, punctuated by a few monumental works of contemporary art.
Access
 | By trainSaint-Nazaire railway station: bicycles permitted in TER and Interloire trains. |
Itinerary
To reach the official starting point of the EV6 at St. Brévin-les-Pins, you have to cross the famous Saint-Nazaire bridge on the D213. It is possible to cross on a bike, but is still somewhat hazardous, in spite of improvements made in 2010. For families, we recommend taking bus No. 17 from Saint-Nazaire station to Saint-Brévin (approx. one bus every 30 minutes). It is possible to attach up to eight bikes to the back of the bus, and the trip takes a quarter of an hour.
From Saint-Brévin, the route follows secondary roads (D97) until Paimboeuf (If you are riding a mountain bike, you can also go along the estuary using an unpaved road up to Corsept, just before Paimboeuf). Shortly after the leaving Paimboeuf, we come to the Canal de la Martiniere, which we will follow as far as Pellerin, where we will take a ferry to cross the Loire to reach Couëron. We therefore arrive at the city of Nantes from the north bank of the Loire, which unfortunately has all-too-few cycle paths.
Tourist destinations
Saint Nazaire
This is a town famous for its shipyards, where the liner 'France' was built.
The Espadon (Swordfish) Submarine
Built by the Augustin Normand du Havre shipyard, the Espadon (Swordfish) was launched in 1958 and entered into service in 1960. 78m long, this submarine could dive for five to six days. During its twenty-five years of service, it spent 2561 days at sea and 33,796 hours diving. It travelled 650,000 km - the equivalent of 17 times around the Earth. Visitors have been able to take a look around the Espadon since 1987. This is the only submarine afloat that can be visited in France
Escal’Atlantic
Moored near the site where some of the finest liners in the world were built, and on the spot from which vessels embarked for Central America, Escal'Atlantic enables visitors to relive a fascinating chapter in maritime history - that of the great transatlantic liners. From the engine room to the wheelhouse, from the cabins to the great dining hall, the same atmosphere is recreated - the illusion is perfect!
"Ecotourism" The forgotten garden
Gilles Clement is a gardener, entomologist, botanist, agronomist, writer and teacher regarded as one of the greatest landscape gardeners and planners. He advocates natural growth in gardens and minimal intervention from Man on the garden environment. He built a garden divided into three areas on the roof of the submarine base in Saint-Nazaire. This remarkable landscape creation shows how plants can transform our environment, even (or especially!) the most austere and the least expected area.
Saint-Brévin
A seaside resort ideal for bathing in the sea, if you have been travelling towards the Atlantic.
Maritime Museum
Housed in a disused fort dating back to 1861, the Maritime Museum is at the north end of town, in Mindin. The viewpoint over the Loire estuary offers stunning views of the St. Nazaire bridge ad the Atlantic shipyards.
The museum has a huge collection of model ships, old and new, as well as objects, documents and charts relating to the maritime environment.
"Ecotourism" Forest of Pierre Attelée :
The only dunal forest in the region, this magnificent place extends across 41 hectares along the Roussellerie beach. It is mainly made up of pinasters and evergreen oaks.
Paimboeuf
"Ecotourism" The Loire Estuar :
From the docks at Paimboeuf, you can loko out over a magnificent view of the Loire estuary. The charm of the Loire landscape is spread out before your very eyes. Fishing is permitted, even without a special permit - line or net fishing.
Nantes
Former capital of the Dukes of Brittany, whose castle is emblematic of the city.
Les machines de l’Ile
The Machines de l'Ile is a thoroughly original art project. The brainchild of François Delarozière and Pierre Orefice, it stands at the crossroads of the "invented worlds" of Jules Verne, the mechanical universe of Leonardo da Vinci and the industrial history of Nantes, on the extraordinary site of former shipyards.
The LU viewing tower, the jewel in the crown of this unique place, is accessible to the public year round. In 1909, Louis Lefèvre-Utile, the famous Nantes biscuit-maker built two towers based on plans drawn up by Parisian architect Auguste Bluyssen, forming an enormous gateway towards the cours St. Pierre and Saint-André. Drawing inspiration from the castle of the Dukes of Brittany, he wanted to make his new plant nothing less than a palace of industry. In the concrete-ridden 1970s, the only surviving tower was decapitated.
At the point where "Jules Verne must have often come to contemplate the river from such an elevation, where it becomes the gateway to the wide world and the road to adventure", in 1978 - the 150th anniversary of the writer's birth, the City of Nantes decided to devote a museum to Jules Verne in order to return its rich Verne collections to the people.
Books, manuscripts, documents, excerpts of works and illustrations, posters, games and articles - all provide an invitation to a "journey to the centre of Verne's writing".
Practical Informations
bikes rentals
 | Saint-Nazaire, Saint-Brevin, Nantes
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tourist offices
 | Saint-Nazaire Tél. 02 40 22 40 65 |
 | Nantes |
MAPS and guidebooks
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Weather
Saint-Nazaire
