Flights to Nantes with Air France from CAD 787*

Nantes, a beautiful city, the largest in western France

The French national carrierAir France offers great-value airplane tickets to Nantes. There are flights each day to Nantes, France, from major Canadian airports like Montreal, Calgary,Vancouver and Toronto.

Your Montreal-Nantes flight, for instance, will take around ten hours and includes a stopover in Paris.

Nantes is a city of 290,000 inhabitants, located in western France, 50 km from the Atlantic coast on the River Loire and the island of Nantes. It's the capital of the département of Loire Atlantique and the region of Pays de la Loire - although it has historically been very closely associated with Brittany.

Your plane will land at Nantes Atlantique airport, which is 10 km southwest of Nantes.

Airport shuttle buses make the journey to the city centre in 30 minutes.

Nantes itself has an excellent public transport system boasting trams, buses and even passenger boats.

Nantes, a city with strikingly varied architecture

Nantes is also called 'the city of the Dukes of Brittany'. In fact, you can visit the castle of the same name. This stronghold was built on the banks of the Loire between the 14th and 18th centuries. It has been on the national register of historic buildings since 1840. Another remarkable construction, which was placed on the national register in 1976, is the passage Pommeraye shopping mall. It features retail outlets on three floors and is a good example of the local architectural style. Other shopping opportunities may be found as you stroll through the old town (Vieux Nantes), especially on the iconic place du Bouffay, which is home to numerous restaurants. There are also plenty of eating establishments on another famous square, the place Royale, designed in 1788 and located at the heart of the city centre near the place du Commerce and the place Graslin.

The cathédrale Saint-Pierre in Nantes, is equally awe-inspiring. Its construction spanned five centuries, from 1431 to 1891. It is characterized by elegant gothic architecture.

One symbol of Nantes that is an absolute must-see is the Lu tower, named after the famous brand of biscuit first created in Nantes during the 19th century at the height of the Industrial Revolution.

The 'tour Bretagne' (the Brittany tower) is surprisingly imposing and modern-looking. At 144 metres high, it overlooks the cours des 50 Otages, a lively major artery of the city.

Another unmissable tourist attraction is the Machines de l'île centre, located in the former shipyards of Nantes, which houses several mechanical, mobile artistic creations.

Travelling to Nantes: practical tips

If you intend to take a flight to Nantes, you need to remember that to enter French territory, you must have a passport that is valid for at least three months from the date you are due to leave the Schengen area, a 26 country zone where the free movement of people and goods is guaranteed. France is part of this area. You do not need a visa for stays of fewer than 90 days.

The best time of year to travel to Nantes, is the summertime, when the weather is driest.

If you wish to hire a car, it's best if you have an international driving permit.

The currency used in France is the euro. Credit cards and travellers' cheques are very widely accepted.