The history museum of the city of Nantes since 1924, the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany Museum is the last castle on the banks of the River Loire before it reaches the ocean, and is based in buildings dating from the 15th to the 18th centuries. This is where Duchess Anne of Brittany was born, and where Henry IV signed the Edict of Nantes, authorising Protestants to freely practise their religion.

The 7 sequences spread across 32 rooms, whose design was fully overhauled in 2016, make up a museum trail that tells the story of the city, from ducal Brittany to the city of today, through port and industrial activities and social movements.

Major historical events are explored extensively, from the Edict of Nantes to "black gold", from the Revolution to the two World Wars, through a collection of over 1,000 objects. The trail ends with a vision of the city, a multimedia creation by the contemporary artist Pierrick Sorin.

Visitors can enjoy guided or self-guided tours, and the site regularly hosts exhibitions.

Nestled at the confluence of the Loire and Erdre rivers, Nantes is a surprising city in the Loire-Atlantique department, elegantly oscillating between past and modernity.

Start your visit with the old town, a nice place to stroll around where you can discover many historic buildings. The Gothic Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul has a beautiful tuffeau interior and is lit by a huge 25-metre-tall stained glass window, dedicated to the Breton saints. It is here, in the right arm of the transept, that the tomb of Francis II is located.

As you continue your walk, you can admire various 18th and 19th-century buildings and half-timbered houses in the old Le Bouffay district. Feel like doing a little shopping or satisfying your appetite? Visit the Passage Pommeraye, a superb 19th-century covered mall. You will find shops and restaurants on its three floors. Notice the beautiful wooden and metal staircase, glass roof and fluted columns!

The 15th-century Castle of the Dukes of Brittany stands at the heart of the old town, which earned Nantes the moniker of City of Dukes. It was once a fortress, as evidenced by the moat and towers with Breton machicolations. The tower of the Golden Crown, the well with wrought iron armatures featuring the ducal crown, and the large dwelling designed for Francis II and adorned with Gothic dormers are among the castle's must-see sights. In addition, the castle houses the Nantes History Museum, which offers an unusual way to discover the city. You follow a trail divided into seven sequences, from Francis I to the present day, as well as industrial Nantes and its current revival.

Make a detour via the Quai de la Fosse to admire some 18th-century residences and go as far as number 86: now outbuildings for the Durbé mansion, they were once used as a warehouse by the French East India Company.

Nantes has many green spaces such as the Japanese garden and its waterfalls, located on the Ile de Versailles. With a rich collection of cacti and flora from Brittany but also North America, Asia and Africa, the Botanical Garden (Jardin des Plantes), adorned with water features, is another pleasant place to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet.

Into art and history? Head to the Fine Arts Museum where around a thousand works are exhibited, including European paintings dating from the 13th century to the present day. The Natural History Museum has beautiful collections on different themes: zoology, regional wildlife and mineralogy. As you walk along its paths, you will be awestruck by the spectacular skeletons of a fin whale and a basilosaurus isis - the ancestor of the whale and the only such specimen in France.

Your tour of Nantes now continues with the Ile Feydeau, which was once a marshy island. In 1926, the city decided to fill in the arms of the River Loire and the island was thus attached to the city.

Then head to the Ile de Nantes to discover an extraordinary attraction: the Machines of the Isle (Les Machines de l'île). This exhibition space is often likened to a skilful blend of the world of Jules Verne and the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci. What you will see is unique: animals made of wood and steel, arranged in scenes in a surprising gallery. Go for a ride on the elephant, a gigantic structure with room for about fifty passengers. Set off to discover the world of the sea at the Marine World Carousel, whose dimensions are dizzying: 25 metres tall and 22 metres in diameter! Inside this mechanical aquarium, all aspects of the sea are revealed, from the deepest abysses to the surface, not forgetting the sea beds.

Finish this extraordinary tour at the workshop terraces: this is where the awe-inspiring creatures are made, and you can even watch their creators building them.

At the edge of the Loire, the Nantes vineyard stretches as far as the departments of Maine-et-Loire and Vendée, covering around 15,000 hectares. This is the largest wine-growing area in the Loire Valley. It is famous for producing dry white wines like Muscadet, its flagship wine, and Gros Plant.

The Nantes vineyard offers a wonderful range of landscapes and sites that you can discover on a country trail called "Journey in the vineyard". You are invited on a historical and cultural journey, on foot along one of the 38 walking circuits or by car following the signs. The programme includes the Muscadet vines, the Goulaine marsh, the Sèvre Nantaise riverbanks, beautiful natural sites and picturesque places like Clisson with its Tuscan feel.

To round off your visit, meet the winegrowers and head to Le Pallet to visit the Nantes Vineyard Museum, which houses a collection of over 500 objects from the 16th century to the present day, relating to the history and know-how of the region's winegrowers.

On the banks of the Sèvre Nantaise, Clisson in Loire-Atlantique instantly charms walkers with its medieval air and Tuscan influence. Standing on a rocky promontory, its medieval character is clearly recognisable in its cobbled and sloping streets, the remains of the castle, a former fortress flanked by towers built between the 11th and 17th centuries, the bridges, the Romanesque church and the magnificent 15th-century covered market. The whole town is embellished by Italian architecture represented by tile and brick villas, Classical statues, arcades... Pay a visit to the Garenne Lemot estate on the banks of the Sèvre Nantaise, where you can stroll through the superb park and admire a typical Tuscan-style villa. Walk up one of the town's flights of steps to enjoy a lovely view over the tiled rooftops.

In the capital of the Nantes vineyard, the winegrowers of Clisson open their cellars to visitors for tastings that are a wine-lover's delight.

In June, the city hosts famous events such as the Montmartre art festival in Clisson and the Hellfest metal music festival, where the huge 10-metre-tall guitar is a curiosity in itself!

The Logis de la Chabotterie, a typical Vendée stone manor house in Saint-Sulpice-le-Verdon, has furnished rooms, a permanent exhibition on the subject of the War of the Vendée and General Charette and a beautiful walled formal garden featuring flowerbeds, old roses and aromatic plants.

The Chemin de Charette path through Chabotterie wood leads to a monument commemorating the place where General Charette was arrested in 1796.

A Baroque music festival, Musiques à la Chabotterie, takes place every year in July and August.

Pornic on the Jade Coast is a much-loved seaside resort in Loire-Atlantique. With both a fishing harbour and a marina, it offers a perfect combination of relaxation and discovery, where you will be amazed by the beauty of nature. By the sea, on the river or inland, you can see a wide variety of fauna and flora. On foot, by bike or even on horseback, set off for an outing along the Customs Officers' Path, a coastal path along the coves and rocky cliffs that is full of well-preserved heritage.

A really sea-oriented town, it offers a wide range of activities available to make the most of this generous natural environment: shellfish-gathering, fishing in the sea or lake, carrelet net fishing (enthusiasts will have a field day!), boat trips to Noirmoutier Island or to admire the Jade Coast, swimming at the beautiful beaches of L'Étang, La Boutinardière, La Noëveillard and La Source, leisure activities on the water, sports... Also be sure to go and see the pêcheries, little fishing huts at the water's edge that are full of typical local charm.

In Pornic's medieval town centre, wander the narrow streets and climb the steps that wind their way between the fishermen's houses. Also discover its old harbour, with its fishing boats and traditional sailboats, and its picture postcard 13th-century castle.

Take some time out to be pampered at the thalassotherapy centre, and treat yourself to an artisanal ice cream at La Fraiseraie, a real institution in Pornic! Other local specialities: Le Curé Nantais, a little cheese washed with Muscadet wine, and La Brigantine, a craft beer. Enjoy!

Situated in Les Lucs-sur-Boulogne, The Historial de la Vendée is a museum recounting the history of the Vendée, from Prehistory to our days. The Historial also houses a small museum for children about the history of food.

World-famous for its luxurious buildings, the Loire Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From Chalonnes-sur-Loire in Anjou to Sully-sur-Loire in the Loiret, it boasts a huge amount of historic, architectural, cultural and natural treasures.

Not to be missed in the Maine-et-Loire are the châteaux of Saumur, Angers, Serrant, Montsoreau, Brissac-Quincé and Brézé, as well as Fontevraud abbey. Charming villages also lie along the Loire Valley, such as Champtoceaux, Béhuard, Saint-Florent-le-Vieil, Montjean-sur-Loire, Ingrandes and Montsoreau. The scenic cliff-top Anjou road, which stretches from Chalonnes-sur-Loire to Rochefort-sur-Loire, offers a magnificent view of the green landscapes of the Loire Valley.

In the Loir-et-Cher, the Château de Chambord, the Château Royal de Blois, the Château de Cheverny and the Château de Chaumont-sur-Loire are some of the area's must-see sights.

The must-see castles in the Indre-et-Loire are the Château de Chenonceau, nicknamed the Ladies Castle, the Château d'Amboise, the first royal castle of the Renaissance, the Château de Villandry and its remarkable gardens, and the Château d'Azay-le-Rideau standing like a jewel on the Indre River. Prestigious, majestic and steeped in history, they are all awe-inspiring and enchanting.

Sights not to be missed in the Loiret include the Château de Sully-sur-Loire, Briare aqueduct, Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire abbey and the towns of Beaugency, Meung-sur-Loire and Orléans.

Discover the unique maritime heritage of Saint-Nazaire in Loire-Atlantique, famous for its harbour facilities and shipyards! In the city's harbour, the former submarine base invites you to dive head first into this extraordinary world. At the Escal'Atlantic International Ocean Liner Centre, visit the cabins, explore the engine room, the wheelhouse... Climb aboard the Espadon submarine and plunge into the world of abysses, or stand speechless in front of the Chantiers de l'Atlantique, where cruise ships are built. This informative ecomuseum tells the story of the city and its development through the ages. Most importantly, pop up to the submarine base's roof terrace for a panoramic view of the whole harbour. And at sunset, what a light show it offers!

Saint-Nazaire has a beautiful coastline: beaches, sheltered coves, promontories, cliffs, and unspoilt scenery not far from the city centre. Fun fact: Saint-Marc beach was made famous by Jacques Tati, who filmed Mr Hulot's Holiday there. Film buffs will recognise it easily. Also take time to enjoy a pleasant walk along the coastal path or sea front, all the way to the Vieux Môle lighthouse.

Stroll through the city and discover quiet little streets here, old villas there, the covered market, the small harbour of Méan, the "wheelbarrow paths" (the distinctive tiny passages dating from the last century, located in the Méan-Penhoët district)... As you go along, admire the works of street art that decorate some of the buildings in the city.

At the end of July, it's party time in Saint-Nazaire harbour with Les Escales, an event devoted to contemporary music from pop to rock through electro and world music.