Rampart walk
About 500 m.
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The Château des ducs de Bretagne is a large castle in the centre of Nantes, in the Loire-Atlantique department of western France, about 400 m in a straight line from the city centre and close to the cathedral. It stands on the right bank of the Loire, which once fed its moat. It was the residence of the Dukes of Brittany from the 13th to the 16th century and later the Breton residence of the kings of France. Most of the present castle was rebuilt from the 1460s by Duke Francis II and finished by his daughter, Anne of Brittany, who became queen of France twice. It has been a listed historic monument since 1840. From outside it is a fortress, with seven towers and thick walls of granite and schist ringed by a moat. Inside the walls the mood changes: the courtyard is lined with white limestone palace wings, with tall carved dormer windows in the late Gothic and early Renaissance style. After fifteen years of restoration it reopened in 2007 and now houses the Nantes History Museum in 32 of its rooms. The courtyard and the walk along the ramparts, about 500 m long, are free and give views over the castle and the city, while the museum is a paid visit.
About 500 m.
Carved dormers.
In 32 rooms.
Rue des États, Nantes, Loire-Atlantique, France
The courtyard and ramparts are free; the museum is paid.
One to two and a half hours.
