Saint-Nazaire, Port city in Loire-Atlantique, France
Saint-Nazaire is a port city at the mouth of the Loire River in the Loire-Atlantique department of western France. The cityscape consists of residential areas, a large harbor basin with cranes and warehouses, and several bridges crossing the river.
The settlement grew quickly after the mid-19th century when silting in the Loire made Nantes inaccessible as a seaport. The Second World War destroyed much of the city center, which was later rebuilt with modern buildings.
The name refers to Saint Nazarius, whose veneration was common along the Breton coast. Visitors notice the mix of modern apartment buildings and small houses along the waterfront promenades, where locals stroll and cycle on weekends.
Walking along the waterfront promenade offers views of the shipyard and the river mouth and works best in calm weather. Most points of interest lie in the western part of town near the harbor and are easy to reach on foot.
The Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard builds cruise ships that rank among the largest in the world and exceed 360 meters (1180 feet) in length. Visitors can see the outlines of the huge hulls rising behind the harbor walls from the street.
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