Île de Nantes, Urban district in Nantes, France
Île de Nantes is an urban district on the Loire River formed by two river branches that separate it from the mainland. The area contains residential buildings, cultural institutions, and public spaces that now occupy what was once industrial land.
The island was historically dominated by meadows and industrial facilities where ships were built and metalwork occurred. Large-scale redevelopment beginning in the early 2000s converted these sites into a contemporary mixed-use neighborhood.
The Machines of the Isle draws on the area's shipbuilding heritage by transforming industrial craftsmanship into moving sculptures and theatrical performances. Visitors encounter mechanical creatures that blend artistry with engineering traditions rooted in the island's past.
The district connects to the mainland through multiple bridges and is easily explored on foot or by bicycle. Walking paths and public transit make it simple to navigate between different areas and attractions.
A former banana warehouse called Hangar à Bananes has been repurposed as an entertainment complex with restaurants and exhibition spaces. This reflects how the area reimagines its industrial past into contemporary cultural venues.
Location: Nantes
Website: https://nantes.fr/ile-de-nantes
GPS coordinates: 47.20420,-1.54722
Latest update: December 6, 2025 16:01
Nantes features diverse settings for photography, from gardens to historical monuments. Passage Pommeraye, a 19th-century shopping gallery, displays carved staircases and glass roofs across three levels. Île de Versailles offers a Japanese garden with stone lanterns and bamboo groves, while the Jardin des Plantes houses over 10,000 plant species in its greenhouses and pathways. Château des Ducs de Bretagne showcases Renaissance towers, and Cours Cambronne lines neoclassical facades around a tree-lined square. Converted former industrial sites create unique photographic spaces. The Hangar à Bananes, a former warehouse on the Loire quays, now hosts restaurants and galleries. Les Machines de l'Île set their mechanical creations in the naval shipyard’s Nefs. Le Lieu Unique occupies the LU factory with its distinctive tower, and Jardin des Fonderies preserves metal structures from its industrial past. In Trentemoult, a fishing village with houses painted red, yellow, and blue, narrow alleys run along the Loire.
Machines of the Isle of Nantes
1.2 km
Château des ducs de Bretagne
1.3 km
Passage Pommeraye
1.4 km
Tour Bretagne
1.7 km
Le Lieu unique
1.2 km
Maillé-Brézé
1.9 km
Les Anneaux
1.9 km
The Grand Elephant
1.3 km
Hangar à bananes
2 km
La Cigale
1.5 km
Théâtre Graslin
1.5 km
Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery
1.5 km
Hôpital Saint-Jacques
1.1 km
Basilique Saint-Nicolas
1.5 km
Musée Dobrée
1.7 km
Bouffay
1.3 km
Jules Verne Museum
2.3 km
Notre-Dame de Bon-Port
1.8 km
Cours Cambronne
1.5 km
Carrousel des mondes marins
1.6 km
Palais de la Bourse
1.3 km
Pont Éric-Tabarly
1.7 km
Anne of Brittany Bridge
1.5 km
Pont de Pirmil
617 m
Blockhaus DY10
1.3 km
Rue Crébillon
1.5 km
Rue Kervégan
1.2 km
Temple du Goût
1.2 kmVisited this place? Tap the stars to rate it and share your experience / photos with the community! Try now! You can cancel it anytime.
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