Escal'Atlantic, Maritime interpretation centre in Saint-Nazaire, France.

Escal'Atlantic is an interpretation centre inside the former German World War II submarine pen in Saint-Nazaire's harbour. Its 3,700 m² scenographic route over three levels recreates a liner's boarding hall, promenade deck, bridge and engine room, displaying nearly 200 objects from liners built in Saint-Nazaire between the late 19th century and the early 1960s.

Saint-Nazaire was a transatlantic port from 1862, when La Louisiane opened the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique's Veracruz line, until World War II. The Germans built a concrete submarine pen on the old docks in 1941. Escal'Atlantic opened in that pen on 22 April 2000 and reopened on 1 July 2013 after renovation.

The museum's name plays on 'escale', the French word for a port call, and the Atlantic crossing. Its 200 artefacts come from liners built at Saint-Nazaire, including the SS Normandie of 1935 and the SS France of 1961. Visitors can also try interactive and hands-on devices designed for family visits.

The centre sits directly at Saint-Nazaire's waterfront and is easy to reach on foot from the town centre. Allow yourself time to explore - two hours is enough to see the main spaces, but those interested in ship history may want to spend longer.

The concrete bunker that houses the museum was built by the German navy in 1941 on the site of Saint-Nazaire's old docks, giving U-boats direct access to the Battle of the Atlantic. Its walls now enclose reconstructed liner decks rather than submarines.