You will find boards of very good and local food, all homemade, tasty wine, what more could you ask for? Jeroboam côté jardin is ideal for everyone except maybe vegetarians (unless you mainly want to drink and that is totally ok). Quality has a price, and the bill can quickly go up because you want to taste everything... Inside and in the back garden, the service is done by friendly people, passionate about their job, who give great advice for tasting wine.

Join a team at Place François II

20min biking to Ile Forget, for a 6 hours picnic in a contryside-like island

Trentemoult is this ex fishermen / now Instagram-like artsy village with colourful houses and luxuriant plants where it is cool to hang out on afternoons with a shuttle boat ride (we deeply recommend you to go there, we love to lose ourselves within the tiny alleys). What is next is way more cool: they have set up planchas next to the Maison du Port in a green area. Follow the quay, grab your grilled food favorites, a spatula, your loaded phone to connect and heat the plate and a cleaning kit for before/after to enjoy your barbecue with a view!

After a big natural walk alongside the Sèvre river, next to Pirmil tram station, take off your sneakers and enjoy relaxing in La Cambuse large shared garden. Bring your meat and for €1, it will be grilled on the barbecue of the guingette (charcoal contribution). An orchestra, a dance class, the place is always animated with simplicity until sunset.

Pierre, 25, hipster with marine's hat.Macadam is just an incredible club and a unique experience. It is like a spatio-temporal fault: you lose your bearings and your relationship to time. You usually get in around 2 a.m. and you can get out late in the evening, this is crazy! I really like the all-day-and- night-long Gloria with foreign DJs who come to mix. Even if you do not watch the line-up before coming, you are sure to have a good party.

From the grey crane of the Hangar à Bananes come by boat with the Navibus line to the black crane! The crowded Little Atlantique Brewery will offer you delicious craft beers and pretzels for you and your big drinking table with an astonishing view on the Loire river where the Belem, our most famous three-master vessel that still sails around the globe, was born. Creators markets, gigs, drag shows, a lot of events happen there! Psst: to go with the hop flow, we recommend you the lunch food, more affordable than in the evening.

A terrace in a pedestrian street, good beer, regular dj sets and exhibitions, a relaxed atmosphere... for sure you do not need more than this to spend a good time in Narcisse. Happy hour includes a little check in a bigger mirror than in the Chateau de Versailles. —

You cannot miss it from the outside. Les Ateliers du Dahu is an artist workshop first, with a messy-but-cosy atmosphere. Exhibitions, craft markets, parties and always some surprises happen here.

At Les Frangines, you will be welcomed like at home. With simple but thoughtful dishes and local products, you can go for lunch or in the evening to hide in the little patio. It is a good starting point to explore the Chantenay district, which is rather unknown but worth a detour. We can discover a lot of Nantaises style houses and the view from Parc des Oblates and Butte Sainte-Anne.

Manon, 28, DIY queen"The first time I went to Café sur Cour was for a flamenco show with my mother. It seems that there are often concerts. I loved the festive atmosphere of the place even if we were in the middle of winter. The second time (and many others afterwards), it was for aperitif planches in the evening in the back garden, simply with friends until the night. More recently, to test their good lunch dishes in the sun during my short break from work. It was refreshing and I already want to go back to take an other Sangria!"

Quai des plantes is a green dock located where colony-imported seeds and plants used to arrive by boat. Go through this green aisle, forget about the noisy road nearby and discover 40 PIEDS, an hidden bar located in a container. The place is often crowded so get ready to queue up to enjoy your refreshment before hiding in the greenery ; you will also find great snacks served with smile!

Faustine, 26, video-maker and musician."I like going to Les Filles du Marronnier, a charming mother-and-daughters business. I recommand the shady courtyard, sitting under the old chestnut tree. The girls also organize unusual events like karaoke-choucroute and poulet-frites (chicken and French fries) on Sundays."

This kind of secret spot is not known by so many, fortunately for us! Le Waldeck and its so relaxing terrace will welcome you after your 30min or 2-hour-long stroll by the Erdre river. With simple but very efficient pizza, the place is perfect for every diet in a very neighbourhood bar mood.

By the Erdre river, sit on a wood platform with your apéro

Maeva, 24 years, shopping lover, likes watching People while sitting at the terrace."You do not come to this little non-touristy street by chance. I discovered Bam Bam café while strolling in Saint-Mihiel. I was a little hungry but not in the mood for fast food, neither the time to eat in a traditional restaurant. Here, it is simple, homemade, with quick service and very, very good. Cécile's place is very welcoming, once tested, we just want to go back!"

Everyone is always welcome at Pioche. Choose your mood. After a Talensac market, display your harvest on the large tables and start a board game over a glass of Muscadet, or come with your team and try out one of their fun game rooms. All choices are good, you will just have to pick one. Or two.

We thought about keeping this spot for us but will definitely share it with you. Come closer because this place, well, everyone in Nantes dreamt of having it for home. Behind its metal doors, L'Atelier is a public exhibition space located in an architectural great great place with cool art issues.

Delicious chouquettes for a few euros

To have a true taste of Nantes, there is one activity you definitely need to do during your stay here: on week-ends, whatever your last night, have a walk to Marché de Talensac (Talensac market) to start your day. Under the covered market, pick up all you need for your pic-nic: fresh fruits and vegetables (please buy them by local farms stall set outside, pineapple do not grow localy), out-of-the-oven bread, any kind of cheese, a dipping sauce and of course, oysters. Do not be afraid to try them, they are perfect to fight hangover (true story!). Once your shopping is done, you have two options. Nr 1, for the starving ones, sit at the terrace of the closest bar around the market place, like Au bon coin or Le Parisien, and have your meal with a glass of fresh Muscadet. Nr 2, for those who want to avoid the crowd, just walk down for 5 to 10 minutes to the Erdre river to appreciate you meal on the river side. So bucolic!

From their travels, the owners of the coffee-shop Alaia brought home the recipe for making great coffees and a nice sense of togetherness. It is a welcoming spot with a large coffee menu and home made cakes. A great spot, opened early, whatever the weather!

Everything happens here, and everyone rubs shoulders there.The design of Louis Blanc is a tasty mix of your grandma's antiques, collection of jugs, wool canvases and cubic televisions. On weekdays, from 8:00 a.m., you will come across early risers having their coffee on the terrace. If you are around for lunch & feeling gluttonous, try the fine foods at a low price (main dish around €10). If you are hungry at snack time, the peanut butter cookies, cakes are not to be missed! For the evening, let yourself be tempted by their beer and aperitif proposals as they always have the finest selections.

La Fraiseraie is the regional ice cream family business for nearly 50 years. At first they grew strawberries, then they made jams and finally ice cream, what a good idea. Best known for its fruit sorbets, gourmets will be delighted to taste ice creams with multiple flavors, natural and only fruit. Clearly not the cheapest in Nantes but it is an institution worth your visit. The strawberry-basil flavor is amazing also the blueberry, also the vanilla, also... taste them all!

In need of a new pen, or maybe notebooks with swag to write how cool your trip in Nantes is? The state-of-the-paper and crowded Les Petits Papiers have a great, beautiful and original range of stationery. We bet your grandma would love their funny postcards!

Near Place du Commerce, you cannot miss Le Passage Pommeraye, the famous arcade with shops and architectural treasures. The passage and its stairs are a link in the heart of the city. Climbing it is a pleasure for the eyes: raise your head to the allegoric statues which have been looking after the people of Nantes since 1843. This place even survived to the bombing of the town during World War II. We have to admit it: this is our pride.

Beer lover, on the lookout for never-heard-of-before breweries, stop at Sur-Mesure. The friendly staff will guide you through the wide range of beers on tap and regular guest breweries to help you find the beer that suits you./ Marché de Talensac / 15 rue Beauregard.

In the all-day-long opened HebKen, discover galettes, our typical buckwheat pancakes filled with whatever you wish to start and then a crêpe, the sweet wheat one. Local tip: order the traditionnal complète with egg-ham-cheese with cider and next a crêpe beurre-sucre. Close your eyes and savour.

La Cigale is the most famous brasserie of the city by far! Opened in 1895, this Modern style restaurant hosted famous customers like the writer André Breton or the movie director Jacques Demy. It seems a bit posh, and it's can definitly be expensive for the smallest budgets, but as it deserves a stop, here is our tip: go there for breakfast, order a coffee, a croissant, and taste a bit of the 19th century atmosphere!

Katorza is an arthouse cinema, an institution in Nantes. This is the place for indie productions: no blockbusters or popcorns here. A great movie programming enriched with special festivals dedicated to German/English/Italian and Eastern last releases, actors and film directors.

You can eat pizza everywhere but not everywhere these pizza. Made with organic local products, Agapè is keen on good surprising recipes as the pizza with wine sausage and cheese from the farm.

By the Loire river, a fresh (ginger)beer + suncream for a great susunet on the dry grass

Very impressive at first, this massive concrete and glass building is a real surprise, especially for its rooftop. Inside, student architects are working like zombies to graduate and build big concrete blocks similar to this one. Take the ramp to reach the roof of the École d'Architecture and have a 360° view of the city and the Loire, as you will not find others in Nantes. Depending on the weather, the experience may be ruined, in case of wind, you will fly away and in case of bright sunshine you will bake.

Curiosity and originality are the qualities of Bubar. Sesame beers, chocolate or why not draft wine, it is unusual here and the team advises you and explains the art of microbrewing. We promise you will soon be an ace of Nantes beer.

The basis of a good burger is an exceptional brioche bread. Whatever we add inside, our taste buds will succumb. Make no mistake about it, Zed is a restaurant but first a microbakery. Here it is local, homemade products and flavors from our region and the world. To travel without moving, come on Thursday evening for an all-you-can-eat burger party. Leave rolling.

Partying at Le Bras de Fer is a bit like dancing in the living room at your friend's. A large selection of wine, good beers, a big terrace all summer long, cool dj sets... What else do you need?

Young traveler, oh you music fan! Without pressure, feel ready to stall your best dance steps to house, electro or disco at 44 Tours. Each week, the team concocts a program of live music with nuggets of unearthed local artists. If you want to leave with a souvenir and finish your choreography, know that you will no doubt find a vinyl with which to leave with (sale at the back of the bar).

Art exhibitions, concerts, shows, lectures, hammam, bar and restaurant... So many things to do under the roof of Le Lieu Unique (LU) and its iconic Art Nouveau tower, built in the 1880s. This lively building, as well as a big part of the neighborhood nearby, used to be a factory for our famous biscuit brand, Lefèvre-Utile (LU!) and its even more famous Petit Beurre. Traveler tip: if you need to wait for a train, don't stay in the central station, walk to the LU (3min), go to the reading room, pick a book and enjoy your break with a drink: no grumpy librarian will shout on you.

No false promise here, welc(h)ome to your Safe Place. Ségolène and Benoît will make you feel at ease every day of the week in their cocoon café. Big UP to the tap beers range, the delicious cocktails, the nice tapenades to share ( as the yummy olives+fig one), the monthly exhibition on the wall grid, the Friday night dj sets and the summer terraces for gentle evenings.

Tiny cosy bar, we love to gather at Napoleone for fingerfood tapas. You better arrive early to benefit from the tasty potatoes and small plates to share cooked by the kitchen. Add a sweet cocktails menu and get ready to have a perfect afterwork / evening rue Fourré.

In rue des Olivettes, you will find many cute tiny streets leading to nice backyards. At Nr 11, crossing the porch will lead you to Pol'n, a cultural place run by artists. Welcoming atmosphere and strong values on culture and artistic freedom are the moto here. Concerts, exhibitions, festivals, plays, DJ sets and other unexpected events happen there, making this place one of the best location in town for art, creation and a certain sence of partying.

Some would say ramen is fancy. That may be so. But when they are so tasty, you cannot help but go there again and again. Do not let the line outside fool you, it is worth it. Lucky you, you are inside and you can taste an authentic, narrow one, watching the chef on board prepare the fresh noodles. One, two, three, there you go, I chi go.

How did you end up with a Muscadet sausage in a good loaf of bread from La Maison bakery? This is the time you will experience the local cuisine in a good baguette. When the weather is nice, enjoy it on the small terrace, or take it to the edge of the St Félix canal. The best sandwiches are right here, in Là. Cantine Fermière.

At first glance, you would not imagine any crazy thing would happen here. You should! Two creative places are located here, sharing some walls and the artistic vibe. At Les Ateliers Magellan, you will find artistic residencies, a collaborative bicycle repair workshop and great parties. Right behind, Les Ateliers de Bitche organize craft markets, festivals and noisy gigs.

This could be your first stop once you arrive at the station, taking the South exit. Board the Drole de Barge and sip your Spritz as you sway on the deck. As the sun sets, watch the herons living their best life. You can also check out the slipway and one of the concerts going on. The party has started.

You never plan to go there but always end up here, when you do not know yet what the night has to offer. Pole dance bar, very popular music... and less annoying people.

For a rainy afternoon or a quiet evening (unless you're a bad player) with friends, Fabrik à jeux is the ideal place. A board game bar, universal, with the rules available in your language on the internet. You can stay as long as you want to play, but you will have to consume regularly and eat if you want alcohol. It is easy to team up with other people to discover new games or stick to the classics.

Fight with the cobblestones of the from-another-time Rue de Kervégan to reach Le Bootlegger. Under the stone arches or on the tiny terrace, let you surprise with the creative and so tasty cocktail creations of the two barmen. Signature or made-to-order is the only question to think about before savouring.

A brand new ping-pong experience

Buttery viennoiseries without butter

Massive street-art under the music studio bus inwalled on the first floor

A trampoline playground for kiddoes and night owls

Point Bar is a place that has little to offer in terms of appearance. What they lack in decoration they certainly make up for in cheap yet quality lunches & drink. Whether you are on a budget or looking for a quality experience, Point Bar has what you need: glasses of wine for under €3, many concerts & dances in the evenings, fun and excitement are sure to be had.

Where our city pet, the big wooden elephant gets some rest between two walks, there is a lot to do: gather to do sports under the dockyards structure, queue for some great live music at Stereolux, look at the new artistic collage Oripeau on the Trempo wall, get amazed by the Galerie des Machines robotic creatures, chill at the current market or open air cinema event happening... There is always life under the big geometrical metal pillars.

Do not try to remember the name, check the place. It is not another French bakery, it might be THE one. The one where you could find THE best croissant in town (with honey and sourdough). But also what international good eatery makes it best: focaccia, kanelbullar or rugbrod.. Wake up early and enjoy your time in Maison Arlot Cheng.

A little bit of England in town. You can go to Billie's to have a really nice brunch, or a tea time by enjoying the sunny terrace. Pastries are so sweet and bathroom is so funny and royal!

Not really into beer? Here you can discover something else: CIDER! Sidras is a bar where you can taste cider from Britanny, Normandy but also from all around the world. If a cider pint is not really your cup of tea, you can order some delicious cocktails from the best sunny terrace. The staff will help you to find the apple fermented bottle you have to bring back home.

Reaching the Western tip of the Ile de Nantes is worth it in order to visit the HAB Galerie. Say HAB for Hangar à Bananes. It is the largest gallery in Nantes with free exhibitions of international contemporary art. The amazing bookshop has a wide selection of cool books and objects by French designers. Go gr(h)ab some.

In the 20th century, those huge docks used to be full of bananas directly imported from the Carribeans. Fifteen years ago we changed our plans for a more glittering option. The docks became Le Hangar à Bananes, a place for eating drinking and entertaining alongside the Loire river. With its black sides, you cannot miss the Warehouse, the second best French club for young party lovers. You will find plenty of sunny terraces, perfect for sunset too and Le Ferrailleur, the meeting point for extreme music fans. Next to the grey crane, have an overview of Trentemoult (#) and find the Navibus stop, our boat shuttle, to go to the LAB (#). At night, the colorful Anneaux de Buren will guide you from home drinks to party hustle and bustle. Enjoy but keep some clarity to go home safe!

You cannot miss the standstill from the tramway facing this former tire company: here is Wattignies. True third place, you will find here a second-hand shop, bike repair, bric-à-brac, craftmen corners, second-life plants, a cool bar, a great sunny terrace, a direct from the farm market on Wednesdays evenings and people at any time to talk with.

It may look far away, but do not forget that any place can be reached by bike — only 10min from Commerce. L'Agronaute is definitly the place to be. It used to be a wholesaler, and now most of the area is used for urban agriculture with a strong will to make it a living space. They definitely have an eclectic program: roller disco evenings, wine festival, art markets and parties of course. Grooving near growing tomatoes is a great experience to live!

Can we recommend a bar just for its hummus? Fortunately, that's not the only good surprise Le Bar'île has in store for you. Check out their fun events or go there at random, the place is small but safe. If it's too crowded, find their partners Labo Diva or Wattignies, they all work with products from their farm. Coffee costs €1 and good lager €2,5.

Small bar, great queer vibes! At La Plaisir, not only are they the most creative with cocktails and tapas, but they also organize events by and for the best of the queer community in town, including exhibitions, drag shows, creative markets and disco evenings. Pleasure at leisure!

Show off your best tricks.

In Nantes we love nature and culture (and not in a philosophical way). Two unmissable places will feed you for both. Starting from the northern exit of the train station, get lost in Jardin des Plantes, the botanical garden full of surprises: benches are diffrent sizes, caracters hugging trees. Take time to observe every corner and green house.

Once at the opposite exit, you are only a few steps away from Le Musée d'Arts. This huge classical building is not only interesting from outside : it has a wide collection from the Middle Ages till nowadays, with pieces by Monet, Kandinsky, Soulages, as well as amazing temporary exhibitions.

A bit far from the city center, Belle de Jour is worth the detour. The neighbourhood is a work-in-progress but the villa atmosphere is a real jewel. Forget everything about the rumor of the town while sitting, feet on the grass, in the villa garden to enjoy a fresh gingerbeer with fries to celebrate the end of the day. Do not miss to go inside too for a beer or a margarita and enjoy the karaoke/theatre/gig happening.

Parisians arriving in Nantes say that Rue Maréchal Joffre has some kind of Parisian atmosphere. We say that Paris has a Rue Maréchal Joffre vibe. Period. This lively street feels like a micro-world village, with its hair dresser, bookshop, bars, restaurants, take-away, printer, souvenir shops, dress maker, second hand shop, mini-theater etc. Among all those places to discover, let us pick our favorites. First, vintage lovers will stop at Frip'n'Shop to enjoy a great selection at reasonable prices. Taste travelers will enjoy Le Voyage à Damas, a syrian restaurant that absolutely every local would recommand. And finally, you can order a drink at La Maison Café and enjoy it in the bathtub of a psychedelic 70s house. During summer evenings, the street becomes a pedestrian area and the terraces grow for an exhaust-gas-less party.

A terrace on a pedestrian street, a pétanque track, a neighborhood bar atmosphere: we go to Personnes at lunch time for a fresh meal and in the evening for apéro. And if you are more into pizza, try Popolo, the little pizzeria just a step away, and pick the Tarfufo pizza, made with truffle cream and buratta: the real taste of pleasure!

Open early in the morning to grab your first coffee (and open your laptop), Oh K'fée d'MJ welcomes you with its quiet terrace next to the Cathedral or upstairs in its cosy first floor to enjoy great golden lattes with raw/vegan/glutenfree tasty pastries. In need of great veggie vibes? The fresh lunch offer will delight you.

Set in an old chapel, Le Cinématographe is the movie place for old classics, great retrospectives, experimental cinema and so much more. With very affordable tickets and an old-fashioned theater curtain opening, it is definitly a great cinema experience!

Are.you.looking.for.a.lively.café/bar?.You.just.find.it!.Poum.Poum.Tchak.is.both.a.cosy.and.intimate.place.but.also.full.of.beats.like.its.name.suggests.it..Here.you.can.find.something.to.do.every.day:.karaoke,.concert,.stand.up,.jam.sessions,.improv.theater....served.with.a.tasty.gin.tonic.

The live bar is a tiny little bar near the castle. We love the shady terrace, which is the fallback spot to escape the sun and the heat. The live bar is also the spot for artists who come to offer exhibitions, stand ups, concerts...

Where else to drink Mojito with the monthly fruity flavour? Try Maestro with its shaddowed terrace alongside the tram. Perfect for the afterschool rest and a very light bill.

The cute name of the creperie Le Loup, Le Renard et la Galette comes from a Breton song we French people all know from childhood: "I can hear the wolf, the fox and the weasel singing'. You can taste a bit of its rythm in the salty buckweat galettes and sweet crêpes filled with delicious toppings and a lot of love. It definilty deserves a stop.

Small selection of second hand clothes and big wow effect with your new - but old - but new outfit at Doe! Shiny jewelleries and party gems are also waiting for you on the other side of the street at Eod.

Of course we have a castle, we are French! The beautiful Chateau des ducs de Bretagne palace was the Duke of Britains HQ and most of what you can see was built by Anne de Bretagne, a badass girl, our local heroine, twice Queen of France. Cross the drawbridge and go up the 360° ramparts to have a nice overview of the area. The museum is pretty cool covering up to the 50s and free every first Sunday of the month!

You green-lovers out there, be adventurous and try a black sesame and charcoal latte with THE cookie in this little coffee shop. That could be it, but the two lovely owners have done it right, they also offer colorful bouquets of 100% French flowers and local plants. Bravo Canyon Café flowers.

In the aftermaths of WWII we did not succeed in destroying the German bunkers, but nowadays it constitutes a perfect place to put music ON! Every Friday, for a few euros, enter the concrete palace of Blockhaus DY10 to live some experimental music live with Set/30'.

We do not have a lot of tourist shops with the classical cheap but cheerful souvenirs in town. Paper lover and/or serial collector if you want to send cool postcards, bring back home fancy artworks from local artists or grow your key chain collection, glance at Le Bazar du Voyage à Nantes to find the perfect gift!

A terrace, a few beers and happy people first toasting, then partying inside with the rythm of the night dj set: well you are bogged down at the Caf'K and everything will be alright!

In need of a cosy atmosphere and a shot of art to go with? .L'Artichaut. will be the perfect spot to welcome you with its great choices of warm beverages, cool lunch and pastries. Slump on the comfy couch but do not forget to go upstairs to discover the current artistic exhibition! Preparing a golden latte, Jean, the owner and curator, will be happy to tell you about the story of its creator.

Well, no surprise: we have to admit that cheese always makes us, French people, smile. We even say “cheese” while taking a photo! Hence, don't be afraid about blue mould mature cheese entering the tiny Maison Frometon hallway to shop your favorite dairies. You can rely on Amélie and her team to make you discover new creamy delights such as goat cheese with dried flowers that tastes like nuts or the Bellevitano espresso rubbed in coffee. Cheers to cheese!