Travel guide
Nantes
Where mechanical elephants roam
🗓️ Best time: May–September💰 Mid-Range · ~$105/day📍 France
Where mechanical elephants roam
A creative former ducal capital on the Loire, best known for the surreal Machines de l'île — a 12-metre walking mechanical elephant you can ride.
Signature local dishes worth seeking out.
Trams and a compact centre; bike-share along the Loire.
Follow the green line on the pavement — it links every art installation across the city.
Generally safe — exercise normal travel awareness.
Bars on the former shipyard island; the Hangar à Bananes quay.