Saint-Nazaire, a large seaport on the Atlantic coast
Located at the confluence of the Loire and the Ocean, the city of Saint-Nazaire has around 70,000 inhabitants. Nantes Saint-Nazaire is the leading French port on the Atlantic coast and, as such, welcomes more than 3,000 ships in stopover each year.
The city of Saint-Nazaire has undertaken to highlight its maritime history and its rich industrial heritage.
Escal'Atlantique stages the history of passenger liners, the Espadon submarine invites you to dive into the depths while the Ecomuseum offers a journey through the history of the city.
Industrial tourism opens the door to 3 major emblematic companies of the city: the STX shipyards, among the largest and oldest in Europe, the Airbus factory where sections of the impressive A 380 are assembled and the terminal downstream of Port Atlantique which allows to discover port logistics.
Finally, for its part, Estuaire, the permanent collection of works signed by great artists of today, highlights the Loire and its mouth. Accessible free of charge all year round, the 29 works spread from Nantes to Saint-Nazaire are now part of a "monument dispersed" over 120 km. In Saint-Nazaire, the artist Felice Varini will show you from the roof of the panoramic terrace his painting which he displays on port buildings. As you continue your route to Saint-Brévin-les-Pins, you will see the immense "Ocean Serpent" of Huang Yong Ping appear in front of you and still on the south shore, we advise you to follow the Loire and to take the time to discover "Le Jardin Etoilé" by Kinya Maruyama.
Saint-Nazaire, a town by the sea
Saint-Nazaire is also a seaside town with a redeveloped seafront, 20 beaches and a customs path that serves small wild coves as well as large beaches, the most famous of which is undoubtedly Monsieur Hulot beach where Jacques Tati has shot his famous movie.
Finally, for 20 years, the city of Saint-Nazaire has expressed its openness to the sea and to the world during the Escales de Saint-Nazaire, a world music festival which takes place every year in summer.
Discover Saint-Nazaire and its region behind the wheel of a Europcar rental car.
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