The french way of life

The Nantes Saint-Nazaire lifestyle

Nantes and Saint-Nazaire cultivate a very special lifestyle. These urban cities are neither too big nor too small, boasting a mild, temperate climate where you'll find nature wherever you look. Here, it's easy to balance your work and home life. After-work gatherings at outdoor cafés have even became a local tradition in this area that features thriving cultural industries and a booming tech sector!
You can sip a drink on the banks of the Loire or Erdre rivers, play sports after work - sailing, rowing or running - head to the beach in 45 minutes, enjoy the many top-quality restaurants, take a weekend getaway in the countryside or in Brittany, hang out with your neighbours in a friendly, village-like atmosphere.
Nantes and Saint-Nazaire promote "harmonious urban development around the Loire estuary that preserves the surrounding green belt. An urban archipelago, between city and coastline."*

Nantes is no longer a "sleeping beauty"

The sixth largest city in France has deliberately chosen to focus on culture to reinforce its image and appeal, in unison with its entrepreneurial and industrial temperament. The high quality events that enliven the neighbourhoods and local urban redevelopment all feature a distinctive Nantes style. The Folle Journée de Nantes is the annual classical music concert series that attracts people from all over France. The "Voyage à Nantes" urban art trail offers a unique experience combining tourism and culture, and it is highly praised by visitors and locals alike. The symbol of the Nantes style is the giant wood and steel elephant that walks along the Ile de Nantes, a central area that is being fully redeveloped.
Nantes also focuses on quality of life and the environment. Crowned Green Capital of Europe in 2013, it combines a dynamic economy and sustainable development, with a sense of balance, illustrated in four main areas: a powerful public transit system, respect for biodiversity, water management and climate protection.

Saint-Nazaire also deserves the limelight

In the distant past Saint-Nazaire was simply a port on the way to Nantes, but the city now deserves its share of the limelight. Its fame came from shipbuilding – the largest cruise ships in the world are built here – but it also boasts quality of life that has long remained secret. While it remains an industrial city, Saint-Nazaire today has a strong connection with nature, with beaches right downtown, the Brière regional park and the Guérande salt marsh at its gates. It boasts a high-quality retail offering, with shopping centres featuring major retailers in the city centre and the port area (Le Paquebot, Ruban Bleu). The city has also developed excellent cultural life, through many neighbourhood venues and famous events like the Consonances International Festival of Baroque Music and Les Escales, a world music festival that attracts 50,000 spectators over three days during the summer.

*S'installer à Nantes Atlantique, Philippe Dossal, Éditions Héliopoles

Do you need assistance?

Nantes Saint-Nazaire Développement helps you and your family get settled

our services