The Château des Ducs de Bretagne

The Château des Ducs de Bretagne stands majestically in the heart of the medieval quarter of Nantes

The Château des Ducs de Bretagne takes visitors on a journey through the history of Brittany

Located in Nantes, the Château des Ducs de Bretagne has great historical significance as the residence of the Dukes of Brittany, hence its name. It embodies the military architecture of the period, with its imposing walls, defensive towers and moat.

It was built in 1466 by François II, the last Duke of Brittany, and then by his daughter Anne of Brittany, Duchess and twice Queen of France.

Over the centuries, the château has witnessed a variety of events and played a number of different roles:

• Royal fortress ;
• Governor's headquarters
• Barracks ;
• King's prison, etc.

The castle has seen many different fates over the course of the 18th and 19th centuries, including being requisitioned by the German army during the Second World War.

On the town side, the fortress has 500 metres of ramparts punctuated by seven towers linked by curtain walls.

On the courtyard side, it houses an elegant 15th-century ducal residence built of tufa stone in the flamboyant Gothic and Renaissance styles, as well as other buildings dating from the 16th and 18th centuries.

The Nantes History Museum

After more than 15 years of renovation, the Château des Ducs de Bretagne has been restored to its former glory. Today, it houses the Museum of the History of Nantes, a rich, ultramodern and educational museum.

Since 2007, it has been spread over 32 rooms and showcases thousands of objects from the collection. Visitors can learn more about the origins of the city of Nantes and its development to the present day.

To take you on a voyage of discovery, the museum has created a number of themes that unfold throughout the visit:

• The Atlantic slave trade and slavery ;
• The two world wars;
• Industrialisation;
• The Castle of the Dukes of Brittany.
• Temporary exhibitions punctuate the life of the museum and the château throughout the year.

Practical information

📍4 Place Marc Elder, 44000 Nantes
20 minutes by bike 🚲, 25 minutes by bus 🚍 and 15 minutes by car 🚘 from your hotel.
Rates

Your hotel in Nantes

The hotel Le Beaujoire, ideally located 100 metres from the La Beaujoire Exhibition Centre, welcomes you for a short or long bucolic stay near the river Erdre. 
It is the central point for visiting the Nantes region.

The hotel is located :

• 15 minutes on foot 👣 from the Parc Floral de la Beaujoire ;
• 25 minutes from Nantes city centre by bike 🚲 and public transport;
• 30 minutes by bike 🚲 and 40 minutes by public transport from the Machines de l'île de Nantes.

For your convenience, our team is at your service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in French and English.

Book your room in Nantes now by contacting the hotel by email at contact@beaujoire-hotel.com or by telephone on 02 40 93 00 01 to check availability.
Make your reservation now to benefit from the best rates!