Puy du Fou is quite simply, according to many (and to myself), the world’s best theme park. It’s a romp through French history, a spectacular dip into the Viking raids, Roman chariot races, gladiators, young maidens defending France – against the English of course, and Verdun. Puy du Fou showcases birds of prey, introduces you to those famous Musketeers and a whole cast of other swashbuckling characters from the past.

The park is huge, with medieval cities and villages, forests, a fort and a town. Then there are separate shows, each of which run for around 40 minutes (well, who could compete all day long in chariot races or persuade vultures to do their elegant swoops and circles?).

Oh boy, forget Disney, this is something else.

But take note, there are no rollercoasters, rides or neon flashing lights. This is a trip into French history, particularly of the Vendée region.

Puy du Fou opens on April 5 and closes on Nov 2, 2025.

Outdoor Shows at Puy du Fou

Four outdoor shows take you at a gallop through the story it is telling. Each show lasts around 40 minutes and takes place 3 or 4 times a day. All put you in a swashbuckling mood – and from the way I have written this, you’ll see how swashbuckling I found Puy du Fou.  

And don’t worry – no animals are hurt in these shows.

Please Note: All these shows are very popular; at busy times in high season you need to get to them at least 30 minutes before to ensure entry.

La Signe du Triomphe

Being Puy du Fou, La Signe du Triomphe (Sign of Triumph) takes place in a 7,000-seat Roman Coliseum. The 35-minute show depicts the dastardly Romans forcing the heroic French Gauls to fight what seems to be a pre-destined Roman victory. But no! The chariots, each pulled by four horses, thunder around the ring, narrowly missing each other, spurred on by the excited onlookers (that’s us, the audience). And guess what, yes, the valiant hero wins!

Les Vikings

Sit in tiered seats facing a lake at 9^th-century Saint-Philbert-le-Vieil. A wedding is about to take place on an island full of houses, a tall tower, and jolly, peaceful people, The couple ride in…but…wait for it! A Viking longship descends down a waterway to the left. Peace become chaos; the villagers retaliate, and then sacré bleu! A second Viking ship appears, rising out of the deep waters, its crew leaping off and joining the fray. And what a fray – buildings are pulled down; people are dragged behind galloping horses; fires break out. But don’t worry, the appearance of Saint Philbert himself puts a peaceful, and of course, happy, end to the story.

Le Secret de la Lance (The Secret of the Lance)

More dastardly doings…by the English of course, during the Hundred Years War, a particular event which the French even today remember with gusto. Joan of Arc has left for Orleans; a young shepherdess is left to defend the castle. What could go wrong? I’ll leave the story for you to find out, but that’s irrelevant. What’s great is the horse riding, the charging with lances at wooden staves; the leaping on and off galloping horses by young riders. Quite turns your head, it does!

Le Bal des Oiseaux Fantomes (The Dance of the Phantom Birds)

A large amphitheater surrounds a ruined castle, a pond and stones in the sandy centre. Around the top of the seating, large wooden boards are painted with coats of arms around the circular walkway. The story is told in the centre, but as so often with Puy du Fou, that’s not the point of this show. Birds of prey, around 330 of them, are the real stars. Owls, vultures, eagles, kites, spoonbills, a huge, bizarre secretary bird and more (some launched from a hot air balloon high in the sky), circle around the amphitheatre, controlled by a series of 36 professional falconers who stand at the top of the walkway. It’s an extraordinary show.

And…More Puy du Fou Shows

The four immersive experiences are amongst the best I have ever seen. Each one is dramatically different; each has both live performers and models.

Le Premier Royaume (The First Kingdom)

This delves into the 5th-century past, the time of Clovis, the first King of the Franks. It then takes you into Norse mythology.

Le Dernier Panache (The Last Plume)

The Last Plume tells the story of François-Athanase Charette de la Contrie, luckily for us just known as “Charette”, a hero of the American War of Independence. It’s set in 1793, is told through a series of 20 scenes on six stages and is performed in a 360° theatre. The stages are static; it’s the 2,400-seat auditorium that moves. It’s spectacular.

Le Mystère de La Pérouse (The Mystery of La Pérouse)

Go on board La Pérouse’s ship, La Boussole, to follow Lieutenant Augustin de Mont who set off in 1785 from Brest to explore the high seas. It was a heroic venture. But the maritime expedition led by Jean-François de La Pérouse was ill-fated .

This was one of my favourites; it was both entertaining and gave a very real sense of being on board. You walk through the ship, past the cabin where an office plays a violin (remember Master and Commander?); experience terrifying storms while the ship rocks back and forth (I didn’t see anyone being seasick; it’s a moderately gentle rock!). You see how the cooks worked, look at some of the discoveries the crew made; witness how the ship was navigated, and end up…with a ship of ghosts. The ship just disappeared; it has remained a very real mystery.

Les Amoureux de Verdun (The Lovers of Verdun)

The World War I story brings home the horrors of trench warfare. In the winter of 1916 a soldier writes to his wife about his experiences, based on over one hundred actual letters soldiers wrote to their families. The soldier’s letters describe queuing up for soup, seeing the wounded in the medical bay, and freezing from the cold air blowing through gaping holes. But happily, being Puy du Fou, you’re spared…It ends with a (fictional) Christmas truce.

Le Mime et l’Étoile (The Mime and the Star)

This was another of my favourites. You walk into a film set built for a black-and-white movie in 1914. Technicians work the machines, sometimes with disastrous results, while the lovers, the mime artist and movie star, are introduced. The story is told with a moving black-and-white backdrop that sets the scene while a travelator on the floor takes the actors along past the shifting scenes. It’s technical wizardry and fascinating.  

Apart from the shows what else does Puy du Fou offer?

Four Villages

The park is designed to take you into four different villages. They range from Font-Rognou where in the medieval streets you can see stonemasons and wood turners at work in their shops, to 18^th-century Chasseloup with more shops, places to sit and gardens, all centered around the 16-metre-high Carillon that towers over the village and plays to you.

Night time and the Blockbuster Shows at Puy du Fou

Les Noces de Feu (The Fire Wedding)

As night falls, a love story takes place on the old lake of Puy du Fou. The water is still…then at one end, the Pianist Virtuoso (complete with piano), and the Muse Violinist rise up out of the limpid waters. It’s magical, with romantic music to stir the heart and a series of small spectacles rising up before you to enchant. All the magic is reflected in the lake: a bandstand; a coach pulled by swans; tall columns with divers; dancers.  It lasts just half an hour, and is free with the entry ticket, and is not to be missed.

La Cinéscénie

This is what many people regard as the greatest show on earth; it’s certainly the biggest night show in the world.

Get there as early as you can to choose your seat in the 13,000-capacity panoramic grandstand, looking out over the lake to the Puy du Fou castle.

Various warm-up acts keep your attention before the 90-minute show begins. It tells the very French story of the Maupillier family from the Middle Ages to World War II. The story is confusing to anyone who isn’t French, so concentrate on the spectacle which really will take your breath away. Taking part are hundreds of animals (many of which you’ll recognise from the day shows), and 2,550 actors as well as autonomous drones. They perform on a stage that spreads over 23 hectares…and in the sky above. There’s 3D video mapping, a 360° sound system and fantastic fireworks. I guarantee you will never have seen anything quite like this.

Where to Stay at Puy du Fou

Which particular era of the past would you prefer to experience? You could go for the Gallo-Roman Villa, or perhaps one of the marquees of the Field of the Cloth of Gold (Le Camp du Drap d’Or) and live out your fantasy of being King Henry VIII of England or François I of France. Otherwise it’s the classical Le Grand Siècle, the castle-like La Citadelle, or one of the four suites in Le Logis de Lescure.

You may be living the past but rest assured, all modern comforts are built in.

Or Les Îles de Clovis, a delightful medieval-style hotel where we stayed. Small houses have two apartments, all with balconies looking out onto the calm waters at the back. Well at least mainly calm; one night we were woken by a terrific banging, and decided in the end that it was a large fish who was flailing around the water under the house.

But don’t worry, these splendidly medieval-looking cottages come with great showers, tv, comfortable beds, and a delightful balcony overlooking the small lake.

A self-serve breakfast is in a large dining room and is good as long as you got there fairly early.

Book your hotel directly on the Puy du Fou site. Prices vary according to the season, but here’s an idea of rates. All the main hotels have rates from one to four nights, and each hotel room can take up to four people which is great for families.
Rates depend on the number of days you stay (rooms take up up to 4 people). The price includes 1 night in the hotel and breakfast and 1 entrance to the Park. When the Noces du Feu or Cinéscénie are on, that is included as well.
Les Îles de Clovis
£144.79 to £354.12
La Villa Gallo-Romaine
£130.99 to £317.54
La Citadelle
£145.09 to 4 £354.84
Le Camp du Drap d’Or
£106.73 to £311.10
Le Grand Siècle
£167.13 to £406.25
Le Logis de Lescure
Takes up to 3 people. From £220.09 to £398.80

Where to Eat in Puy du Fou

Apart from the restaurants in each hotel, there are two main restaurants (don’t worry about getting a table, both are huge). Le Café de la Madelon provides a meal and theatre show; Le Relais de Poste offers more drama in an informal inn-like setting.

Plenty of good fast-food outlets are dotted around the park.

New for 2025

L’Épee du roi – The King’s Sword. This new show is appearing in 2025; it’a rip roaring tale about the Knights of the Round Table.

Practical Information

Park Tickets per Day per Adult:
1 day from £32.75
2 days from £38.14
3 days from £24.60
4 days from £19.69

Child ticket per day age 3 to 13
1 day from £27.36
2 days from £22.80
3 days from £17.13
4 days from £13.89
Pass Emotion: £24.91. Reserved seats in the stands at the 7 major shows per day

Puy du Fou Map

The map is essential as it has all the details you need from show schedules to where to eat. Printed daily and freely available the map shows what you can enjoy that day. There’s also a smaller amount of information on the following day’s events.

Puy du Fou App

If you possibly can, download the app which is even more useful. It has the same information as the paper map but follows you in time so will tell you when the next shows are, which ones have closed their entry gates, how long it takes you to get there, and which direction to walk in.

It also has a live translation so you can follow the shows in English, Spanish, German or Dutch. Essential as this very French park’s shows are only in French.

A Bit of Vendean history to help with the very Vendean shows!

You might now know much Vendée history (don’t worry – not many outside France do, nor do some in France), but here are a few things to take note of. This was a region with a substantial number of influential Protestants in the 16^th century, including Jeanne d’Albret – the mother of Henry IV of France. Many Protestants fled after the Edict of Nantes in 1685 and the Catholic church came down hard on the Vendeans.

A century later in 1793, the Vendeans revolted against the new Revolutionary government after military conscription was imposed. A massacre of Vendean republicans led to full-scale guerrilla warfare. It ended in 1796 and cost more than 240,000 lives. The Vendeans continued to support the monarchy and in 1815 when Napoleon escaped from Elba for his Hundred Days, the Vendée refused to recognise him and stayed loyal to King Louis XVIII. The Vendée still has a fierce sense of independence, though it’s less revolting than in the past.

More Articles

Guide to the Glorious Vendée Department

The French Atlantic Coast is a glorious region to visit. And here are some of its attractions:
Ile de Re
Guide to St Nazaire
Ile d’Aix where Napoleon spent his last days in France
Regions of France
Departments of France

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Courseulles-sur-Mer is a charming seaside resort on the Normandy coast. The French love the small town with its marina for small yachts, its fish market, glorious beaches and good restaurants and shopping. Foreign visitors come to visit the Juno Beach Centre, the museum commemorating and revealing the role that Canada and their armed forces played in the great D-Day Landings that began in the early hours of June 6, 1944.

I came to Courseulles-sur-Mer while researching a guide book to the Normandy D-Day landing beaches for 2024 with my partner and fellow author. We had visited the Juno Beach Centre before, but like so many visitors, had sped our way on to the other famous beaches. Thank goodness we had booked a long stay here, using Courseulles as a base for our trips to the beaches, museums, memorials and sites of this glorious stretch of the Normandy Coast. In between we managed to enjoy the resort.

Courseulles-sur-Mer makes a perfect short break. It’s located very near Sword, Gold and Omaha beaches and is just a short hop to Caen and Bayeux. It really is a small gem on the Coeur de Nacre (Mother of Pearl) coast.

What to Do in Courseulles-sur-Mer

Juno Beach Centre

Juno Beach Centre has a two-part story which sets it apart from the other D-Day museums. It starts with why and how did the Canadians become part of the Allied forces? They didn’t have to; though part of the Commonwealth there was no legislation for Britain to call on Canada. And unlike the USA there was no direct attack on their country as the Americans had suffered at Pearl Harbour.

The decision to enter the Second World War was a result of a mix of political and social causes, stemming from the difficulties and deprivations in Canada in the 1930s. Equally as strong were the ties of loyalty between Canada and Great Britain. On September 10, 1939, Canada declared war on Germany, a week after Britain had done so.

14,000 of the 135,000 allied troops taking part in Operation Overlord on June 6, 1944 were Canadian. They captured the towns of Graye-sur-Mer, Courseulles-sur-Mer, Bernières-sur-Mer and part of Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer. 1,079 were injured of whom 381 were killed on D-Day itself; 5,500 during the Battle of Normandy during July and August 1944.

In total, 45,000 Canadians lost their lives during the war.  

What You See in Juno Beach Centre

There’s plenty to see in the museum with artefacts, models, uniforms and a lot of impressive video and audio showing both the war in Europe and the way Canada mobilized and supported their troops throughout the war.

You start with a video in a room designed to resemble a beach landing craft before entering the main museum.

You leave after watching the 12-minute film called They Walk With You about the Canadians’ experience in Normandy. If you’re even slightly emotional, take tissues with you. The film is a real tear jerker but it also takes you into th wider perspective of war, bravery and the world.

You can also take a guided tour of the bunkers in Juno Park, or walk around them yourself.

The Geography of Courseulles-sur-Mer

Courseulles-sur-Mer has an interesting layout. Juno Beach is directly on the sea and is the place for D-Day memorials and crosses as well as Juno Beach Centre. Just inland is Ile de la Plaisance, a small island where Le Chant des Oiseaux (where we stayed) and various restaurants are located. You get to it via one road or foot bridges. To the east lies the main town, with shops, small restaurants and hotels and the Tourist Office.

Beach Life in Courseulles-sur-Mer

Courseulles-sur-Mer forms part of the 12 km-long Coeur de Nacre coastal stretch that runs east, taking in other delightful small resorts: Bernières-sur-Mer, Saint-Aubin-sur-Mer, Langrune-sur-Mer and Luc-sur-Mer.

You can walk along the beaches that stretch out along the bay or cycle this part of the 1,500 km-long Vélomaritime route that runs from Roscoff in Brittany up to Dunkirk. It’s part of the ambitious 4,000 km-long Central European Cycle Route that links Roscoff to Kyiv in Ukraine.

Families can ride on horseback (or pony for smaller ones) along the beach, or perhaps try your hand at sports like land surfing or sailing; check at the Tourist Office for details.

Port Life in Courseulles-sur-Mer

Some 20 fishing boats are based here in Courseulles, bringing fish and shellfish to the fish market along the quay. From Monday to Saturday both locals and visitors come here from 8am to 1pm to buy directly from the fishermen. For a local speciality buy the scallops – apparently 7 out of 10 scallops sold in France come from Normandy. And if you’re here in the winter, don’t miss the Fête de la Coquille (Scallop Festival) here on Saturday and Sunday Nov 18 & 19, 2023. (It’s always the third weekend of November).
For fresh oysters (and all fish), go to Régals de l’Ile run by the Benoist family and Maison Daubert.

Where to Stay in Courseulles-sur-Mer

As we were staying for a week, we took a Pierre et Vacances self-catering apartment, Le Chant des Oiseaux, which suited us perfectly. Read about it here.

La Crémaillère Hotel, a favourite with the British, occupies several buildings. Ask for a room with a sea view or looking onto the garden. All rooms are pleasantly decorated and a good size and there’s a cottage as well. They do some good special offers on a dinner, bed and breakfast formula; there’s a good outside terrace for summer wining and dining. However we ate at the restaurant and were not impressed with the cooking, though the waiter was one of the best we’ve come across.

La Cantellerie is a substantial 19^th-century red brick house offering bed and breakfast. There are 6 rooms, a peaceful garden and welcoming breakfast room. Prices per room are from €85 to €119 per night (the more expensive rooms can sleep 3 people). At popular times of the year, you have to book for a minimum of 2 nights. It’s in the centre of town but you might prefer to book dinner here.

Where to Eat in Courseulle-sur-Mer

We ate at Restaurant de l’île Benoist on Ile de Plaisance, sitting at a window table looking out of wide windows over the waters surrounding the little island and witnessing a spectacular sunset. The meal was as spectacular. The restaurant is part of the Benoist fish and shellfish specialists so choose fish. It’s as fresh as it gets, is cooked with care and presented with style. Excellent meat options also. Menus: lunch €25; 3-course set menu €40; child menu €15. Open Wed to Sun lunch & dinner.
Rte de Ver. Tel: +33 (0)2 31 77 35 16.

Also recommended

La Maison Bleue, also on Ile de Plaisance, offers something for everyone: fish dishes and traditional cooking using seasonal local ingredients. It has a great location and terrace looking out over the surrounding waters. Menus Lunch €29.50; child up to 10 years €14. It’s open daily lunch & dinner.
Rue Marine Dunkerque. Tel: 09 74 56 58 86.

Le Quai Est opposite the island, is a simply decorated restaurant where the cooking takes centre stage. Again, good very fresh fish and some meat dishes. They have an excellent and well-priced take away menu which you have to order before service starts. Menus €35 & €45. Open Wed to Sun lunch & dinner.
13 Quai Est. Tel: +33 (0)2 31 97 20 90.

Practical Information

Courseulles-sur-Mer Tourist Office
5 Rue du 11 Novembre
Tel: +33 (0)2 31 37 46 80
Website

How to Get to Normandy from the UK
Guide to D-Day Landing Beaches
Hotels near the D-Day Landing Beaches

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Saint-Nazaire’s industrial heritage offers the visitor a fascinating mix of sights. I have to admit that they weren’t on my bucket list but after a visit to the city, I’ve changed my mind.

Here’s a list of must-see industrial heritage attractions in Saint-Nazaire which happily is a relatively compact city and so is very easy to get around. Most of these attractions are good for families with excellent explanations and hands-on exhibits. The exceptions are the tours of the Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Airbus which are mainly coach tours.

Escal’Atlantic Tour

I started with the soft option: a tour around the Escal’Atlantic which tells the story of the great passenger liners. The ships built in Saint-Nazaire by the world-famous Chantiers de l’Atlantique are names to conjure with, like SS Normandie where the first-class dining hall was longer than the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles. 700 rich passengers sat down to eat here 3 times a day.

The rich travelled in style; the poor in steerage. The rich went on endless vacations; the poor were escaping the poverty of the old world for the promise of the new.

The tour (both French and English tours available) takes you through the geographic spread of destinations from the 19^th century onwards. You walk past boards showing how the ships speeded up from Saint-Nazaire to the overseas ports; you learn the stories of the passengers; you watch a moving old film of the arrival in New York of so many displaced from Europe.

You look into small cabins, see how useful the luxury Louis Vuitton travel trunk was, peer down at the huge engine rooms, go out on deck and finish in the mock-up of a restaurant where kosher and pet menus were offered along with lavish 7-course feasts for those 700 diners.

My Guide to Escal’Atlantic

Chantiers de l’Atlantique

The Chantiers de l’Atlantique is a remarkable institution. This is one of the great shipyards of the world; the place where cruise ships, military ships and latterly, the electrical substations that power offshore wind farms are developed and built.

The company has built over 70 passenger ships in its history, among them SS Normandie, SS France, and RMS Queen Mary II.

Today they are foremost in building new cruise ships for the world’s biggest companies: Celebrity Cruises, Caribbean Cruises, MSC and more.

Chantiers de l’Atlantique Tour

You can take a 2-hour tour of the shipyards, but only in a coach with a French guide (and English headphones). The shipyard keeps its industrial secrets and you cannot take pictures. You also have to provide ID (passport, not a driving licence) before getting on the coach at the Tourist Office.

The visit takes you through security and into the areas which cover the whole process of building these great ships. It’s an insight into how complex it is. You start in the steelyard where steel in different forms is cut and assembled into various sections.

The coach drives you past huge buildings where larger sections are being welded together. You look at huge steel sections and wonder what they are then realise you’re seeing part of a huge hull, or the middle part of a cruise ship.

You see the ships’ interiors in the hangars where they are being fitted out. You get out of the coach at the final stage, to watch two huge gantry cranes lift blocks (up to 1,400 tons) into place. The ships are now in the docks that will eventually open to launch these huge, and hugely impressive, beauties on their journeys around the world.

Information and tickets for the Chantiers de l’Atlantique.

Watch the Ships Launch

Every time a ship is launched, the whole town celebrates. Join the locals flocking to the two main places to see the ships leaving the Loire estuary, the Vieux Môle and Place du Commando. 

For an excellent in-depth description of the Chantiers de l’Atlantique, read my partner’s article on mechtraveller.com.

Espadon Submarine

The Espadon is a French submarine built in 1958. Decommissioned in 1985, she was towed to Saint-Nazaire to become the first French submarine on display to the public. The Espadon was substantially restored in 2021 and opened to visitors in July.

I find submarines sinister from the outside and claustrophobic inside. So my visit was rather fast, particularly as you need a certain amount of knowledge to appreciate the finer points.

There are two audio guides in English, both activated automatically as you walk through the ship. One is the story of the youngest sailor in the crew which I took. It’s good if you want to understand his reactions to the ship (very much like mine). The second is told from the point of view of a journalist who was on board when the Espadon undertook her most famous patrol. She was part of the arctic team exploring under the pack ice in the Norwegian Sea in May 1964.

You climb down a steep staircase into the submarine. Walk along a narrow passage past complicated equipment, past the torpedo bay, the control room and crew quarters, one shower room and one toilet (for the 65 man crew!) and look down at the engines.

You’ll find Espadon in the fortified lock opposite the main submarine base where the Tourist Office is housed.

Information and tickets for the Espadon submarine

The EOL Centre éolien – Offshore Wind Farm Visitor Centre 

The visitor centre about wind farms is unexpectedly great fun. It’s very hands-on, with lots of small models to explain how winds and wind turbines work. And it teaches both children and adults about this great source of energy. You blow, you cycle, you pit yourself against the wind…with consequences.

The French have been slow in adopting wind power. But now the wind farm just off Saint-Nazaire is up and running. Two more of them are about to come on line, in Fécamp (Seine- Maritime) and Courseulles-sur-Mer.

The centre’s here in Saint-Nazaire as the Chantiers de l’Atlantique are building the electricity substations.

Information and tickets for the oelian centre

Up on the Roof

Go up onto the roof where there’s a great view of the shipyards and the sea, and the turbines slowly turning in the distance. When we were there an outdoor photographic exhibition showed the restoration of the Espadon. And there’s a useful information sign showing where the turbines are located and explaining more about the projects.

Look a little closer

We walked further along the quayside for a fascinating, closer glimpse at the huge pylons that are driven into the sea bed to hold the eolians.

The sight of these just reinforced my first impression of Saint-Nazaire – everything is very BIG!

Airbus Tour

Airbus is a huge and significant industry in France. The headquarters are just outside Toulouse, but Saint-Nazaire has two production sites. Here Airbus produces various parts of airplanes and assembles, equips and tests the fuselage sections of different aircraft including the A380 jet liners.

They are transported to assembly line locations in Europe either by sea for the larger components or by Airbus’ Beluga cargo aircraft. This strange looking aircraft is affectionally named the baleine volante (flying whale). Whenever it flies over the city, everyone looks up.  

You can take a tour of Airbus, though if you come from outside the EU (and that applies also to UK residents) you have to book 3 weeks in advance. You also need to take a passport with you as an identity document. Like the Chantiers de l’Atlantique, Airbus is extremely wary of industrial espionage – so no photos!

Information and tickets for Airbus Tours

Read a General Guide to Saint-Nazaire for other attractions, where to stay, eat and shop.

Practical Information

Saint-Nazaire Tourist Office
Atlantic-Loire Valley Tourist Office
Brittany Tourist Office

How to get to Saint-Nazaire

Saint-Nazaire is in Brittany, in the Loire-Atlantique region.

By car:
The nearest ferry port from the UK is St-Malo used by Brittany Ferries. It’s around 200 kms/124 miles and takes around 2 hrs 30 mins. We came from Dieppe on DFDS ferries, around 500 kms/310 miles taking around 5 hrs.
More about Ferries to France from the UK.

By Train:
Take the TGV non-stop train from Paris Montparnasse to Nantes (2hrs 7 mins). Then take the local TER train from Nantes to St Nazaire (47 mins).

By Air:
Major European airlines fly to Nantes, as do budget airlines like easyJet and Ryanair. They fly from UK and European destinations. Catch the shuttle bus to the railway station.

More about the French Atlantic Coast

French Atlantic Coast Guide from Brittany to the Spanish border.
Drive along the Loire Valley from Saumur to Saint-Nazaire

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This guide to Saint-Nazaire will, I hope, inspire you to visit. I went there not knowing what to expect and very rapidly fell in love with this great Atlantic coast city that is re-inventing itself so successfully.

Saint-Nazaire has two sides. If you’re interested in shipbuilding (Saint-Nazaire has one of the world’s biggest shipbuilding yards), World War II history, submarines, ocean liners, wind farms and Airbus it will certainly be on your list.

But Saint-Nazaire has another delightful side: with old buildings, glorious beaches, lovely walks both long and short, picturesque fishing huts, good restaurants and a little naval shopping.

Saint-Nazaire’s Mixed History

Originally just a simple fishing village, Saint-Nazaire became a major port with the coming of the railways in the 19^th century. Vast new docks were built and Saint-Nazaire replaced Nantes as the main harbour on the Loire estuary emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. Perhaps inevitably it became known as the Liverpool of the West, or if you’re on the other side of the Atlantic, Little Breton California.

By the end of the 19^th century, Saint-Nazaire was the main port building luxury ocean-going liners.

At the start of World War II the port was used to evacuate British troops. A major disaster occurred when the Clyde-built cruise liner SS Lancastria, requisitioned to carry British troops back from France, was sunk by German Junkers bombers in just 15 minutes. Winston Churchill banned all news coverage of the worst disaster in British maritime history (around 4,000 troops were killed) and the incident remained unknown.

In June 1940 France surrendered. The Germans occupied Saint-Nazaire and built the heavily fortified, impregnable U-boat submarine base so vital for destroying the Atlantic supply ships. Saint-Nazaire became a strategic target and in January 1943 the Allies bombed the town, burning it to the ground – though the submarine pens remained.

After the liberation of most of France in 1944, German troops who were holed up in the submarine base refused to surrender but with no supply line they were powerless. General Eisenhower ignored the German bases along the west coast and Saint-Nazaire stayed under German control until after the end of the war in Europe on May 8, 1945.

Saint-Nazaire was rebuilt in the late 1940s so there’s a lot of fairly mundane housing, flats, offices and shops. But is is changing rapidly and the seaside is being developed sympathetically.

Top Attractions in Saint-Nazaire

Start at the Submarine Base

The German submarine base was too strong to demolish without huge cost. Today it’s a major tourist attraction, housing the Escal’Atlantic Museum, a café, a bar and Saint-Nazaire Tourist Office. Get your tickets here for tours of the major industrial sites. It’s also the starting point for the coaches that take you to the shipbuilding yard and to Airbus.

Back to the other Saint-Nazaire Attractions

Beach Life

Make for one of the 20 beaches in and around Saint-Nazaire. There’s plenty of choice. Try the long sandy central beach for watersports, or find yourself a bit of peace and quiet on a cove around Port Charlotte to the west at La Courance or Trébézy.

Walk Beside the Sea

The long promenade beside the sea starts in the east at the Place du Commando by the entrance to the port. Large placards along the walk show the story of Saint-Nazaire; people stroll, cycle or run while others sit on the benches looking out to sea.

Take time for a detour through a small area known as La Havane. Many of the shipbuilders lived in the old houses that line the streets of Santander, La Havane and Veracruz, streets named after the destinations of their cruise liners. 

Look out for ‘Sammy’, built in 1927. The monument commemorates the 198,000 US soldiers stationed in Saint-Nazaire from 1917 to 1919.  

You’ll pass small fishing huts, reached by wobbling little passageways from the shore. Privately owned, the owners use them to fish, lowering the large nets hopefully but usually unsuccessfully into the water. Otherwise they are there just to sit and watch the ever changing seascape.
You can hire them; we spent an hour or so in one – a glorious, restful experience.
Hire a Fishing Hut

Look out for Tintin

You’re not the first illustrious visitor to Saint-Nazaire. 6 boards and an orientation table mark the places in the comic book Les 7 Boules de Cristal visited by Tintin, Captain Archibald Haddock and Milou. “Et puis, pensez donc: Saint-Nazaire, le port, les quais, l’océan, le vent du large, les embruns qui vous fouettent le visage…” “And then, just think: Saint-Nazaire, the port, the quays, the ocean, the offshore wind, the spray that whips your face…“
Pick up the little leaflet at the Tourist Office and set off on your Tintin journey.

L’Écomusée

Housed in a small building in the old port area, the Éccomusée museum tells the story of Saint-Nazaire’s history and industrial heritage, of the port area and the great ocean liners that were built in the city.

It’s a small museum but with enough models, maps, artefacts and photographs to take you through thousands of years of history in a delightful, digestible way.

There are plans for a new museum, but for the moment, take time for a visit and take the family.
Here’s a very good guide to L’écomusée from mechtraveller.com.

Follow the Daring Operation Chariot Raid

Saint-Nazaire was a huge problem for the Allied troops in World War II. The port and the great submarine pen housed the battleships and U boats used by the Germans to destroy the Atlantic convoys that took vital supplies from America to Britain.

Two great battleships occupied Saint-Nazaire: Bismarck and Tirpitz. Bismark was sunk in May 1941 after a fight in which the British ship HMS Hood was also sunk. Tirpitz remained.

Mountbatten came up with an audacious and extremely dangerous plan. Bombing was not possible as Saint-Nazaire was too heavily defended. So the massive Joubert dock, where Tirpitz was stationed, became the target. Or rather the seaward lock gate was the target. The idea of what became known as Operation Chariot? To destroy the gate with a ship packed with explosives rammed into the gate. And, if possible, to wreak more havoc on other sea locks into the basin where the submarine base was located.

The ‘Greatest Raid of All’ was launched by an old destroyer, HMS Campbeltown, loaded with explosives and accompanied by patrol boats carrying commandos whose job it was to go ashore a little further out and attack locks and the German defences.

It was an extraordinary attack, one of those heroic, seemingly hopeless attempts that largely succeeded.

It’s a ripping good yarn, but if you want the full details, go to the excellent Mechtraveller.com story.

The whole point of this rather long introduction is to encourage you to follow the easy Operation Chariot trail. Pick up the leaflet from the Tourist Office to walk around the 7 panels that tell you the story at various times of the raid.

Walk the Coastal Path

The famous coastal path, GR34, starts in Saint-Nazaire and runs north along the Brittany coast for over 2,000 kms/1,240 miles. It finishes at Mont-Saint-Michel. It’s not new; the original trail was created by customs officers in 1664 to intercept smugglers. It takes about 3 hours to walk the Customs Officers’, or Smugglers’ Path as it’s known, from Place du Commando to Plage de Sainte-Marguerite in Pornichet (14 kms/8.6 miles). It’s well worth the effort. Or just go for a few kilometres; the views are stunning.

Where to Stay in Saint-Nazaire

We stayed at the Originals City Hôtel de l’Europe. The 3-star hotel had good rooms, breakfast and friendly staff. There’s a useful (paying) car park opposite.  

Our second night was at a charming chambre d’hôte (bed and breakfast). La Tête sur l’oreiller is in the town centre and run by the helpful and friendly owner, Agnès. There are 5 large rooms including a family room, many looking out onto the peaceful back yard where there’s limited parking. No website, so get in touch directly: latetesuloreiller.44@gmail.com.

Or try Le Berry, a 3-star hotel near the station. It has smart modern bedrooms and bathrooms, a brasserie and bar. Rooms from €70 in the low season and from €100 high season.

There’s a good selection of budget and chain hotels in Saint-Nazaire.

Where to Eat in Saint-Nazaire

There are plenty of good restaurants in Saint-Nazaire. We ate at La Plage, one of the new restaurants in the Place du Commando. Top seafood dishes, great staff and a wonderful view of the sea.

Also in the Place du Commando, La Fabrik is a good choice for lunch (it closes at 7pm). Go here for waffles, vegetarian dishes, skewers of meat and vegetables, salads and steak and chips as well as ice creams. Tel: +33 2 51 16 96 74.

One of the most enjoyable casual meals was at Le Papillon, a bar/restaurant on the beach with extra tables on the sand. They do excellent plâteaus of charcuterie and cheese plus moules in large pans. It’s at  Plage de Villès, about a 20-minute walk from the Place du Commando. Run by Igor and Melissa, who worked for 10 years in London in restaurants and bars, it’s only open in the summer.

We also had lunch at Le Maharaja, an Indian restaurant a short walk from the submarine base. First-rate tandoori dishes and classic Indian curries with a terrace for summer dining.

For a quick meal, or takeaway, try Basilic&Co. It’s a chain of good pizzerias, centrally located, friendly and good value.

Shopping in Saint-Nazaire

Saint-Nazaire is not known for its shopping. But walking to the submarine base from our bed and breakfast, I came across Comptoir de la Mer. And this sprawling shop was irresistible. Good clothing if you’re sailing, many different fishing rods, but best of all, those wooden lighthouses, birds and boats that place your bathroom right by the sea. I spent a small fortune. 

Markets in Saint-Nazaire

The large main covered market, Les Halles was built in the 1950s. It’s the place for fresh vegetables, fruit, fish, cheeses and more, both French and international. It’s not particularly pretty but it’s a great place to shop for a picnic. Stalls both inside and out. Open Tues, Fri and Sun mornings. Blvd de la Legion d’Honneur. Saint Nazaire Villeport.

To the east you’ll find Penhoët Market in Méan-Penhoët. Built in 1877 it was brought here from the centre in 1936. Open Wed and Sat.

Saint-Nazaire Markets.

Great Places outside Saint-Nazaire

A Serpent Awaits

Drive over the impressive Saint-Nazaire bridge then turn off immediately to Brevin-les-Pins. Park in the main car park and walk along the seaside path. It will take you to the 130-metre long Serpent d’océan, best seen at low tide.

Saint-Marc-sur-Mer and Monsieur Hulot

I was brought up on Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday, a hilarious black-and-white and very old-fashioned film starring Jacques Tati. It’s become part of the folklore of France but I had no idea that the village was just a 17 km/10.5 mile drive along the coast from Saint-Nazaire and that the French had taken Monsieur Hulot quite so much to their hearts.

There are various walks and view points, helpfully shown on boards around the village relating to the holidaymaker who creates havoc in the small seaside resort.

Walk along the Smugglers’ Path (part of GR34), take bathing gear, walk down the steps from the path and swim in the blue waters of the sea.

Stay in the excellent 3-star Best Western Hôtel de la Plage, M. Hulot’s hotel. With a room looking out over the beach and the sea, and a view of M. Hulot himself standing on a rampart with exactly the right pose, it makes a great end to a stay in Saint-Nazaire. Good bar, restaurant and terrace dining.

We ate at an excellent Asian style dinner (dishes from €16.50) at Le Centre in the middle of the village. On Sundays there’s live music at 4pm.

Go Further Afield

Just to the north of Saint-Nazaire you’ll come to the Parc naturel regional de Brière. France’s second largest wetland is a glorious area of villages, natural ecosystems, animals and thousands of birds.

Salt Marshes of Guérande

Go north west and you’re in the salt-marshes of Guérande. In this huge low-lying area, the precious (and expensive) salt is produced naturally. The seawater flows through the pans producing brine.

Stop at Terre de Sel, one of the businesses producing salt. There are plenty of food stuffs to buy and they also arrange guided tours of the salt marshes.

Read about the Industrial Heritage of Saint-Nazaire: Shipbuilding, Submarines, Airbus and Wind Farms to visit.

Practical Information

Saint-Nazaire Tourist Office
Brittany Tourist Office
Atlantique-Loire Valley Tourist Office

How to get to Saint-Nazaire

Saint-Nazaire is in Brittany, in the Loire-Atlantique region.

By car:
The nearest ferry port from the UK is St-Malo used by Brittany Ferries. It’s around 200 kms/124 miles and takes around 2 hrs 30 mins. We came from Dieppe on DFDS ferries, around 500 kms/310 miles taking around 5 hrs.
More about Ferries to France from the UK.

By Train:
Take the TGV non-stop train from Paris Montparnasse to Nantes (2hrs 7 mins). Then take the local TER train from Nantes to St Nazaire (47 mins).

By Air:
Major European airlines fly to Nantes, as do budget airlines like easyJet and Ryanair. They fly from UK and European destinations. Catch the shuttle bus to the railway station.

More about the French Atlantic Coast

French Atlantic Coast Guide from Brittany to the Spanish border.
Drive along the Loire Valley from Saumur to Saint-Nazaire

Declaration: I was on a self-driving press trip as a guest of the Saint-Nazaire tourist office.  Apart from the Hotel de l’Europe & meal at Basilic&Co, the tourist office covered all meals, accommodation and entry fees.

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Guide to Deauville and Trouville by guest writer Fiona Quinn
Updated April 12, 2026

The twin seaside towns of Deauville-Trouville on the Normandy coast in the département of Calvados sit cheek-by-jowl. The only thing that separates them is the narrow, winding Touques river where it discharges into the English Channel. Yet, while the towns are both complementary, each has a very different vibe. Check out this guide to Deauville and Trouville.

The Chic Past of Deauville and Trouville

Back in the heyday of the Belle Epoque, everyone who was anyone in Paris headed to Trouville for a bit of “trou-la-la” on their holidays. Imagine the summer of 1870: elegant ladies in long white summer dresses holding their parasols wander along a wooden boardwalk lined with grand buildings next to a wide sandy beach.

A two-hour train trip from Paris-St-Lazare brought hordes of visitors seeking sea air, packing their bathing suits to spend time on the long stretches of sand at Deauville and Trouville before taking a bracing sea bath. Well refreshed, their evenings were spent mingling at the casino and enjoying the seafood brought in by local fishermen. This was the era when haute couture had recently been invented, Champagne production was being perfected, and the Eiffel Tower still hadn’t been built.

And What Do Today’s Visitors See?

Today, for the British the Côte Fleurie is just a quick hop on the ferry from Portsmouth to Caen. The Parisian jetset still love this beach and hang out here at weekends, enjoying their holiday homes, while stopping for lunch in the fish market at Trouville or shopping in the glamorous designer stores in Deauville.

In Deauville, a parade of colourful tied-up beach umbrellas dot the beach in front of 1920s beach cabins named after film stars, while in neighbouring Trouville, a wooden boardwalk flanks the grand seaside villas where residents can step out straight onto the beach.

First came Trouville

Trouville was the first to be discovered. French artist Charles Mozin (1806–62) specialised in marine painting and had been to Honfleur painting beaches when he was told by local fishermen that the beach at Trouville was far prettier. An early influencer, he sold his art to the Parisian elite, who came to the coast eager to see the beautiful beaches for themselves and try out the new trend of sea bathing that had come over from Regency England in the 1820s.

The town began to grow and by the 1840s, Trouville’s fishing quay was developed. The boom in tourism in the 1860s saw new villas popping up along the beach and spilling on the hill to house the weekend visitors and their households.

Then in 1867, the Planches promenade wooden boardwalk was installed. Now the stylish visitors could amble along the beach, a practice the French know as flâner, filling their lungs with invigorating sea air.

Guide to Deauville and Trouville: Start by Walking the Streets

Wander the backstreets and you discover eclectic, yet elegant architecture that was heavily influenced by travel. Individually designed villas combine traditional Norman half-timbering Colombage style with Alpine chalets, English bay windows and castle-style turrets all jostling for a view of the sea.

Villa Montebello was built in 1865 with a commanding vista above the Roches Noires hotel. Now the town’s museum it houses some of Mozin’s paintings along with vintage pieces of sea bathing history. Holding temporary exhibitions, this year it’s the turn of Charles Pécrus (1826–1907), a friend of Eugene Boudin.

Deauville

During the Second Empire in the 1860s, Emperor Napoleon III’s half-brother the Duc de Morny, had the vision to establish a new town on the other side of the river and Deauville was born. The designed town was on mostly flat land. The planned streets give a neat, formal feel with the main square based on the Place de l’Etoile in Paris with eight boulevards that fan out leading to tourist attractions in each direction.

The Duc’s passion for horses also gave the refined town a different vibe from its coastal neighbour, and a thoroughbred racecourse, Deauville-La Touques, was built in 1864 just a short walk from the beach on the edge of town. This has since led to the countryside around Deauville being the main horse-breeding region in France.

The Impressionists Arrive

As both resorts developed, they attracted writers such as Gustave Flaubert and Impressionist painters Eugène Boudin and Claude Monet who spent his honeymoon in Trouville in 1870. See also Normandy and Impressionism.

Deauville Grows: Villa Strasbourg, Hotels and Casinos

In Deauville, on farmland once owned by Gustave Flaubert’s family, Baron Henri de Rothschild built an impressive Anglo-Norman villa overlooking the racecourse, where he liked to visit. The Belle Epoque holiday home was eventually bought by Ralph Strassburger before being given to the town of Deauville in lieu of taxes. Villa Strassburger is open to the public between June and September. You must book a guided tour in advance.

In 1912 three iconic buildings added to the considerable appeal of the seaside resort: the Hôtel Normandy and the Hôtel Royal strategically placed with the Casino between them. Discreet underground tunnels led to the trio of luxury buildings specifically aimed at chic Parisians and the milords of British high society.

The hotels, both part of the prestigious Barrière group, are grand in the best possible old-fashioned way. Huge entrance halls, long corridors, high ceilings and spectacular public rooms make the perfect place for a drink.

20th-Century Wars

Shortly after, the First World War broke out. Eventually the Second World War left its historical mark on the region with many of the grand buildings being occupied as either hospitals or homes for German officers.

But each time the holidaymakers returned as soon as they could. Fashionistas came, including Coco Chanel in 1914 opening her first haute couture shop outside Paris and later Yves Saint Laurent. And in 1975, Deauville’s annual film festival, now held in September every year, put the resort firmly on the celebrity map.

Guide to Deauville and Trouville Today

At weekends and in season, the tiny local population is mostly boosted by Parisians, who come shopping for luxury along Deauville’s Rue Désiré Le Hoc, Rue Eugène Colas and Rue du Casino, watch a polo match or have a flutter at the races. The beaches are full of life with families.

Yet, out of season, as horse riders and harness carriages gallop along the empty shoreline, visitors can enjoy the bracing sea air and long walks without the need to jostle for space on the beach and can easily get a table in one of the numerous dining places around both towns.

Eat, Drink and Watch the World Go By

Lying next to the sea, the lure of fresh seafood is strong. Every guide to Deauville and Trouville must include sea snails and sea urchins, oysters, clams, grey shrimp, prawns, langoustines, and lobster from Brittany. The stalls at Trouville’s fish market (marché aux poissons) are filled with delicious produce. But this is not only a seafood vendor and tourist attraction. Lunch here allows you to indulge at high tables where you’re served the freshest seafood platters and champagne. Saiter, one of the ten sellers, was the first to sell food directly to visitors and takes centre stage in the market under red awnings. 

In neighbouring Deauville, chic cafés spill onto the pavements at the Place Morny next to the fish market. You’re never far from good seafood, and both towns have plenty of places to dine out with both prix fixe and a la carte menus.

A good meal in Normandy is often broken up with a trou normand – literally, a Norman hole! It is in fact the name given to a glass of Calvados, apple brandy, drunk before the main course to aid digestion (and appreciate the next course).

Calvados – That Great Normandy Drink

For more than 200 years, Père Magloire has been producing Calvados in Normandy using local apples that thrive here. Visitors can discover more at the Père Magloire Calvados Experience, a 10-minute drive from Deauville-Trouville. Several different rooms in the former cellars show the history of Calvados, its origins, the apples and orchards that lend their flavours to this local drink, and the methods used to create this distilled apple brandy, even down to shaking the trees to make the apples fall. The fun exhibit ends with Calvados tasting in the stylish bar, all for only a few euros per person.

Don’t Miss this Attraction

With so many elements to the region’s history, it might prove difficult to encapsulate all of it in one place, but the Franciscaines multimedia cultural centre has managed to do just that. Opened in May 2021 in an old convent, the centre makes local culture accessible to everyone. The modern facilities on the ground floor include an exceptional cafe, where lunch is served on one tray, and a concert and performance venue in the former chapel, while the the glass roof over the original cloister is made up of thousands of tubes that dot the sky like a cloud in an Impressionist painting as you look up.

Art and creativity is celebrated in all its forms with an extensive public library spreading around the upper floor with cosy zones to hang out, lounge around and even lie down, books on horse racing, Deauville history, music, and art, private screening rooms to watch films, and a museum dedicated to painter André Hambourg (1909-99).

Fun Things to Do

A Day at the Races

Horse racing in Deauville dates back to 1863 when horses and riders pounded along the beach on a temporary track. A year later, the Deauville-La-Touques racecourse was built and opened – as the locals will proudly tell you, before the church was built.

One of the most beautiful and leading flat racecourses in France, it attracts international trainers to its summer and winter seasons. It’s not for nothing that Deauville is twinned with Lexington, Kentucky. A day at the races is remarkably cheap, just a few euros in July and August and free for the rest of the year’s racing.

The second course at Deauville-Clairefontaine is just to the east of the town with racing in June, July, Autust and October. Race meetings take themes, perhaps ecology or the local region, with plenty of related events to keep the family entertained. And it offers three different kinds of racing: flat, trotting and steeplechasing. Like Deauville-La Touques, it’s just a few euros for entry.

Fast and Furious Polo – Up Close

Deauville has the oldest polo club in France and the club where the Argentinian teams want to win of all the European venues.  Polo is a great sport – expensive to play but cheap to watch.

Polo has been played in Deauville since 1892. But it wasn’t until 1950 that the Gold Cup, which concludes the world championships, was established.

It’s a great sport to watch from the small charming pavilion which is conveniently a few hundred yards from the main racecourse. So you can enjoy an afternoon’s racing, then go over to the polo ground for the 5.30pm matches. It’s free during the week, 10 euros at weekends and 20 euros for the finals.

Or go down early to the beach to watch the players having fun on the sand.

Presqu’île de la Touques

Another recent development in town is squeezed between the two resorts. The new district of Presqu’île de la Touques is bordered by the river and the harbour full of sailing boats, accessed from Deauville via a pedestrian drawbridge with two striped belvedere towers at either end. For exceptional views across both towns stretching from the beach to the golf course, you can climb or take the lift to the top of one of the towers for a couple of euros.

Pierre et Vacances Apartments

The former industrial zone was once full of warehouses, and home to the grand Custom House. Now, French apartment company Pierre & Vacances have brought the old working neighbourhood to life by building new apartment buildings in the spirit of Deauville’s old architecture, and renovating the time-worn Custom House – Le Bâtiment des Douanes – into stylish apartments for two to eight people, perfect for groups of friends and family holidays.

All come with spacious dining areas and well-equipped kitchens – even including an oyster shucker! The premium residence of provides a free-to-use heated indoor and outdoor pool, sauna and steam room, and a cardio-training area. Optional extras include massages and treatments in the Algotherm spa, underground parking and a generous breakfast buffet of fresh and organic local produce.

Double/Twin from €150 per night.

Practical Information

Getting to Deauville and Trouville

Brittany Ferries sails three times a day between Portsmouth and Caen with a choice of daytime and overnight departures. Fares start from £89 each way for a car plus 2, or from £39 each way for a foot passenger. For information: Brittany Ferries, Tel: 0330 159 7000. 

More Information on Ferries to France from the UK

For more on Deauville, visit the Deauville Tourist Office website
For more on Trouville, visit the Trouville Tourist Office website

More on the Region

Normandy Travel Guide
Seaside Resorts in North France
Islands of France – including Normandy

About guest writer, Fiona Quinn

Fiona Quinn is a francophile travel writer and editor. She’s lived in France on and off during the past 30 years, including as a student in Paris, ski saisonnaire in Savoie and Haute Savoie, and a home-owner in sunflower-filled Charente. 
Check out her website.

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Saint-Nazaire’s Escal’Atlantic tells the story of the great passenger liners of the past. It does a great job recreating the history and life of those transatlantic liners that set off from France to take people to the far ends of the world. The stately ships were bound for south America, Europe, Asia and of course the new world of New York.

Down at the docks

Escal’Atlantic is housed in the huge concrete submarine base built on the site of the old docks in 1940. The formidable Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (also known as The French Line) was founded here in 1862. But the strategic importance of the site, with easy access straight into the Atlantic, led to the inevitable destruction of the old docks by the Germans in 1940 and the building of their formidable submarine base.

Today’s ocean-going passenger liners are built nearby by Les Chantiers de l’Atlantique which is also well worth a visit. In October 2022 they finished and launched the mighty new MSC World Europa, the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG)-powered cruise ship.

The Golden Age of the Great Passenger Liners

The great ocean liners of the past came into their own with the development of steam power.  For two centuries they pioneered new routes and opened up the world. The only way to travel from continent to continent, Saint-Nazaire was in the forefront of shipbuilding and became the base for journeys, first to Central America.

Some of the ships were well known; others like SS La Provence which took 7 days from Le Havre to New York are not such household names. The largest ship in the French merchant marine and the largest built in France at the time, she was torpedoed and sunk in the Mediterranean in 1916.

It was the great ocean liners, many built in Saint-Nazaire and operated by the the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique, that set the standards. In the 1920s, wealthy Americans escaping prohibition made up many of the passengers in the top class cabins on ships like the Ile de France, launched in 1927.

Then came the Depression and a downturn until the mid 1930s when the style was set by the SS Normandie. Built in Saint-Nazaire and launched in May 1935 she was the fastest, most technologically advanced passenger ship, crossing the Atlantic from Le Havre to New York in a record 4.14 days. She’s the most powerful steam turbo-electric-propelled passenger ship ever built.

Walk through a reconstructed passenger liner

Step up a gangplank into the museum and you step inside a life of contrasts where the rich travelled in style, and the poor in steerage.

You can take a guided tour (currently only in French though they are working on an English alternative), or guide yourself on a 90-minute tour.

The museum is easy to walk through starting with the reception room that would have greeted past passengers.

In a darkened space a large screen video lights up with the routes as they were added from different ports.

A series of rooms are connected by corridors where panels show how long the journeys were, how many passengers the passengers liners took and the cost of the different classes.

Setting the style

SS Normandie was the dernier mot in the new luxury paquebot style. Architect Pierre Patout created the Art Déco and Streamline Moderne style that even today looks as elegant as in the past. 

Other French designers created the luxury cabins, dining rooms, bars, swimming pool and winter garden. Jean Dunand designed the huge lacquer panels that greeted passengers in the reception hall (and you see one of his fabulous over-the-top creations on the tour). Specially designed Christofle silver, porcelain and glassware glittered on the tables in the dining rooms. Lalique glass torchères  and engraved glass panels made by the Cristallerie de Compiègne, better known as Degué added extra sparkle to already impressive rooms.

Something I would love to have seen is the children’s dining room. It was decorated by Jean de Brunhoff, who covered the walls with Babar the Elephant and his entourage.

Escal’Atlantic takes elements from many of the luxury passenger liners. You see some of the furniture and chairs like this one which had a small chain to attach it to the floor. So you wouldn’t be embarrassed while sipping your cocktail and sliding across the floor.

And the Louis Vuitton cabin trunk shown in all its glory still has the wow factor.

Third class passengers

A little further on you descend to the third class cabins. No luxury here for those people, mostly migrants, escaping the poverty of Europe.

A crackling old film shows the journey, where the passengers came from, and their arrival and reception at Ellis Island. Stoic, strong, sometimes frightened, they stepped off the ship to begin a new life in the USA. Migration began early: between 1870 and 1925 60 million Europeans took the voyage.

Become a director of a maritime company

It’s worth playing the game on a huge round video table of a map of the world with other visitors. You become the director of a maritime company. Which journey will you take? Le Havre to New York? Saint-Nazaire to Veracruz? Then you’re off, managing your fleet, ships and hopefully the weather.

Where the real work was done

Steps take you past the engines below. Impressive but it must have been hell to work there.

A giant larder

Pause at the panel about the food that had to be taken on board. It’s the 1880s and the ships have to cater for 1638 passengers and 812 staff. Everything is here from fresh parsley to champagne with 2,500 kilos of cheese, 300 pineapples, 8,000 bananas, 15,000 lemons, 20,000 oranges, 7,000 pears and everything else in vast quantities. After all they had to make 700 kilos of bread every day.

Back on deck. Quoits anyone?

You go back through the reception lounge and onto an imagined deck complete with very posh loungers in leather. Copies of their own magazine, L’Atlantique hang from the chairs. A large screen shows you the passing landscape; a few other ships, seagulls and horror of horrors…icebergs.

The last part of the visit

At the final part of the visit you emerge at the bar where you can order a cocktail.

A stairway leads you down, in your sweeping gown of course, to a dining room. Panels on the walls reproduce the original dining rooms while glassware and silver show you how expensive the whole experience was.

Everything was over the top in these glorious passenger liners. Normandie‘s first-class dining hall was the largest room afloat. At 93m (305 ft), it was longer than the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles, seating 700 diners at 157 tables.

And as for the menus

Equally as fascinating are the menus. These were predictably grand, and filling. They included a bewildering range of dishes, always including hors d’oevres, soups, fish, meat, vegetables, cheese, delicious desserts, coffee and tea. Nobody in first class went hungry. One day it might be an 11-course choice running from grapefruit, through caviar, a soup, turbot fillet, chicken with fresh vegetable dish. It’s followed by spit roasted beef and buttered new potatoes and salad. To finish glazed biscuits and La Corbeille Fleurie de Friandises  – make of that what you will. You could always just choose fruit.

And for your dog? Consommé of beef, Le Regal de Sweekey which is mince meat with carrots,  spinach and side toast, La Gâterie ‘France’ of minced chicken, green beans and rice topped with meat stock and crushed biscuits. Then bones of beef, ham and veal followed by fresh vegetables and pasta and to end Biscuit. Bizarre.

There were also strict kosher menus with around 36 Americans per trip choosing them.

The end of the journey

Don’t worry. If all else fails there’s always the lifeboat.