CURRENT POPULATION: 441,000
% POP GROWTH: 2.5 %
CITY AREA: 115.65 KM2

CITY DENSITY: 3,815 INH/KM2
GDP PER CAPITA: €18,800
DIALLING CODE: +44

WITH FRIENDS
LE FOU DU ROI
2 RUE PREMION
TEL. 02 40 35 64 64
Fish and seafood are the specialties at this restaurant that is a favourite both for its fine food and the fantastic views of the neighbouring Chateau des Ducs. There’s some outside seating in the summer for al fresco dining, but be warned, the street is busy with tourists in high season.

ENTERTAINING A CLIENT
LES PIEDS DANS LE PLAT
13 RUE JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU
TEL. 02 40 69 25 15
This funky restaurant with modern décor – the zebra print tablecloths zing against the distressed stonework walls – serves traditional French bistro fare. We can’t all put duck islands on our expenses these days, but hopefully your finance team won’t baulk at you trying some great duck dishes from this menu and popping them on your expenses.

CLOSING THE DEAL
LE PRESSOIR
11 QUAI TURENNE
TEL. 02 40 35 31 10
This cosy and quiet basement venue offers fine dining with an emphasis on local cuisine and a stunning wine cellar. This makes it excellent for celebrating with clients or just enjoying a well-deserved blow out with colleagues.

STYLE
I D N CAFÉ
HANGAR À BANANES, 21 QUAI DES ANTILLES
TEL. 02 51 82 88 71
Located in the redeveloped ‘docklands’ area of Nantes, this modern riverside café serves a range of cocktails, wines and trendy beers. Visit some of the nearby open-air art during the day, then unwind here in the evening.

RELAX
L’UNIVERS CAFÉ
16 RUE JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU
TEL. 02 40 73 49 55
This jazz café and bar with live music is the perfect place to end your evening. The bar is cosy and the lighting subdued, making it a romantic as well as a relaxing destination.

BESPOKE
HOTEL DE FRANCE NANTES
24 RUE CRÉBILLON
TEL. 02 40 73 57 91
This beautiful 18th-century hotel, with grand staircases sweeping into the lobby, is reminiscent of the grand hotels in Paris. The Hotel de France is located right next to the Opéra and is very close to the Passage Pommeraye, making it handy for both culture and shopping. It is also across the square from the wonderful La Cigale restaurant, though it has its own restaurant, the Opéra. The rooms are up to a good three-star business standard with Wi-Fi internet access and conference and meeting room facilities if needed.

VALUE
CITÉA NANTES LA BEAUJOIRE
2 RUE DES CITRINES
TEL. 02 28 08 80 00
A purpose-built colony of apartments and houses in the middle of the Technoparc, this is a good budget choice for longer business trips. Access to car parking, breakfast room, swimming pool and the internet is included.

BUSINESS
THE NOVOTEL NANTES CITE DES CONGRES
3 RUE DE VALMY
TEL. 02 51 82 00 00
Located next to the convention centre, and with 105 air-conditioned rooms, the Novotel is a great choice for anyone exhibiting there. Internet, comfortable modern décor and breakfast are included, and it’s still within reach of the centre of town.

For all you pirates out there, the exhibition La Mer Pour Mémoire at the Château des Ducs de Bretagne in the centre of Nantes is displaying 16th-19th century relics and finds from the west coast of France (www.chateau-nantes.fr). From cannons to navigational equipment it’s all there, alongside the odd piece of eight. €5 (approx. £5) entry gets you aboard.

From 12 September until 8 October Le Lieu Unique has a free exhibition of contemporary photography on the theme of buildings and construction (www.lelieuunique.com). You’ll see work from a wide variety of photographers including reportage and artistic styles.

The Passage Pommeraye is an elegant covered mall of boutique shops reminiscent of the finest arcades in London’s West End (www.passagepommeraye.fr). It’s the perfect place to shop for presents for friends and family – and to stock up on local food and wine.

Nantes FC has the record for the longest unbeaten run in Ligue 1 at 32 matches, and the longest unbeaten run of home games, at 92 matches (www.fcnantes.fr). It also had the longest spell in the top flight at 44 seasons. Unfortunately, now it has been bouncing back and forth between relegation and promotion. If you’d like to bask in past glories, matches are on at the Stade Beaujoire.

WORDS BY CHRIS LOCKE