The castle of the Dukes of Brittany

Château des ducs de Bretagne © Eusebius

 

The current castle of the Dukes of Brittany was built in the 15th century, in place of a first castle, on a Gallo-Roman wall that is still visible today. It is located in the commune of Nantes in Loire-Atlantique. The castle has been classified as a historical monument since 1840.

Visit the Dukes of Brittany castle during your camping holiday

The castle was built by François II, the last duke of Brittany to be independent from the royal power, and became a defensive fortress, as the main residence of the ducal court. The marriages of his daughter Anne of Brittany to the kings of France, Charles VIII and Louis XII, rendered the defensive role of the building useless. The new queen therefore decided to embellish it. Renaissance elements were added, such as the coats of arms, the dormer windows of the Grand Logis and the loggias of the Golden Crown Tower. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the castle of the Dukes of Brittany became the Breton residence of the kings of France, before becoming a barracks, a military arsenal and finally a prison. During the Occupation, the Germans even built a bunker there.

After successive transformations, the castle now houses the Nantes History Museum. Through thirty-two rooms, one can discover the history of the site and that of the city, and more than 800 collection objects. An architectural tour and multimedia devices are available to the public. The museum is structured around major themes, notably the two world wars, the Atlantic slave trade and slavery...

Where to stay?

To organise your camping holiday in Loire-Atlantique and your visit to the Dukes of Brittany castle, discover the campsites in Nantes.

Practical information:

Opening hours: Open from September to June: 10 am to 6 pm (closed on Mondays), July-August: 10 am to 7 pm. Closed on 1 January, 1 May, 1 November and 25 December.

The moat garden can be visited from 8 am and the courtyard and ramparts from 8.30 am.

Prices 2022 inside the castle, museum and exhibitions: adult 8 €, reduced rate 5 €. Free on the first Sunday of the month, except in July and August, free all year round for under 18s, jobseekers and PRM.

Contact details:

4, Place Marc Elder

44000 Nantes

Tel. +33 (0)8 11 46 46 44

Website: chateaunantes.fr