Discover one of France’s largest and most historical ports

During your stay, discover the dark and luminous history of the port of Saint-Nazaire.  Port for the transatlantic lines since the middle of the 19the century, it is in Saint-Nazaire that dream ocean liners such as the SS Normandie and the SS France were built. It is also from this port that the Americans landed in Europe in 1917, creating an unwavering connection between the city and the United States.  During the first World War, the city then housed the submarine base built by occupying German forces, one of the most painful pages in its long history.  This can all be discovered by visiting Escal Atlantic, an exclusive inside look  into the world of commercial ocean liners as well as the submarine base.  The two stand in monument to the city and have both become a place of memory.

The hidden gems of an overlooked city 

There is a reason Jacques Tati chose the beaches of Saint-Marc-sur-Mer for the film, Mr. Hulot’s Holiday, with all the beautiful scenery Saint-Nazaire has to offer – a seaside resort with a small town, friendly feel.  In the album Les 7 Boules de Cristal, Tintin Lilou and Captain Haddock pass through Saint Nazaire to Find Professor Tournesol. 

Labeled as a City of Art and History since January 2020, by taking a stroll down the streets of the town’s port side, one can see the symbol of the reconstructions from the war.  The seafront promenade, 3 km long from its departure at the Place du Commando puts the beach within reach of the city and all its delight for families, joggers and cyclists.  An easy extension of the walk by using the GR34 trail from Saint-Nazaire will take you on a tour of the many unsuspecting riches that the city has to offer.  Beaches and villages from the small seaside town of Pornichet and beyond !