Visiting Nantes? Visit the Grand Blottereau Park, the city's largest park! This place of tropical experimentation transported us into the exotic world of rare plants and landscapes from all over the world. A colorful journey!
Here are some useful tips for planning your visit to the Grand Blottereau Park in Nantes.
This guide is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the region anonymously, making our own choices and paying our bills in full.
Is a visit to the Grand Blottereau Park worthwhile?
Yes, it's worth a visit. It's one of the city's most beautiful parks. With a tropical vocation, it covers more than 30 hectares and stands out for its exoticism. We enjoyed strolling through its colorful, spicy-scented gardens. You'll discover rare species, landscapes from every continent, tropical greenhouses and even a château surrounded by French parterres. A compendium of the rich history of the city of Nantes!
What you can see
A tropical landscape
From the moment we entered, we thought we were in the tropics. A large part of the park features superb exotic plants.
An astonishing meditative stone
A little further on, we spotted this astonishing meditation stone created by J.C Lambert. Stop and admire its unusual shape.
A green banana plantation
A banana plantation brightens up the park with its giant leaves. But we didn't see any bananas!
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A Korean garden
The journey continues in Asia. We enjoyed the poetry of the beautiful pagoda and its water feature.
The American bayou
The American bayou plunged us right into the heart of Louisiana, with its typical pontoons and swampy waters!
A natural garden
More continental, the natural garden reveals free and complementary plants! We loved this undisciplined space.
A rocky landscape
Rosemary and dried plants transported us to a rocky landscape typical of the Mediterranean.
A château and its French parterre
At the southern end of the park, a château with classical architecture and formal gardens reminds us of the park's true location, in France and not in the tropics!
Exotic greenhouses
Locked away in vast greenhouses, rare flowers flourish sheltered from the elements. Even through the windows, we were bewitched by their colors!
A sensory walk
Sniffing and looking, we strolled down the aisles of the 5 senses promenade. A feast for the nose and eyes!
An old ice-house
The park is home to an 18th-century ice house that kept ice until summer. We were impressed by this ancient know-how.
An artistic playground
The children's play area caught our eye with its artistic coloration. The course, slide and other facilities are sure to delight the little ones!
WHERE TO STAY IN Nantes
Downtown
Would you like to sleep in the heart of Nantes and enjoy its invigorating vitality? We liked it:
- Blu Radisson Hotel - see our article - see photos prices and availability
- L'Oceania - hotel de France - see our article - see photos prices and availability
Near the station
A train to catch at dawn, there's a truly magical address just 2 steps from Nantes train station:
- Le Sozo Hotel - see our article - see photos, prices and availability
On the banks of the Erdre
Looking for a bit of peace and quiet, without straying too far from the city of Nantes? 2 addresses on the banks of the Erdre river:
- La Rivière House - see photos, prices and availability
- Le Best Western Plus Hôtel de la Régate - view photos, prices and availability
Grand Blottereau Park in Nantes: how to get there
Where the park is located
The park is located in the city of Nantes in the Loire-Atlantique region of France.
- East of the city of Nantes
- In the Doulon-Bottière district
- 20min from downtown by public transport
Access by car and parking
Located in the city center, the park is surrounded by streets where parking is available. But we strongly recommend you use public transport, as getting around and parking in this big city is a nightmare. Like us, take the city pass, which gives you access to all the city's transport services, as well as to many tourist attractions.
Public transport access
Located to the east of Nantes, the park is served by tramway line 1 and buses (lines 12, 58, 75, 82, 92). More information on times and prices here. We strongly advise you to take the city pass, which will give you access to the city's transport network and museums. Buy it now!
You can also get there by bike! The city's Bicloo and Naolib services offer easy bike rental. Read all about it here.
Visiting difficulties
Plan to walk if you want to explore the whole park. We therefore advise you to take comfortable shoes.
Many of the site's paths and areas are accessible to wheelchair users.
HAVE FUN WITH THESE activities
Tips for visiting the Grand Blottereau Park
Schedules and prices
Admission is free. Park opening times vary according to the season. It is generally open from 8.45am to 7.30pm. Check the latest timetable on the official website here.
How long
Allow between 1h and 1h30 to visit the entire park. It took us about that long to explore this amazing place!
Best moment
The park is a pleasure to visit all year round. It reveals its beauty in every season. While spring and summer will dazzle you with their vivacity and luxuriance, autumn and winter will seduce you with their flamboyant and then gentle poetry. If you want to avoid the crowds, choose mornings on sunny days.
Direction of visit
There's no set direction for visiting the park. Let your instincts guide you, or take inspiration from our itinerary. Entering via boulevard Auguste Péneau, we first discovered tropical landscapes and then the banana plantation. The Korean garden and the American bayou then dazzled us. We continued by exploring the Jardin au Naturel and the rock garden landscape. Around a bend in the path, the château and its formal gardens surprised us with their classicism. Finally, we were transported below the equator with the greenhouses and the 5 senses walk.
The park offers guided tours of the greenhouses every first Sunday of the month with a botanical gardener. Seasonal events are also organized on certain afternoons during the school vacations.
Visiting with children
The park is ideal for children. In addition to a fun playground, we saw sports fields and large expanses of green, inviting young and old to go on great rides. Educational gardens such as Jardin au Naturel and Promenade des 5 sens (the 5 senses walk) are also available to introduce younger visitors to botany. We loved it. Finally, whatever your age, there's something to marvel at in all this exoticism!
Eating out
The location is in the city of Nantes, which is packed with restaurants. Discover our tempting selection!
If you prefer to plan your own gourmet break, picnics are permitted on site.
Hotels
You're right in the center of Nantes, home to numerous hotels. Here are our recommendations.
PLAN YOUR STAY IN Nantes
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