Tired of the city? In less than 10 minutes, you can feel completely relaxed: take the Navibus, a boat on the Loire River that takes you to the charming fishing village of Trentemoult.
Here you discover a completely different atmosphere with colorful houses, car-free alleys and terraces along the Loire to relax at sunset.
Here is our guide to get there and enjoy it.
This opinion is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the area anonymously, making our own choices, and paying all our bills in full.
Why visit the village of Trentemoult in Nantes
Is the village of Trentemoult worth it?
Absolutely.
We loved it.
The city of Nantes is very lively and scattered.
Discovering the village of Trentemoult was like a breath of fresh air. The impression of being in a completely different place, while the access is fast.
We loved walking along the Loire River and in the colorful streets. The paintings, the plants, the atmosphere... everything is there to relax!
Take the time to get lost in its alleys to be surprised by funny paintings.
It is one of the most beautiful villages of the Loire Valley and one of the must-see of Nantes.
Virtual visit of Trentemoult in video
What to see in the village? Why is it known?
The village of Trentemoult is famous for several reasons:
For its contrast with Nantes
In the 20th century, it was a famous fishing port. It has preserved its soul and atmosphere. It has resisted the development of Nantes. The people of Nantes love to come and have a drink on the banks of the Loire.
For its colorful houses
The alleys of Trentemoult are very quiet and full of originality.
There are pink, blue, orange, red houses... children playing, lots of green plants and paintings that make you smile.
For the shooting of the film
In 1990, the French film "La Rein Blanche" with Catherine Deneuve (and Jean-Loup Hubert) was shot in this village. Remnants of the film sets remain.
Claude Chabrol also shot scenes from The Maid of Honor in 2015.
Short story
Originally Trentemoult was located on an island but the filling of an arm of the Loire connected the islands of Rezé with the land.
Until the 19th century, the locals lived almost entirely from fishing, as they had a privilege in the Loire estuary. They preached to 2 on the Loire and to 3 on the open sea, in small flat-bottomed barges.
The island of Trentemoult then became a center of maritime trade.
It became unhealthy in the middle of the 20th century but regained its appeal as a marina in 1979.
Why this name?
There are 2 theories about the origin of the name Trentemoult:
- the most credible: derived from "trente moux" which refers to thirty mounds (small flat-topped elevations)
- the most inspiring: from a warlike exploit in the 9th century; thirty men would have fought against the men of the North during the siege of Nantes.
Advice and Map - Trentemoult, Rezé, France
Where is Trentemoult - Map
- In Nantes
- South of the city center, on the other side of the Ile de Nantes
- 15min drive from the castle of Nantes in the city center
- Angers to Nantes = 1h10
- Tours to Nantes = 2h20
- Paris to Nantes = 4h15
- Here is a map to help you find your way:
OUR TIPS FOR RENTING A CAR IN Loire
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars - one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a fairly compact car (many villages have narrowed the road).
- Think aboutfull insurance (parking in big cities is really tight).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
How to get to Trentemoult
You have several options to get to the village of Trentemoult:
- The Navibus
The most pleasant option is to take a boat on the Loire.
The crossing by Navibus is very pleasant and lasts only 10 minutes.
Crossings take place every 20 minutes (or every 10 minutes during rush hour).
The departure is from the ferry terminal and arrives in the heart of the village.
We share more about this crossing in the following article.
- By car
You can also get there by car or cab.
Trentemoult is only 15 minutes from the castle of Nantes (or a little more if there are traffic jams).
- By Bike
As there are only 8km between the castle of Nantes and the village of Trentemoult, it can also be very pleasant to rent a bicycle and to make a small ballade while pedaling!
Parking
There are 2 parking lots on each side of the Loire front in Trentemoult.
The largest is the Port in the east. The parking lot "Le Port".
And to the west, the parking lot on the Place des Filets and the Codet parking lot next door.
Beware, during the beautiful summer evenings, the place is popular and the parking lots fill up quickly.
Practical advice
- Allow 1 to 2 hours to explore the alleys, the Loire River front and the clock
- The village is completely flat, no difficulties to move around
- With only 10min of crossing by the time to get seasick but know that the boat can sometimes difficulties to moor in Trentemoult if there is wind.
- Every Saturday morning there is an organic market: meat, bread, wine, cider, cheese...
Where to eat - restaurants in Trentemoult
Trentemoult has several restaurants.
Overall these are pretty simple cards.
Most of the restaurants are on the front of the Loire River with large terraces that are very pleasant in summer.
Some are in the alleys.
Some are not open all year round.
We recommend the restaurant Au Panier Perché with its 2 homemade dishes and a home-like atmosphere.
And there are also: the restaurant La Guinguette, the restaurant Le Poussin Rouge, the brasserie La Reine Blanche, the bar La Civelle...
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Stay - hotels in Trentemoult
There is no hotel in the village of Trentemoult .
If you are looking for an atypical accommodation in Nantes at the water's edge we suggest you the Cape Diem barge.
Moored on the Erdre River, about twenty minutes by car from downtown Nantes, the barge Carpe-Diem invites you to come aboard for a beautiful experience: a beautifully decorated common room flooded with light, with the river as its only horizon.
See photos, prices and availability - and book!
Otherwise, check out all our favorite hotels in Nantes:
- Sozo Hotel to sleep in an authentic 19th century church converted into a 4 star hotel.
Check availability and prices of the Sozo Hotel - Radisson Blu Hotel, elegance and modernism in an impressive neoclassical building that housed the courthouse.
See availability and prices of the Blu Radisson Nantes - and much more!
See our complete selection of 12 hotels where to sleep in Nantes
The journey begins at the Nantes ferry terminal.
It is quite close to downtown, not far from the Maille-Brézé boat.
You can buy your ticket for the Navibus inside (when it is open), or at the automatic terminal.
The river shuttle is compatible with the tickets of the city's transport network.
You can also use your Nantes CityPass as it gives access to public transport and cruises.
We strongly recommend that you buy it in advance to avoid wasting time on site and waiting in line. See the conditions and book your City pass.
Here you are aboard the city's incredible water bus. If the weather is favorable, don't hesitate to take a seat outside, you will enjoy the trip even more!
The crossings are frequent, it is really very practical.
You are lining up to get on board. Your ticket will be checked on board.
There is seating inside, and some outdoor seating.
The crossing takes less than 10 minutes. No time to get bored.
During the trip, you will be able to see:
- The Maillé-Brézé museum boat from the ferry terminal
- The carousel of the marine worlds a little further on the island of Nantes
- The Hangar à Bananes which is at the end of the Ile de Nantes with some of Buren's rings (art work of Daniel Buren with the perspective of the Ile de Nantes).
- Street art on some buildings
- The beautiful arrival on the village of Trentemoult.
If it is windy, mooring at the Trentemoult pontoon may require several maneuvers.
In 1887 a first transport line was created to access the regattas and guinguettes.
The crossing was made on the Roquio, the first steamboat of the Compagnie de navigation de la Basse-Loire. Other boats then completed the flotilla to ensure crossings of the Loire. They were called roquios.
The line was abandoned in 1970.
In 2005, the city of Nantes set up a Navibus link, including Trentemoult in its circuits.
The front of the Loire and the port
Bars and restaurants
The village of Trentemoult is known by the locals as a place to meet for a drink on the terraces along the Loire.
In good weather, it's a great place to rest with beautiful unobstructed views.
Indeed, you have a beautiful view on the right bank of the river with:
- towers of the cathedral
- Cheviré bridge
- the Island of Nantes
- ...
Along the road that runs along the Loire, you will find some emblematic buildings.
Movie set
The front of the "Confort Moderne", a set created from scratch in 1991 for the film "La Reine Blanche" by Jean-Loup Hubert.
Look closely, it is made of yellow, blue and orange mosaics. It takes us back to the 1960s, when the events of the film take place. The film tells of the reunion of childhood friends, with two men in love with the same woman, played by Catherine Deneuve.
The Lu House
Another very recognizable house on the Loire front in Trentemoult is the Maison LU.
You can see the old advertising paintings for the emblematic cookie of Nantes.
In Nantes was an important factory for the manufacture of Petit-Beurre cookies (between 1895 and 1986).
A LITTLE MORE patience
All the photos, maps, information, good addresses to make your stay in the Loire Valley a success, will soon be gathered in a single ebook!
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The alleys and colored houses
But, in our opinion, the greatest pleasure in Trentemoult is to get lost in the alleys.
The houses were inhabited by fishermen and they coated them with the remains of the paintings of the hulls of the boats. THE tradition has endured.
Far from the urban hubbub of Nantes, you will discover a bohemian atmosphere where artists have settled.
In the alleys, you will discover paintings reminding the link with the Loire and the maritime past of the city.
The traditional houses are adapted to the floods of the Loire:
- A first flooded level with the cellar
- A second level with the living room
- a last level with an attic (now transformed into rooms).
It should be noted that apparently, some granaries communicated with each other to allow neighbors to see each other without using boats during floods.
The construction of docks in 1850, 1860 and 1888 greatly reduced the risk of the river overflowing. But it can still happen.
And around the village, if you want to see more, you will find more bourgeois houses of the XIXth century.
Captains, especially Cape Horners, found the fishermen's houses too small and had larger houses built with gardens full of exotic plants brought back from their travels.
Look at the palm trees protruding from the gardens of the houses!
PLAN YOUR STAY IN Nantes
Itineraries
Visits
The pendulum (Le Pendule)
Before leaving, don't limit yourself to the village!
Just a 5 minute walk west along the Loire River and you will discover an amazing work of art.
This work, which you can spot from afar, is called "Le Pendule".
In 2009, Swiss artist Roman Signer transformed this 7-meter high former concrete plant (built in 1960).
As you approach it, you see the back, and it just looks like ruins. The red clash with nature. It's intriguing!
Once in front, you discover an absurd clock with no hands.
The 7m long pendulum swings from right to left, then from left to right, indefinitely. It marks "the slow decay of the building, the ineluctable race of beings and things towards their disappearance". It pays tribute to the violent and quiet power of the river.
This is one of the stages of the trip to Nantes.
Notes:
The pendulum works without ever stopping, except if the winds exceed 70 km/h.
The vegetation seems abandoned around the work. But it is actually maintained to keep that impression. The artist wanted to make sure that the place still had a wasteland feel.
PLAN YOUR TRIP IN
Loire Valley
The castles of the Loire Valley
- Discover our selection of the most beautiful castles of the Loire Valley
- Where to go to visit the castles of the Loire Valley - article to come
Cities and villages
- Visit the beautiful cities along the Loire River
- Stroll under the charm of the villages of the Loire Valley
- Choose from the best things to do in Nantes
Practice
Our top 3 things to do in Nantes
The elephant and the Machines de l'Ile
Over the years, the elephant and the machines on the island have become the cultural and tourist signature of Nantes. They combine incredible technical know-how with a phantasmagorical universe largely inspired by the Nantes author Jules Vernes. You can only succumb to these funny animals made of wood and metal.
The castle of Nantes (Dukes of Brittany)
The impressive castle of Nantes is a real architectural puzzle, the result of a tormented history, which it is pleasant to reconstitute. You will meet the Dukes of Brittany, the famous Anne of Brittany, wife of 2 successive kings of France, but also Louis XIV! The castle houses the surprising and very well designed museum of the history of Nantes.
- Discover all our advices and photos to not miss anything of the castle of Nantes (Dukes of Brittany).
The Pommeraye passage
An immersive experience in the bourgeois and wealthy universe of the 19th century, with this unique shopping mall in Europe. The play of light, the ironwork on the staircase, the sculptures... everything contributes to making this passageway a timeless place dedicated to the pleasure of window shopping.
And to learn more:
our complete selection of 15 things to do in Nantes
DON'T MISS THE BEST CASTLES IN the Loire Valley
- the most beautiful castles of the Loire Valley - discover
- the most beautiful gardens (to come)
- the châteaux of the Loire Valley where to stay (5 unforgettable hotels) -discover
- the best Loire Valley castles to do with your family (coming soon)
- itineraries: 3 days
- or our list with more than 100 castles of the Loire Valley - discover
