Location: Saint-Nazaire
Top Things to do in Saint-Nazaire
What to do and see in Saint-Nazaire, France: The Best Places and Tips
Saint-Nazaire in France, from Europe region, is best know for Lookouts. Discover best things to do in Saint-Nazaire with beautiful photos and great reviews from traveller around the world here!
Restaurants in Saint-Nazaire
1. Front de Mer
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 120 reviews
Reviewed By Feenixwest
Set against the sea on one side and grand old residences on the other, this is a perfect place to stroll and people-watch. We stopped on one of the benches and read for a couple hours. Well, actually, we read some and gazed some. Felt refreshed afterwards.
2. Pont de Saint-Nazaire
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 142 reviews
Reviewed By Keith A - Penysarn, Anglesey
We first travelled the bridge as we drove south to stay in Pornic. We were there again when we visited Saint-Nazaire. The bridge has long approach sections and a high centre section to allow ships to pass beneath. There was a good view of a cruise liner being built for MSC in the shipyards. It will exceed 170,000 tonnes when finished. It is similar to the Normandie Bridge over the Seine but the approaches are much longer. A very attractive bridge indeed.
3. Escal'Atlantic
Overall Ratings
4 based on 572 reviews
Inside the former submarine base in the harbour of Saint-Nazaire, a hidden treasure lies in store for you. Escal'Atlantic, the ocean liner experience, is a unique interactive visit for the whole family. Audiovisual displays and hands-on activities, display areas inspired by the interiors of ocean liners, 200 authentic objects which were on board liners built in Saint-Nazaire and much more tell the incredible story of the luxurious giants of the oceans.
Reviewed By UsFritter - US
Wow!! So in the middle of nowhere you will find this gem. A cruise ship within a warehouse disguised as a musuem that hold very big functions. I don't want to spoil the suprises here but if you in the vicinity of his place you have to visit. High tech visual tricks that will leave you thinking, wow!!! The food was great too and a little like the titanic it is easy to get lost.
4. Submarine l'Espadon
Overall Ratings
4 based on 618 reviews
The French submarine Espadon ("swordfish" in French) is open to visitors inside the fortified lock of the harbour of Saint-Nazaire. This 78-m long submarine was built in Le Havre and launched in 1958 before taking up service in 1960. During its 25 year long career, the Espadon covered 360,547 nautical miles, i.e. the equivalent of 17 times the circumference of the earth! Welcome for an audioguided tour, available in French, English, German and Spanish.
Reviewed By Peter v - Merstham, United Kingdom
We visited the submarine with our 12 year-old son. The submarine is well-presented, with the audioguide really informative and enjoyable.
5. Base Sous-Marine de Saint-Nazaire
Overall Ratings
4 based on 131 reviews
Reviewed By Feenixwest
This was quite the u-boat repair facility endeavor by the Germans. It's bay after bay of repair facilities--worth walking the whole length. That French resisters attempted to blow it up is commendable and of course, doomed because of its immensity. Brings history alive. Well worth the free visit.
6. Jardin des Plantes
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 50 reviews
Reviewed By Mary7983 - Houston, Texas
Beautiful place to visit! We walked over from our hotel and happened to come on this gorgeous park. It is well worth your time!
7. Ecomusee
Overall Ratings
4 based on 102 reviews
Reviewed By JAMS51 - Helensburgh, United Kingdom
This is the local history museum which would have been very interesting if you had the information in different languages especially after visiting L'Espadon & Escal'Atlantic which catered for multi languages.
Museum shows the towns history from the stone age up to the modern era with some great models but without any information it was difficult to understand. Not a place to take children, unless of course they can speak French, as there is very little to interest them. If we had not bought the multi pass ticket most probably would have missed this one out.
8. Terrasse Panoramique de l’Ecluse Fortifiee
Overall Ratings
4 based on 32 reviews
Reviewed By Richard J - Birmingham, United Kingdom
A really interesting experience to see the WW2 buildings housing the submarine maintenance pens. On the roof of the port control building, an artist, Felice Varini, has painted red triangles on a number of buildings and roofs spread across the port area that all line up when you stand in the correct location on the Observation Terrace.
9. Le monument du Commando
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 8 reviews
Reviewed By Malcolm P - Didcot, United Kingdom
The German battleship Tirpitz was about to set out into the North Atlantic to cause havoc amongst the convoys struggling to keep the Allied war effort supplied. The only dock large enough to be able to repair this vessel should she be damaged was in St Nazaire.
Operation Chariot was a joint Royal Navy and British Commando assault which took place on 28 March 1942. HMS Campbeltown, a de-commissioned destroyer, was packed with explosives and rammed into the dock gates. The explosion did not occur until many hours after the ramming but the dock was put out of action until after the end of the war.
Although many sailors and commandos were killed, wounded or captured, the operation was considered to be a success as the Tirpitz never put to sea and was eventually sunk in a bombing raid by the RAF.
The huge dock can still be seen from the Avenue de la Prise d'Eau.
10. Dolmen des Trois Pierres
Overall Ratings
4 based on 12 reviews
Reviewed By Mikey_P7 - North Yorkshire, United Kingdom
The dolmen Three stones (dolmen or Priory) is a dolmen trilithon on the town of Saint-Nazaire, in the department of Loire-Atlantique, in France.
The dolmen of the Three Stones is located in the center of Saint-Nazaire, in the department of Loire-Atlantique. It occupies the southern part of a small square on the place of Dolmen, formed at the intersection of the Dolmen of the street and the street Menhir. It is located about 400 m west of the harbor, and roughly 1 km southeast of the station.
The dolmen dates from the Neolithic. Originally, it is included in the enclosed area of Saint-Jean-Baptiste priory of Saint-Nazaire, which explains its name "dolmen Priory" in the documents prior to the French Revolution. in the nineteenth century, it is also known as the "dolmen Metairie," or "Savary Bois". These multiple names clearly show its age.
The current appearance of the building is the result of destruction and successive developments, so much so that some authors have questioned its authenticity. The oldest engravings and older texts indicate that 3 stone trilithon are arranged this way before the beginning of the nineteenth century, long before the extension of the city in this sector; snapshots dating back to 1895-1900 and 1900-1910 indicate that the current appearance of the monument is earlier than this time. In a compilation published in 1883, René Kerviler, archaeologist and engineer who built the port of Saint-Nazaire area, described the dolmen as well:
"Dolmen of the Priory, in the new town of Saint-Nazaire. It's a huge trilithon, two meters high and table 3m40, with gallery of debris lying back. It has been preserved intact in the middle of a small square in the middle of a square; and Saint-Nazaire is probably the only city in France that has an authentic dolmen within its walls. Mr. Carro has given two fairly accurate lithographs in his Voyage among the Celts. (Paris, Durand, 1857 in-8o) "
Instead of other megalithic elements arranged in the square is more recent. In particular, the menhir dolmen next to a few meters is not in its original position. This stone is not shown standing on the old documents (including an engraving from 1850), or on the postcards of early twentieth century. A photograph from the early twentieth century shows the lying behind the porch. This block is also in this position on the prints when prints shown therein, coated in part in this case. This is a megalithic dolmen from the element, but it is not possible to know if it is a orthostat or item coverage of the room. The old postcard image shows the stone in a prone position behind the trilithon close to the one it had before the release of the megalith and especially before the amenities of square 1920s.
The dolmen is listed as a historical monument in 1889
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