Flights to Nantes with Air France from ZAR 10,883*

Nantes - quirky attractions and historical connections with Brittany make Nantes a fascinating destination

The city of Nantes is seen by many as the epitome of the modern, connected urban centre. Its excellent public transport system, business and technology-friendly ethos and environmentally-sensitive planning regime (the city was awarded the title of 'European Green Capital' in 2013) have attracted many to live in this city of 900,000 inhabitants.

Whether your reason to travel is business of pleasure, Air France's flights to Nantes from Johannesburg take around 15 hours and include a change of plane in either Amsterdam or Paris. The local currency is the euro, and there is no time difference between Johannesburg and Nantes.

The city may be at the vanguard of urban innovation, but it's also a place with a very firm sense of the past. The one-time capital of Brittany, Nantes' status changed following the union of Brittany and France in 1532, and today it is the administrative capital of the Pays de la Loire region. Nonetheless, the ties that unite Nantes and Brittany are still very visible, even now. The famous Castle of the Dukes of Brittany is the most obvious sign of this connection, not to mention the tombs of François II, Duke of Brittany and his wives, Marguerite de Foix and Marguerite de Bretagne, in the Cathédrale St Pierre et St Paul. This imposing Gothic edifice; Nantes' largest church, took an incredible 457 years to complete!

This gift for taking inspiration from the city's heritage to make the past relevant to today is no better seen than in the amazing 'Machines de l'Ile'. This museum-amusement park showcases a number of fascinating mechanical machines, including the Great Elephant, the Marine Worlds Carousel and the Heron Tree - all of which you can actually sit in (the Great Elephant ride takes about 30 minutes). The main sources of inspiration for these artistic creations are Leonardo da Vinci's inventions and the literary imagination of Nantes' very own Jules Verne (whose birthplace in Nantes is now a museum).

Nantes - a city where the natural world is never far away!

One of Nantes' greatest attractions is the plethora of parks and nature reserves either in the city or a short distance from it. The uncontested king of parks here is the Jardin des Plantes, one of France's finest botanical gardens. There is a history of such gardens in Nantes since the 1600s, but the Jardin des Plantes has been in existence on its current site since 1806. Covering 18 acres, it features ponds, statues, a palm house, fountains, excellent collections of camellias and fine examples of magnolia trees, giant redwoods and tulip trees. Other parks in the city well worth a visit include:

• Parc de Procé
• The Japanese garden (le jardin japonais)
• Parc de la Beaujoire
• Parc du Grand Blottereau

The surrounding countryside also contains many gems. The Lac de Grand Lieu, just 14 km from Nantes, is France's largest lake during the winter season and it boasts a greater diversity of bird-life than anywhere else in the country, barring only the Camargue. The Brière Regional Natural Park, meanwhile, is an expanse of extremely rich wetland habitat, also known for its thatched cottages. To reach this park it's probably easiest to hire a car.

If you're still searching for ideas on how to spend your holiday in Nantes, why not take a look at the Air France website's tourism section, which includes suggestions of tours and excursions tailored to each specific travel destination. And if you want to make sure you get the best possible deal before you fly, just check out Air France's Best Offers pages for great-value airplane tickets.