Pickles

Top choice in Nantes


This buzzing neobistro would be right at home in Paris. Market-sourced, modern and wholly creative cuisine by English chef Dominic Quirke (a Newcastle lad wed to a French lass) is sensational – and extraordinarily good value to boot. Dining is around tightly packed bistro tables or at a table d'hôte–style bar, and don't be surprised if Dom comes to chat with you. Advance reservations are absolutely essential.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Nantes attractions

1. Cathédrale St-Pierre et St-Paul

0.27 MILES

Inside Nantes' Flamboyant Gothic cathedral, the tomb of François II (r 1458–88), Duke of Brittany, and of his second wife, Marguerite de Foix, is a…

2. Château des Ducs de Bretagne

0.33 MILES

Forget fusty furnishings – light-filled rooms inside the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany house multimedia-rich exhibits detailing the city's history. Look…

3. Musée d’Arts de Nantes

0.42 MILES

A six-year renovation job by London architects Stanton Williams has done wonders for Nantes’ art museum, open again since 2017 inside the historic Palais…

4. Musée d’Histoire Naturelle

0.57 MILES

Nantes' Natural History Museum has a fascinating collection of minerals, fossils, stuffed animals and an impressive whale skeleton. There are frequent…

5. Jardin des Plantes

0.6 MILES

Opened in 1860, this exquisitely landscaped park is among France's most interesting botanical gardens. Century-old magnolia and mulberry trees, Japanese…

7. Les Machines de l’Île de Nantes

0.98 MILES

Nantes' quirkiest sight is this fantasy world – a serious and seriously wacky workshop with mechanical contraptions galore displayed in plant-filled…

8. Le Cale 2 Créateurs

1.07 MILES

Edgy temporary art exhibitions, events and happenings fill this old industrial slipway, shaped like a wedge of cheese at the foot of Île de Nantes'…