Redruth to Brittany: Part 3 Nantes

Talensac Market, Nantes

September 2024

Nantes, what a fabulous city. It feels young, lively, creative, great public transport, facing up to its past, putting its citizens first and trying to make a better environment with parks, water features and commissioned art across the city. At least that is the reflection of a visitor. I don't know what it is like to live in. Although it doesn't look like Bristol there is a very similar attitude and vibe.

Faced with the demise of the shipbuilding industry and vast empty industrial buildings on the island in the Loire, the extraordinary, imaginative, entrepreneurial artist engineer combination of Francois Delaroziere and Pierre Orefice moved in to build a new creative enterprise inspired by the invented worlds of Jules Verne and the mechanical genius of Leonardo da Vinci. And so began Les Machines de L'Ile which is now known across the world. Probably the Grand Elephant is their best known creation but many will remember the young girl who came to London & Liverpool over ten years ago with an entourage of other giant puppets.

Tony and I had visited about 6 years ago and were totally entranced by the ingeniousness, skill, scale and wit. And also in awe of a city investing on such a large scale into artistic enterprise. At the time, the company were preparing a new installation for the city called The Heron Tree which was to be sited in a vast disused quarry, now the Jardin Extraordinaire. One of our reasons for returning to Nantes was to see how far the project had developed. So it was disappointing to hear that it had, through circumstance, been put 'in a drawer'. The reason being that City Hall no longer wanted or was able fund it. Our disappointment was nothing to the body blow this must have been to the team. So the prototype animals were ready to go, the branches designed and ready, the planting ready, not to mention all the safety, technology aspects. The finances - rug pulled. This was a year ago and there was nothing to say what would happen next.

Needless to say we had the most fabulous day out and even more so as we could share it with Connie and Neal. Yes, we rode the elephant, encountered a giant spider, watched a heron take off and fly over our heads, marvelled at a chameleon catching a fly and a byplane take off and crash land. But the total highlight was actually operating a giant ant. For Tony it was 'a dream come true'.

Beyond the creation of the 'Machines', the enterprise gave licence and confidence to the city council and region to invest in public art as part of urban regeneration. As well as more permanent sculptures and interventions, each summer they commission a whole host of new work from local and international artists. Some are big, bold statements and others can be small interventions. Their presence creates the idea of a city that gives, creates and looks at the world in different ways. This is captured brilliantly in the work of Philippe Ramonette who at first glance creates traditional bronze sculptures on plinths but when you look more closely the man in the Place du Bouffay only has one foot on the plinth, the girl climbing on or off the plinth in the Cours Cambronne appears to be taking over the place of the traditional white male grandee. Or has she toppled him?

While in Nantes we stayed by the fabulous indoor Talensac Market which is a tantalising array of produce: vegetables, fish, meat, cheeses, breads in such abundance, displayed and prepared with such care and love. The guide book had said that the Nantais all turn out on a Sunday morning to buy food and to drink the odd glass of Muscadet - and they did, with oyster accompaniment. A British artist Gavin Pryke, now resident in Nantes, has been commissioned to create automata showing life in the market through the different produce but also a budding love story. They are fun, fab and resonated with us because of the link to Falmouth, Cabaret Mechanical Theatre and wonderful makers like Paul Spooner, Peter Markey and of course Tony himself.

As well as the contemporary, Nantes has a long history which is also celebrated. We spent a happy Sunday afternoon walking the ramparts of the Ducs de Bretagne's chateau and finding out a bit about the famous Anne de Bretagne who through her two marriages to kings of France integrated the dukedom into France in the 16th century. She is celebrated here but I wonder if they feel the same in the west of the region.

I enjoyed the small Jules Verne museum, writer of '2000 Leagues under the Sea' and 'Around the World in 80 Days', neither of which I have read but they have had so much influence on so many writers and filmmakers. He was born in Nantes in 1828 and very attached to the place; it is said to have inspired his love of travel. Interesting was the role of his publisher, Pierre Jules Hetzel, and his marketing strategy of initially printing the stories in serial form, followed by a paperback edition and then focussing on the aspiring bourgeoisie and their purchasing potential, he commissioned illustrators to create beautiful hardback editions which would be ideal gifts for the New Year to enhance any child and collector's library. They did a roaring trade. Verne became quite wealthy from his writing; as did his publisher.

A short walk away is the 400 metre long 'Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery', some of it underground to create the feel of being inside the hold of a ship. This is a sobering and important testimony to the suffering of so many and the role the city played, along with many others, in the evil trade. Many of the ships were built in Nantes as well as the trade itself. Each ship is named on a plaque set in the paving stones. The focus is on the importance of remembering and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We spent a long time there as it could not be rushed. I tried to photograph some of the writing but it didn't want to be captured in that way. I copied this poignant poem by Derek Walcott written in 1979

The sea is history

"Where are your monuments, your battles, martyrs?

Where is your tribal memory? Sirs,

in that grey vault. The sea. The sea

has locked them up. The sea is History."

We were excited to be meeting Connie and Neal later that evening but needed some time for quiet reflection beforehand.

One of the greatest delights in Nantes is to play the role of 'flaneur', to stroll around the squares and streets. There is a splendid Galleries Lafayette with escalators on multiple floors! When you tire there are multiple fountains, cafes and gardens for people watching. We loved the Jardin des Plantes. And also the beautifully curated Musee d'Arts de Nantes with art from the 13th to 21st centuries. Must admit I really enjoyed the early work and some great portraits.

Nantes also appears to be a very convivial place. The six o'clock aperitif is a lively affair. We too had social times with Connie and Neal and also Tony's sister and husband, Felicity and Stuart, who made a stopover in Nantes after a great stay on the Ile de Re. Then our friend Sheena joined us having navigated the complexities of the Peripherique single handed, found a park and ride and then took the tram almost to our door. She so deserved her glass of Muscadet. Together, once the torrential rain had subsided, we all went to the extraordinary light and sound show in the Place Graslin, in front of the Opera House. Made me think of a corps de ballet but composed of sticks of light. This was all part of a contemporary digital art festival in the city which we happened upon, having no idea it was on. There were posters, we later saw, everywhere, but we hadn't made the connection.

And that was our last night. The following morning we took the tram to Nestrie, noisy suitcases back in service, with Sheena through the extended suburbs which were not quite as appealing as the city centre, especially in the rain. There her green camper van was waiting to transport us all to Roscoff. Once away from the periferique, the roads were largely empty and the driving easy; Sheena did it all the driving so what do I know but was very grateful. We stopped briefly in Roche Bernard for a soggy picnic lunch. The locals were undeterred by a drop of rain; we encountered a wedding and a huddle of keen sailors gathered for a drink on the quay. They did smile at us wrily as we tucked into bread and Tomme cheese and wished us 'bon appetit'. We arrived in Roscoff late afternoon, back full circle, to a very nice, friendly gite. The town comes to life in the evenings and the restaurants were buzzing with returning Brits. We went in search of Moules Frites. The fryer in the restaurant was broken so we had mussels and roast potatoes - even better than frites.

We crossed on the Brittany Ferries' Pont Aven which is such a great ship. I think it must normally do the Plymouth -Santander run as there are more amenities than the Armorique. Such a great way to end our holiday, like a mini cruise. We treated ourselves to lunch, Sheena had a cabin so we could chill, then we met some of her friends who had been staying in Dinan. Before we knew it, Plymouth was on the horizon. We were off first being foot passengers but there was slight delay at passport control as a British Chinese family were pulled over for questioning. And Sheena messaged to say, the door to her level on the ship wouldn't open - I think someone found a hammer and we were soon reunited and had an easy run home.

What a stimulating and enjoyable two weeks. Normally when I get on the ferry at Roscoff, I feel a terrible pang at leaving France. But I know I'll be back, so I was ok. The journeying was brilliant. Just given me a taste to do more ...