Nantes has a long and storied history marked by European empires, industrialization, and more recently, a commitment to environmentalism. Located just 55 kilometers from the Atlantic, and near the Loire, Erdre, and Sèvre Nantaise rivers, Nantes’s prime location serves as a great launchpad to explore Brittany and the western coast of France. It’s a very bike-friendly city, but when your feet get tired of pedaling, remember that an Uber ride in Nantes is just a couple clicks away on your phone, and it’s available to take you to Nantes Atlantique Airport (NTE), too.

Here’s what you need to know to get in and around NTE:

Resources and Tips for Nantes Atlantique Airport

  • Uber Airport Page: Uber’s dedicated webpage for NTE is an excellent resource for figuring out how to get into town and back. 
  • Terminals: There is just one terminal at NTE, divided into four adjoining halls. 
  • Flight Info: Real-time flight information at NTE is available on the front page of the airport’s website. 
  • Busy Times: The NTE website has a handy graph explaining when its busiest times are. It says morning, lunchtime and dinnertime are the busiest times during the week, while Sundays are typically busy all of the time. The quietest day to travel is Saturday. 
  • Lounges: There are no lounges at NTE. There is free unlimited wireless, but it requires a login to access it. 
  • Uber at NTE: NTE is served by uberX. Order your ride while waiting for your bags and keep in touch with your Uber if there are any delays. Then grab your bags and head out to the location indicated on the app.

Recommended Destinations Around Nantes

Just an hour east of the Atlantic Ocean, Nantes is a treat for travelers who make the effort to visit. As the capital of the former Brittany region, Nantes has a different vibe from many other parts of France. It’s also considered one of the greenest cities in Europe and it’s known for its high quality of life. Live like a Nantais—if only for a few days—and enjoy some of the places this lovely French city has to offer:

  • Get inspired by Jules Verne: Nantes is the birthplace of celebrated French author Jules Verne, the man who penned Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and Journey To the Centre of the Earth. What better place to start your journey to his hometown that by stopping by the Musée Jules Verne? While this house-museum wasn’t actually Verne’s house, he’s said to have visited this mansion overlooking the Loire River at least several times. Spend a couple Euros on admission to get a peek at a 19th-century building and a beautiful view of the Loire. 
  • Explore where royalty lived: Nantes was part of Brittany until the French Revolution in 1789, and the dukes of Brittany made the Château des Ducs de Bretagne their home between the 13th and 16th centuries. Taking a walk around the courtyard and gardens is free, while entrance to the Nantes History Museum in another part of the castle is 8 Euro. 
  • Ride a robotic spider or elephant: Les Machines de l’Île de Nantes in the old shipyards of Nantes is, in a word, unique. This amusement park-museum of sorts is a whimsical art project that features, among other things, a motorized elephant and a carousel filled with mutant sea creatures ripped from a fantasy novel that has yet to be written.

Enjoy!