And I bring you to the Cours Cambronne of Nantes for another of my favorite walks. I have been saying in my blog, the best way to see a city is by walking it ; we do go in by car but then is walk all over. Above ground you see more of the beautiful architecture and read up on the magnificent history, I have plenty of posts on Nantes in my blog, so this one will be on a memorable block street that we enjoyed walking a lot, the Cours Cambronne. Hope you enjoy it as I.
Not far from the great Loire river and by the wonderful Place Gasclin, The cours Cambronne is wonderful with about 180 meters long by 50 meters wide and many beautiful architecture on its mansions. Its access is via wrought iron gates located at its two ends on rue Piron, and rue des Cadeniers. The westerly gate is further framed by two stone sentry boxes. The courtyard is bordered by a row of identical buildings facing Rue Gresset and facing Rue de l’Héronnière.
In the center of the Cours Cambronne sits a statue of Pierre Cambronne, a French general officer, viscount and major general of the First Empire. The statue was inaugrated on July 28, 1848. There is also one of the five Wallace fountains in Nantes of which totals 106 in 2022 in France. The others in Nantes are two in the Jardin des Plantes, Parc de la Gaudinière and Place de la Bourse, The Cours Cambronne is planted with silver lindens, large-flowered magnolias, adorned with lawn bowls and flowerbeds.Indeed wonderful to walk by here !
Throughout history, this promenade was successively called “Cours du Peuple” then “Cours de la République” at its opening, “Cours Imperial” and “Cours Napoleon Ier” under the First Empire, “Cours Henri IV” after 1815, again “Cours Napoléon” on March 31, 1848, “Cours de la République” after 1871, and finally “Cours Cambronne” from November 30, 1936, The current esplanade itself was occupied by the gardens and orchard of the convent with 16 buildings overlooking the Cours Cambronne such as the wonderful Hôtel Scheult or Hôtel des Cariatides. These buildings consist of: a basement ,which is the only access to the buildings from the courtyard, a first level on a terrace, then two floors with Ionic columns, and finally from an upper floor behind a balustrade. The main entrances to these buildings are respectively on rue Gresset and rue de l’Héronnière.
There is an association of walkers of the Cours Cambronne : http://www.courscambronne-association.com/
The Nantes Heritage site on Cours Cambronne : https://patrimonia.nantes.fr/home/decouvrir/themes-et-quartiers/cours-cambronne.html
The Nantes tourist office on the Green Line of monuments to see: https://www.levoyageanantes.fr/en/itineraries/walk-the-green-line/
The City of Nantes on its heritage: https://metropole.nantes.fr/sortir/metropole/visiter-metropole-nantaise
There you go folks, another dandy spot for us and a must to visit, Nantes is wonderful. And now you know walking the Cours Cambronne is sublime, worth the walk! Again ,hope you enjoy the post and visit when possible, Nantes.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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