We have come quite often to Nantes, a City that needs to be visited more by all. A wonderful historical city with many monuments to see, many wonderful properties. I was again on my local road warrior mode and as bit not back, decided to give it a refresher to this must to visit City of Nantes, Loire-Atlantique dept 44 of the Pays de la Loire region,in my belle France ; even if old Bretagne! Do read my previous posts on the city as well, For now let me tell about the Ateliers et Chantiers de Nantes of Nantes ! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
This reinforced concrete building, erected between 1917 and 1918, housed the management of the Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire or workshops and construction sites of the Loire, the offices and services necessary for the proper functioning of the company. What is called Île Nantes today is in fact the grouping of an islands archipelago. The first shipyards to settle on the Île de La Prairie-au-Duc are the construction sites of the Chézine in 1842. A north-south channel then linked the port to the arm of Pirmil and is located on the site of the current boulevard Léon-Bureau. This canal is served by the Pelloutier canal, East-West oriented. And by another channel located on the very location of the building. The canals were made obsolete from 1864 and the arrival of the railroad. At the beginning of the 20C, a vast program of waterways was created, inaugurated by the filling of the Pelloutier canal, which will become rue Pierre-Landais. From this work emerges a unique island, hence the water is banished, and which is surrounded by the only arms of Pirmil and the Madeleine. The order by the workshops and construction sites of the Loire of a building dedicated to the administration took place in 1913. The building is based on a reinforced concrete sole almost two meters thick. This sole serves as a support for the whole building built in one piece with a metal frame. These elements are “camouflaged” behind a facade in the purest neoclassical style of the early 20C workshops and construction sites of Nantes after the merger between the sites of the Loire and the Brittany shipyards in 1961. In 1987, the Dubigeon projects -Normandie definitely close their doors and a page in Nantes history turns.
In 1986, the Nantes naval construction history association (AHCNN) was founded. The objective of the association is clear: do not drop the naval heritage into oblivion. In 1993, the building was renovated and it was decided to install the permanent university there, upstairs, and to entrust the ground floor to different associations including the center of work history and the house of men ,and techniques, in order to offer the public a place of interpretation of the site. It also offers meetings, conferences and entertainment. Based on the fact that, until 1987, Nantes built large boats, the exhibition “ship builders” traces the two thousand years of this story. In turn are addressed the main technical developments, the trades of the naval, the working conditions of the workers. We also talk about the river, the port, the transbordor bridge and the large changes in the Île de Nantes. Tools, models, films and sounds restore a very particular universe, that of shipyards and its workers.
The Heritage site of the City of Nantes on the ateliers et chantiers navales de Nantes : https://patrimonia.nantes.fr/home/decouvrir/themes-et-quartiers/batiment-ateliers-et-chantiers-d.html
The Nantes tourist office on the Maison des hommes et des techniques museum: https://www.levoyageanantes.fr/en/places/ship-builders-museum/
There you go folks, do visit Nantes ,and its wonderful monuments. A must to visit while in the city ; see the Ateliers et Chantiers de Nantes of Nantes ! Again, hope you enjoy this post as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 