10 Best Places to Go Shopping in Nantes

Rue Crébillon is a well-known shopping street in Nantes that eventually lent its fame to the local word for ‘window shopping’: crébillonner. Many high-end clothing and jewelry stores line both sides of the street, connecting the beautiful Place Royale and Place Graslin. To name a few brands, you'll find Lacoste, Mauboussin, IKKS, Massimo Dutti.

Other shopping options along Rue Crébillon include art galleries and antique shops selling art photographs. There are also lovely patisseries and cafes offering delicious bakery items and candies to take away or enjoy onsite.

Passage Pommeraye is a small 19^th-century shopping arcade stretching between Santeuil and de la Fosse streets in Nantes. In 1976, this gallery was recognized as a historic monument thanks to its impressive architecture. It mixes neo-classicism and eclecticism and features a monumental staircase, glass roof, ornamental elements, and sculptures. During its construction, the passage was a brand-new concept because the local bourgeoisie only knew of dark shops with no windows at that time.

Besides the historical attraction, the gallery has plenty of interesting stores, spread over 3 floors. You’ll explore those specializing in everything from perfumery and bijouterie (trinkets) to shoes, hats, bags, and various other gifts.

Bouffay is a medieval part of the city of Nantes where markets, fairs, and contests were once held. Today, this is a pleasant area with many cobblestoned pedestrianized streets and half-timbered houses. This is the kind of place where you can wander around while soaking up the old city’s ambience – and filling your bags with trendy purchases.

The district is home to famous Galeries Lafayette and many stores representing Parisian brands. There are also various designer and vintage shops, so you can often find plenty of rare fashion, bijouterie (trinkets), and home decor items there.

The Talensac is a covered market located in the Hauts-Pavés - Saint-Félix district of Nantes. It’s been around since 1937 and is one of the oldest markets in the city. The excellent selection of food products at the market range from fresh vegetables, fruits, meat and seafood to ready-to-eat meals. 

Among the 160 traders, there are also those selling fashion items, handmade hats, accessories, paintings, and books. The market’s ambience is bustling and noisy, but the merchants are mostly happy to talk and will often help you to make the right choices.

Galeries Lafayette is the most famous fashion department chain in France. In Nantes, its store is in the Bouffay area of Nantes. It's an excellent place if you're looking for an upscale shopping experience in the city. There are plenty of luxurious French and international fashion brands, such as Valentino, Versace, Prada, Alexander McQueen, and Bottega Veneta.

Besides fashion items and accessories, you can also find cool decor items to spruce up your living room back home. The prices range from affordable to premium. The chic ambience and beauty of products make visiting Galeries Lafayette Nantes a unique shopping experience.

Rue du Calvaire is one of the popular shopping streets in central Nantes. The traffic here is limited, and only buses are allowed to pass. The architecture is quite modern, characterized by buildings constructed in the 1950s.

You’ll find midrange fashion chains along its length, the likes of Zara, H&M, Armand Thiery, Monoprix, Undiz, Crazy Republic, and Zara. There's also Maisons du Monde selling home decor items, Oxybul offering a variety of children’s toys, and Monoprix for food and clothing. For unique items, look for various local designers' boutiques near the Rue du Calvaire.

Center Commercial Beaulieu on the l’île de Nantes is one of the biggest shopping hubs in Nantes. It is easily recognizable, thanks to its modern architecture with colored rectangles and huge metal sheets. It has ample parking and you can reach the center by automobile or by public transportation from the city centre.

It has almost a hundred stores representing international-brand fashion and accessories. The mall also hosts a Carrefour hypermarket for food and daily necessities. There are a dozen or more restaurants for whenever you need a rest and a bite to eat.

In Nantes, there are many lovely local stores courtesy of artists and craftsmen of the Pays de la Loire region. Their items combine local creativity with quality and originality. You’ll find several designer shops between Rue de Strasbourg and Cours de 50 Otages offering everything from bijouterie (trinkets) to fashion and decor and leather goods. Some offer creative haberdashery as well as interesting workshops.

For trinkets, check out Atelier Deverson and Hélène Turbé on the Rue des Hauts Pavés, or la Petite Vitrine on the Rue de l’Arche sèche. For unique designer headwear, try the Hattitudes shop on the Quai Marcel Boissard – its collection ranges from everyday hats to tailored ceremonial headgear. 

Center Commercial Atlantis with its 43,000 square meters of space is one of the largest shopping malls in the Pays de la Loire region. It is situated in the Saint-Herblain area and can be reached by public transportation or automobile from the city centre of Nantes.

There are about 170 shops and a good range of cafes and eateries in this light and spacious mall. You’ll find an E.Leclerc hypermarket, an IKEA, an Apple Store, and many others selling prêt-à-porter fashion stores and sportswear chains. You can also watch the latest blockbuster at the movie theater or even have a tanning session at MegaSun.

Les Rigolettes Nantaises sells authentic confectionery known as la rigolette. These are local candies invented in 1902. They consist of a crunchy shell of cooked sugar filled with soft frosted fruit pulp, with no added sugar. The manufacturing process has been kept secret since its creation.

You’ll enjoy selecting and trying these colorful and finely crafted bonbons. The original flavors are lemon, blackcurrant, mandarin, raspberry, and pineapple. But, of course, there are also other varieties. You can enjoy bonbons either by crunching or simply letting them melt in your mouth.