When I first saw the Château des ducs de Bretagne, I didn’t just see a castle—I felt like I was stepping into a story. I’ve seen castles built to protect, with thick walls and heavy gates, made for battle. But this one is different. It’s the first residential castle I’ve ever visited, and you can feel the difference right away. Its shapes are softer, its colors lighter. It doesn’t push you away—it draws you in. There’s a calm to it, a quiet elegance that makes you want to stay a while.
This is a castle of white stone and delicate carvings, full of grace. It feels kind. It feels gentle. Just like Nantes. What a sweet, refined city this is. To stand in front of this beautiful building is to stand before a city that truly understands beauty. Nantes, the lovely. Nantes, the warm. You can sense that culture lived and breathed here—that something meaningful happened within these walls. And it still does. It’s all around you, if you just pause long enough to feel it.
What I love most is how this place holds both the past and the present. Generations lived here. Decisions were made that shaped a region. And now it opens its arms to us—travelers, dreamers, wanderers. You don’t need to know every date or name to feel the weight of history here. The castle tells you through its stones, through the way the light moves across the courtyard. Some places hold meaning. They invite you in. They stay with you. And you walk away feeling like you were part of something.
These moments were captured on May 14, during our visit to the charming city of Nantes, France. Wandering through the quiet courtyards of the Château des ducs de Bretagne, we felt history come alive in the soft spring light. If you enjoyed this glimpse into Nantes, we invite you to continue exploring with us—let’s walk through the fairytale streets of Colmar in Alsace, and later, lose yourself in the vibrant heart of Barcelona.
