France for the day

Air France, in co-operation with subsidiaries, CityJet and VLM Airlines, brought western France closer to London this week with the launch of a new service from London City airport to Nantes. With twice daily departures to every weekday and daily flights at the weekend it provides a valuable link for both business and leisure travellers.

With a non-stop flight time of 100 minutes and check-in time at London City of just 15 mins prior to departure (for hand luggage only, and 20 minutes with hold luggage), the flights have been deliberately timed to enable passengers to undertake a day’s business or leisure in either city and will also make Nantes the perfect destination for a weekend break.

Voted the ‘best place to live in France’ by a national survey (only in Nantes do cars stop voluntarily to allow people to cross the road!), Nantes is a vibrant metropolis with scores of chic shops, restaurants and cafés, three universities and a lively cultural scene that all contribute to the buzz. Medieval, baroque and modern architecture combine with former factories and warehouses to create a fascinating cityscape, with lots of surprises in store.

It is perfect for a summer weekend and there is now chance to enjoy the second performance of one of the world’s most astonishing free contemporary art concepts – the Estuaire project – which opens on 5th June. Each of the three Loire Estuaire editions, 2007, 2009 & 2011, (estuaire.info) gives international artists the opportunity to create lively art installations within the unusual backdrop of the Loire estuary between the cities of Nantes and nearby Saint Nazaire.

Nantes is also the perfect place from which to explore one of France’s most charming and diverse regions. Not only are the towns of Angers and Saumur nearby but Le Mans is an easy drive as is the majestic seaside resort of La Baule and the breathtaking Vendee coastal route with its miles of sandy beaches, as well as the islands of Noirmoutier and Ile d’Yeu.