Issue No. 21

Château des ducs de Bretagne
Dominating the historic Bouffay quarter is
the former residence and fortress of the
last Duke of Brittany, François II and his
daughter Anne of Brittany. She is famous
for being twice Queen of France, having
married Charles VIII and Louis XII. After the
integration of Brittany into French rule in
the 1532, the château became a residence
for the kings of France.
Today, the château, a monumental
landmark, is home to the Musee d’Histoire
de Nantes (Nantes History Museum).
The museum divides its exhibitions into
themes. From the Roman conquerors
through its Brittany connections, the World
Wars to the city’s industrial heritage, as well
as the dark history of the slave trade:
chateaunantes
It is a part of the city’s past that it has found
hard to come to terms with, much of the
population are descendants of both traders
and slaves. The museum aims to educate
locals and visitors. There is also a memorial,
a walkway dug into the shores of the river
Loire featuring historical and geographical
information, statistics, maps and timelines,
as well as testimonials etched into its glass
walls.
The memorial is open to public for free and
makes a solemn follow up after learning
about the slave trade at the history
museum. memorial.nantes.fr