Nantes

Nantes is a city in the west of France, préfecture of the Loire-Atlantique département and of the Pays de la Loire région. With 277,728 inhabitants in 1999, Nantes is the 6th-largest city of France.

As a seaport, prior to abolition, Nantes was the slave trade capital of France.

Formerly the capital of Brittany, Nantes was separated from it by the Vichy government in June 1941. Some people are willing to unify again Brittany as a French region, mostly for cultural reasons.

As the name indicates, Edict of Nantes was signed in this city in 1598 . This edict ended a war between Catholics and Protestants and was the first step towards religious freedom.

Nantes was home city of the politician Georges Clemenceau and the writer Jules Verne.

Colleges and Universities

• Ecole Centrale de Nantes
• Ecole Polytechnique de l'université de Nantes
• Ecole des Mines de Nantes\n