“A cozy roost in one of the “most bike-friendly cities on the planet””
An oasis of nature right in the center of Nantes
Don't miss our flag, flying high on the Pigeonaire
The old gate doors, soul of the building
“The perfect starting point for a Loire Valley bike trip, one of the best “wine country bike trip” in the world! ”
A soft bed of seashells and wood chips welcomes you
Pigeonaire logo, designed by Alberto, our Italian Owl!
Inspiration from a reconstucted Slovenian mountain refuge
Nest in one of our cozy pods for a good night sleep
Design that inspires us - Portsmouth boathouse 4, a beautiful example of preserved maritime heritage
PIGEONAIRE - MEZZANINE VIEW
Inside view - lockers
The pigeonaire's mascot: elegant Marta, the last passenger pigeon. Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian.
7 is a lucky number and the symbol of rest - you'll be well with us!
Explore some of the local shore trails and their picturesque suspended fishing huts, called carrelets.
Pigeonaire - interior maze
You're never bored by a river, it's always full of surprises...
Another picturesque fishing village, Trentemoult, a 5-minute bike ride from the Pigeonaire.
Hiking the shore at low tide - La Bernerie
Nantes makes it easy to park your bike - you wont forgot this Street Cat spot on Ile-de-Nantes!
Biking the Velocean shore trail, passing a neat grid of salt marshes (Moutiers-en-Retz).
Summer 2017 biking trip with my ride: a vintage anthracit blue Peugeot
Sipping an Americano at la Civelle, enjoying a peaceful evening in Trentemoult
Nantes' Medieval Castle still has its moats!
An artsy seafood galette (buckwheat pancake).
Going oyster tasting in Domaine du Collet (Velocean Trail, Moutiez-en-Retz)
Just 'round the corner of the Pigeonaire stands the Corbusier's Maison Radieuse, a well-preserved example of his vertical garden villages!
Roosting @ Nantes Jardins des Plantes.
Brittany Oysters - Taste them right at the source!
Did you know that the movie Mr. Hulot's Holiday was shot at Saint-Marc-Sur-Mer, a local beach 30 minutes from the Pigeonaire?
There are tons of summer popups gardens to hang out in Nantes - don't miss la Cantine du Voyage, the loire version of Paris Plage!
Biking snack break at Clisson medieval castle, a local romantic ruin restored by Napoleon Architect.
Some of the fishing boats, just across the Pigeonaire (Haute-Ile).
Healthy snack @ Clisson outdoor market - fresh goat cheese and raisin countryside bread.
Carrelet at high tide - Hiking the sentier des douaniers between La Bernerie and Pornic.
It's always sunny in Nantes....
Love sheeps - this one is chewing his way @ Nantes Oblates Parc, a suspended garden overlooking the Loire.
The two faces of Prudence - Tomb of Francis II, Duke of Brittany, Nantes Cathedral.
Performance rehearsal at the Pigeonaire before construction began...
Go oyster and clam fishing and feel like our hunter-gatherer ancestors!
Biking the passage de Gois, an old flooded path leading to the Pine Island of Noirmoutier, is exhilarating . Watch out the tide however!
Foggy day on the Loire River (Trentemoult).
Tasting the local delicacy - Smoked fish trio au beurre blanc nantais.
Promenade along Nantes Castle
Wait after 5pm to catch sigh of a ragondin, gracious beaver of the Loire.
The Sphinx of the Loire...
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“The air was literally filled with Pigeons; the light of noon-day was obscured as by an eclipse; the dung fell in spots, not unlike melting flakes of snow, and the continued buzz of the wings had a tendency to lull my senses to repose.”