Get acquainted with Nantes by staying in a Nantes holiday rental right in the centre of town. France's sixth largest city, Nantes isn't far from Carnac, St Malo or La Rochelle either. The history of the city comes alive in the Castle of the dukes of Brittany, and in the pedestrianised medieval Bouffay quarter you can see buildings from the 15th century. The Roman gate to the city, the Porte Saint Pierre, with its new 15th century façade stands imposingly over the surrounding buildings. It's free to see along with many other attractions in Nantes including the Cathedral Saint Pierre, the memorial to the abolition of slavery and the botanical gardens. The beautiful, glass-roofed Passage Pommeraye is free to visit but you may find yourself unable to leave without something from one of the charming shops inside.

If you opt for a Nantes holiday rental there is one unique attraction you must not miss - the Machines de l'Ile: an art project of mechanical animals whose piece de resistance is a large "mobile sculpture" elephant that can take you on a tour around the area. There are regular events hosted in the park, too. The different gardens that you can see in the parks of Nantes are as diverse as they are attractive, from the Japanese architecture in the Parc du grand Blottereu that is somewhat reminiscent of that in Kew Gardens in West London, to the more open Parc de Proce which is stunning all year round.

A holiday apartment in Nantes is a great idea for those who love museums of interesting and unusual oddities. As it is the hometown of Jules Verne, Nantes contains many tributes to the great author including the multimedia Musée of Jules Verne, the Jules Verne memorial sculpture and the guided tour "Sur les pas de Jules Verne" (in the steps of Jules Verne) ensure that no visitor leaves Nantes without a good knowledge of one of the most influential figures in science fiction. There are also a number of other specialist museums for those interested in fire fighting, sewing machines, post and typography.The Brittany region is extremely diverse and it would be a waste of a trip not to explore some of the different regions of it. Consider visiting saint-brevin-les-pins along the coast from which you can venture further north or south for completely different coastlines.