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