Tourism Saint-Nazaire PRESS KIT 2013

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Press Manager: Andrea KLOSE, Visit Saint-Nazaire – email klosea@saint-nazaire-tourisme.com
Table of contents
A city by the sea
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An original tourist offer
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Escal’Atlantic, the ocean liner experience, reopens in 2013
The submarine Espadon
The heritage museum Ecomusée
Two-hour cruises
Industrial tourism
The neolithic barrow of Dissignac
Groups and business travel
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Useful information
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Press contact
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Saint-Nazaire Tourisme & Patrimoine - BP 173 - 44613 SAINT-NAZAIRE cedex - France
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Press Manager: Andrea KLOSE, Visit Saint-Nazaire – email klosea@saint-nazaire-tourisme.com
A city by the sea
With its ideal location both on the Loire estuary and the Atlantic Ocean,
Saint-Nazaire is quite literally a City by the sea: not a seaside resort but a
“real” city which is lively all year long… and which enjoys an outstanding
geographical situation. Saint-Nazaire is attractive for more than one reason:
… seaside pleasures
Discover its long seaside promenade, within easy reach from the city centre;
the coastal footpath or “Customs Officers’ Path”, which allows for beautiful
views over beaches, cliffs and coves; 20 beaches among which the beach
where Jacques Tati shot his unforgettable film “Monsieur Hulot’s Holidays” in
the early 1950’s. During the summer season, the five most popular beaches
are supervised, and two of them offer specific bathing equipment for the
disabled.
… shopping and culture
Dozens of shops and boutiques lie in store for shopping fans at two pleasant
shopping centres: the “Paquebot” right in the city centre and the “Ruban
Bleu” near the docks. Cultural life is thriving, with a regular programme of
plays, dance and music performances in the modern Theatre, inaugurated in
2012, and which comprises parts of the 1860’s former railway station. Other
locations are dedicated to rock concerts or exhibitions of contemporary art
forms. Cultural events are some of the highlights of the year in Saint-Nazaire:
“Les Escales”, a world music festival in early August; “Consonances”, a weeklong chamber music festival in September; “Grande Marée”, or ”High Tide”, a
hugely popular pick-nick on the beach and street shows on the first Saturday
of June; free concerts in the pubs and cafés during the summer etc…
… and also
Several parks and a unique countryside at the city’s doorsteps, almost half of
Saint-Nazaire’s surface being part of the Regional Park of Brière marshland;
an itinerary in the footsteps of comic strip hero Tintin; international
contemporary art using the harbour landscape as a backdrop : Gilles
Clément’s “Garden” and Felice Varini’s “Triangles”.
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Press Manager: Andrea KLOSE, Visit Saint-Nazaire – email klosea@saint-nazaire-tourisme.com
An original tourist offer
Over the last 12 years, a tourist offer closely linked to the history of the
town has emerged, and is beginning to assert itself as a major tourist
destination. Hardly surprising that ocean liners play an important part in
the tourist offer: Saint-Nazaire has been a stronghold of shipbuilding for
a century and a half, and it also used to be a transatlantic harbour with
regular shipping lines to and from Central America.
In the Ville-Port area, around the docks and the former submarine base,
three visitor attractions represent the core of the tourist and cultural
offer, based on the theme of travelling. Escal’Atlantic, inside the former
submarine base, immerses its visitors in the world of ocean liners which
used to ply the seven seas (re-opening in the summer of 2013 after
several months of refurbishing). Aboard the Espadon, a French
submarine from the late 1950’s, the journey is somewhat more austere
but quite as fascinating. As to the heritage museum Ecomusée, it tells
the story of the city, its harbour and its big industries on a journey
through time.
Industry tours also make visitors go on a journey, if only in their
imagination. Guided tours of the shipyard STX France, the Airbus factory
and the harbour terminals of Port Atlantique are all about ships, planes
and maritime routes which are really part of Saint-Nazaire’s DNA.
And there is another kind of journey, two-hour cruises along SaintNazaire’s coast and the bay of neighbouring seaside resort La Baule.
This tourist offer, which is run by the public company Visit Saint-Nazaire / Saint-Nazaire Tourisme &
Patrimoine, has already welcomed more than 3 million visitors. The following pages present the
offer in detail.
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Press Manager: Andrea KLOSE, Visit Saint-Nazaire – email klosea@saint-nazaire-tourisme.com
Escal’Atlantic
The ocean liner experience reopens in 2013
Escal’Atlantic first opened in April 2000, inside the former submarine
base in the harbour of Saint-Nazaire. It was designed not as a classical
museum but as an “experience” taking visitors into the world of ocean
liners.
Unique of its kind, Escal’Atlantic –which has already welcomed more
than 1.2 million visitors since it first opened- has become a landmark
location and a major attraction of cultural tourism, not only in SaintNazaire but on a regional level and beyond: in 2011,
Escal’Atlantic was given the national quality award Qualité
Tourisme.
Escal’Atlantic is currently being refurbished. It will reopen in the
summer of 2013 with a new way of telling the “story of ocean liners”*.
It will be the only interpretive centre in Europe to combine a very
evocative setting with a showcase of a unique collection of ocean
liner artefacts.
One of its most distinctive features is the way visitors step into the
world of ocean liners; a voyage is recreated by giving the visitor a sense
both of the atmosphere and of the premises one might have found on
the big ships of the past. The redevelopment of Escal‘Atlantic
maintains this unique atmosphere and evocative setting, enhancing it
however with new dimensions: a strong focus on content and context,
an emphasis on interactivity with visitors and a display of unique ocean
liner artefacts. State-of-the-art interactive features, audiovisual
displays and “hands-on” devices especially designed for families make
the visitor’s experience a very dynamic one.
Infos: self-guided tour, all texts in French, English, German and Spanish. Visit lasts approx. 1 ½ to 2 hrs. No
booking required. Admission: adults 12,50€, children (age 4-17) 8€, family price 15% off. Open from February
to December (please note: in 2013, from June onwards). Open every day from April to September; closed on
Mondays and Tuesdays in February, March, October; closed also on Thursdays and Fridays in November and
December, except during school holidays. For information call 00 33 228 540 640.
*Detailed press kit about Escal’Atlantic available upon request, please get in touch with the Press Manager.
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Press Manager: Andrea KLOSE, Visit Saint-Nazaire – email klosea@saint-nazaire-tourisme.com
The submarine Espadon
Explore a French submarine from the 1950’s
During its 25-year long career, this submarine sailed the equivalent of 17
times the circumference of the earth. Visitors discover the surprising history
of this boat, the first French submarine to have dived beneath the Arctic ice
field, and experience the living conditions of the 65 crew members.
The audio-guided tour offers captivating insight into the life of the
submariners. And it gives the possibility to listen to sounds which are not
exactly part of everyday life, such as the noise made by hundreds of shrimps
under water, or by an iceberg breaking in two…
Infos: audio-guided tour, available in French, English, German and Spanish. Visit lasts approx. 30 minutes. No
booking required. Admission: adults 8€, children (age 4-17) 6€, family price 15% off. Open from February to
December. Open every day from April to September; closed on Mondays and Tuesdays in February, March,
October; closed also on Thursdays and Fridays in November and December, except during school holidays. For
information call 00 33 228 540 640.
The Ecomusée heritage museum
The history of a city, its harbour and its industries
The permanent exhibition tells the story of how the harbour was created in
the middle of the 19th century and how its activities developed
spectacularly. Saint-Nazaire’s shipbuilding and aeronautical industry is
represented with scale models of ocean liners and the first seaplanes, built
here in the 1920’s and 30’s. Visitors also discover pre-war Saint-Nazaire,
and how the heavily bombed town was entirely rebuilt in the 1950’s and
60’s.
The French ministry of Culture awarded the Ecomusée the label “Musée de France”, for
the great interest of its collections.
Infos: self-guided tour, booklet in French, English, German and Spanish. Visit lasts approx. 45 minutes. No
booking required. Admission: adults 3€, children (age 4-17) 2€, family price 15% off, free entry from October to
March. Open from February to December. Open every day from April to September; closed on Mondays and
Tuesdays in February, March, October; closed also on Thursdays and Fridays in November and December,
except during school holidays. For information call 00 33 228 540 640.
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Press Manager: Andrea KLOSE, Visit Saint-Nazaire – email klosea@saint-nazaire-tourisme.com
Two-hour cruises
Saint-Nazaire by the sea
From May to September, Visit Saint-Nazaire organizes two-hour cruises,
probably the most enjoyable way to discover Saint-Nazaire and its identity
as a maritime town. Three parts make up the cruise “Saint-Nazaire by the
sea”: the ship leaves the harbour through one of its historical locks; it sails
upstream along the shipyard and the huge harbour terminals and
underneath the elegant Loire bridge, and finally along the beaches, cliffs
and coves of a largely unspoilt, wooded coast.
“Côte d’Amour” cruise
As to the “Côte d’Amour” or “Love Coast” cruise, it sails along the shore
until the bay of Pornichet, La Baule, Le Pouliguen, offering outstanding
panoramic sights on the way. The big sand dune of Escoublac in La Baule,
one of the highest in Europe, the islet of “Pierre Percée” with its pierced
rock or the mighty lighthouse “Grand Charpentier” are some of the
highlights of this lovely summer outing.
Themed cruises
Each summer, several cruises have a special theme. Some will cross the
Loire estuary for a trip along the “Jade coast”, famous for its cliffs and
small seaside resorts. The nocturnal cruise, “The lighthouse route” is a
favourite: the ship sails out of the harbor at sunset, and passengers enjoy
a magical two hours on the water while little by little, lighthouses,
beacons and other signal lights can be seen all around.
Infos: cruises last 2 hours, they leave from the harbour of Saint-Nazaire. Comments are in French. Booking
strongly advised. Admission: adults 16,50€, children (age 4-17) 12€, family price 15% off. Approximately 30
cruises take place between May and September, see dates online (www.visit-saint-nazaire.com). For booking
and information call 00 33 228 540 640.
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Press Manager: Andrea KLOSE, Visit Saint-Nazaire – email klosea@saint-nazaire-tourisme.com
Industrial tourism
Shipyard STX France: constant quest for innovation
A fascinating tour in one of Europe’s oldest and biggest shipyards, STX
France. Shipbuilding has been an ongoing activity in Saint-Nazaire for a
century and a half. Elegant cruise liners –such as those which the shipyard
has built over recent years for the Italian cruise company MSC- have taken
over from the transatlantic liners of the past. Recently the shipyard also has
specialized in marine renewable energy.
Face to face with the A380
The Airbus plant at the outskirts of Saint-Nazaire is an Airbus centre of
excellence. The tour takes visitors into the vast factory halls, impressively
well-lit and silent, where fuselages of various Airbus planes are built, and
also the huge workshops where the fuselage of the A380, biggest civilian
aircraft, is being assembled and equipped.
Linked to 400 ports all over the world
Port Atlantique, the Nantes Saint-Nazaire Port Authority, is the most
important port on the French Atlantic coast. It is linked to 400 ports all over
the world. Visitors discover a series of impressive terminals along the Loire
estuary: containers, LNG, agri-bulk and also the ferry terminal which links
Saint-Nazaire to Gijon in Northern Spain.
Infos: the tours are guided and each tour lasts 2 hours. They leave by car from the submarine base in SaintNazaire. Please note: tours are in French; English-speaking tours of the shipyard and the Airbus factory are
organized during the summer for individual visitors and are available to group parties all year long. Admission
(for each visit): adults 12,50€, children (age 4-17) 8€, family price 15% off. Booking is compulsory; special
conditions apply for the visit of the Airbus factory. For booking and information call 00 33 228 540 640.
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Press Manager: Andrea KLOSE, Visit Saint-Nazaire – email klosea@saint-nazaire-tourisme.com
The neolithic barrow of Dissignac
Older than the pyramids
This round barrow, or tumulus, is a megalithic tomb situated in the Dissignac
area on the outskirts of Saint-Nazaire. It was built approx. 6,000 years ago.
Considered one of the most remarkable prehistoric monuments of the
whole region, it is a national historic site. The barrow is made of soil and
stones, and contains two burial chambers. One of them is noteworthy for
the engravings on a slab inside the funeral chamber.
Infos: guided tour in French, lasts approx. 1 hour. The tour is on offer from mid-July to the end of August. No
booking required. Admission: adults 3€, children (age 4-17) 2€, family price 15% off. For information call 00
33 228 540 640.
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Groups and business travel
Groups (minimum 20 participants) can book all the tours and visits of SaintNazaire‘s tourist destination and also packages designed especially for them,
including meals in selected restaurants, and also excursions and visits
around Saint-Nazaire.
Escal’Atlantic’s exceptional setting, bringing back to life legendary ocean
liners, is unique in Europe and an exceptional venue for corporate events.
Visit Saint-Nazaire proposes tailor-made solutions for customized events,
created in close collaboration with a network of local and regional partners.
Seminars, conferences, corporate meetings or gala evenings are some of the
turnkey products.
A special service is dedicated to groups and business travel; please get in touch with the Press Manager for
more information.
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Press Manager: Andrea KLOSE, Visit Saint-Nazaire – email klosea@saint-nazaire-tourisme.com
Useful information
Access to Saint-Nazaire could not be easier, either by car, by train or by plane.
By car: motorways and dual carriageways link Saint-Nazaire to all regions of France, Paris
(440 km) and the main ferry ports.
By train: Saint-Nazaire’s railway station is served by the TGVH high-speed train (2 hrs 45 from
Paris).
By plane: the Nantes Atlantique International Airport is less than an hour’s drive away.
Getting around: driving and parking is easy in Saint-Nazaire. You can also opt for public transport, the
local STRAN busses take you all over town and to the beaches. Good to know: the day ticket
Métrocéane combines regional train between Saint-Nazaire and Nantes, Le Croisic or La Baule and
public transport in these towns.
With its hotels, appartment hotels and B&B’s, Saint-Nazaire has a total of more than 1,000 rooms on
offer, plus a very good campsite by the sea.
Eating out is part of the holiday experience. Dozens of traditional restaurants, crêperies, pizzerias
and more exotic offerings can be found in the city centre, near the harbour and in the seaside area of
Saint- Marc-sur-Mer.
The Tourist Information Office, inside the former submarine base, has the answers to all the
questions and offers a free WiFi access point. Phone 00 33 240 224 065; email contact@saintnazaire-tourisme.com.
Find loads of information about the city, tours and visits, strolls, accommodation,
restaurants etc… on our English website www.visit-saint-nazaire.com.
« Une ville à la mer – Saint-Nazaire Tourisme »
Press contact
Ms Andrea KLOSE, Press Manager, Visit Saint-Nazaire
Phone: landline 0033 (0) 228 540 805
mobile 0033 (0) 689 882 905
Email klosea@saint-nazaire-tourisme.com
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Press Manager: Andrea KLOSE, Visit Saint-Nazaire – email klosea@saint-nazaire-tourisme.com