Accompanying persons program
Program schedule
Sunday 25 August 2024
- afternoon: opening ceremony and welcome reception
Monday 26 August 2024
- morning: the Nantes History Museum
- afternoon: Cruise along the Estuary of Loire
Tuesday 27 August 2024
- half-day Voyage through Nantes’s Vineyards
Wednesday 28 August 2024
- morning: Les Machines de l’ïle
- afternoon: closing ceremony and reception
This programme is currently being validated and may still be updated.
Nota: The congress social event with dinner on Tuesday evening is not included in the accompanying persons program and must be registered separately.
Opening and closing ceremonies and receptions
Sunday 25 August 2024 - Afternoon
Wednesday 28 August 2024 - Afternoon
Enjoy a cocktail of French culinary delights and beverages in a convivial atmosphere.
© razyph – Fotolia
Château des ducs de Bretagne. Nantes © Philippe Piron _ LVAN
The Nantes History Museum
Monday 26 August 2024 - Morning
Set in the historic heart of Nantes, the Château des ducs de Bretagne is the city’s most important historic building, along with the Cathedral St. Pierre.
It was built in the late 15th century by François II – the last Duke of Brittany – and later by his daughter, Anne of Brittany, who was twice Queen of France. This castle is filled with six centuries of history, and a palatial residence with sophisticated façades and Renaissance-era loggias.
Recent archaeological, historical and architectural discoveries allow for the history of this monument to be approached differently. In the heart of Nantes’ medieval district, the courtyard, ramparts and moat are accessible.
A must-see tourist attraction, with views over the city that can be freely explored, it is also home to the resolutely contemporary Nantes History Museum, and hosts major international exhibitions every year, providing a window on other civilisations.
Cruise along the Estuary of Loire
Monday 26 August 2024 - Afternoon
From the heart of Nantes to the gates of the Atlantic, Estuaire is an open-air collection like no other. A total of 33 works of art line the 60 km of the estuary.
The Estuaire route is a successfuil marriage of landscape, art and river. The works are the work of internationally renowned artists, creating an open-air museum in the heart of a fascinating territory. A maze of small paths, a tangle of étiers, multiple gateways to discovery: the works of Estuaire are the Ariadne’s thread of a space in constant mutation.
This guided cruise gives you a front-row seat to discover the riches of the estuary: its maritime, industrial, wildlife and plant heritage, as well as the works of art in the Estuaire collection.
Croisière Estuaire NantesSaint-Nazaire © Franck Tomps / LVAN
Vignoble nantais, pays du Muscadet © Valéry Joncheray
Half-day Voyage through Nantes' Vineyards
Tuesday 27 August 2024
Taking the route through the region’s vineyards is like taking a brief trip to Italy by just stepping outside the gates of Nantes.
The breathtaking beauty of Château de Goulaine, a note of Tuscany in Clisson, the Italian-style estate of La Garenne Lemot… Expect the unexpected and swirl it all together in a glass of one of Nantes’ very own wines. Recognised everywhere by great chefs, it is now near-impossible to mention Muscadet wine without thinking of Nantes and its gastronomic traditions.
The journey includes a guided tour of Clisson and the visit of a winery with Muscadet tasting.
Les Machines de l’île
Wednesday 28 August 2024 - Morning
“Les Machines de l’Île” is a totally unprecedented artistic project. Situated on the exceptional site of the former shipyards and created thanks to François Delarozière and Pierre Orefice’s imaginations, it is at the crossroads between Jules Verne’s «invented worlds», the mechanical universe of Leonardo da Vinci and Nantes’ industrial history.
The Île de Nantes is home to a host of curious machines. These extraordinary machines come to life in the hands of the builders from La Machine, and are brought to life between those of the Machines de l’île, before the eyes of the public. As they move back and forth between the construction workshop and the Gallery, they create a sense of movement in the heart of the former Dubigeon Nave.
They give the island a mysterious reality, just as they did in the days when ships were launched there for all the voyages of the world.
Les Machines de l’île, Nantes © Romain Peneau / LVAN
