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Clisson is in Pays de la Loire, France, about 25km from Nantes.
Understand
[edit | edit source]Clisson used a medieval stronghold occupied by the eponymous family. It was largely destroyed after the French revolution. The small town around the castle was rebuilt in the early 19th century, in the style of Tuscany towns.
The remains of the castle and some medieval buildings can still be visited.
Get in
[edit | edit source]By train
[edit | edit source]Frequent trains (TER) and trams (tram-train Nantes Clisson) from Nantes, everyday. About €6 one-way.
Get around
[edit | edit source]The city is very small, and hence is definitely walkable.
There's one line of bus allowing you to easily go from the station to the the town center and park of the Garenne Lemot. A second bus line is scheduled to open at the end of August 2026. The buses are free.[1]
See
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- 1 Château de Clisson (Clisson castle), Place du Minage, ☏ +33 2 40 54 02 22, chateau.clisson@loire-atlantique.fr. Wed-Sun 10:30-13:00 then 14:00-18:00, closed in the morning from October to March and completely closed in January. The ruins of large medieval castle towering the city. It suffered a lot of damage during the French revolution, so most of the towers are falling apart. It's still the most important sight to visit in Clisson. Adults 6€, Kids/Reductions 3€.
- 2 Domaine de la Garenne Lemot, Avenue Xavier Rineau (West of the River), ☏ +33 2 40 54 75 85, garenne.lemot@loire-atlantique.fr. April to September: Mon-Sun 09:00-19:30, October to March: Mon-Sun 09:00-18:00. A park alongside the Sèvre-Nantaise. It contains a small "Temple of Vesta", and a villa which hosts art exhibitions. Free entrance.
- 3 Chapelle des Templiers, Impasse de la Commanderie. Romanesque church dating from the late 12th century. It was used as a commandery by the Knights Templar.
- 4 Église Saint-Jacques, 44190 Rue des Rouleaux. A classic roman church also built in the 12th century. It is not worth a big detour, but it is conveniently located in the city centre.
- 5 Église Notre Dame, Place Notre Dame. A church that was entirely re-built in an Italian style during the 19th century. It is visible from almost everywhere in the city.
- 6 Halles, 26 rue des Halles. A wooden market hall built in the 14th century. It's a great place to grab a coffee or shop for books.
Do
[edit | edit source]Clisson is famous for being the location of Hellfest, one of the biggest and most respected Heavy Metal festivals in the world. The 2027 edition of the festival expects 240,000 attendees. The festival takes place during the third weekend of June, and tickets sell out within hours.
Buy
[edit | edit source]You'll find many shops selling clothes and artisanal goods around the town center. If you have some time to kill Clisson is a great place to look for some souvenirs.
- 1 Librairie Les Villes Invisibles, 1 Rue Basse des Halles (Accessible from the Halles), ☏ +33 2 51 71 89 66, librairie@villes-invisibles.fr. Tue-Sat 10:00-13:00 then 14:30-19:00, Sun 14:30-19:00. An independent bookstore. They have a large political science section, but also sell a good selection of contemporary French literature. It looks like they have some sort of coffee upstairs.
Eat
[edit | edit source]There are many restaurants in Clisson, and several of them are very good.
- 1 Auberge du Château, 2 Rue de la Collégiale, ☏ +33 2 40 54 32 08. Restaurant on the river side, located just before the bridge Pont de la vallée. 100% home-made food. Menus between 20€ and 35€.
- 2 La petite crêperie, 3 BIs Rue Saint-Antoine, ☏ +33 2 28 21 66 16. Mon-Sun 12:00-18:00. A small shop selling crêpes, ice creams, and beverages. Ideal for an afternoon snack. Most items are below 5€.