In Nantes, history isn’t only written by historians – citizens also hold the pen. This year marks the fifth anniversary of Nantes Patrimonia, a collaborative digital platform where anyone can access and share information about the city’s heritage. From articles and the latest news, to virtual tours and interactive maps showcasing urban history, daily life, architecture and historical events, Nantes Patrimonia is a unique digital archive of the city’s history, with co-creation at its core.
“We wanted to give citizens the chance to express what heritage means to them, sharing their own photos, memories, and family stories. What we receive is essentially testimonies of life in Nantes”, states Noémie Boulay, Digital Mediation Officer at the City of Nantes.
Nantes Patrimonia was born out of strong political will, launched by the Mayor of Nantes, Johanna Rolland, after the municipal elections in 2014. It has enabled both the city and its residents to uncover and reinterpret Nantes’ (hi)story. Along with official contributions, such as those of the Nantes heritage and Archeology Department and the Nantes Metropolitan archives, around 58% of the articles are written by associations, external groups or individuals. Associations also play a big role in developing the digital tours, accounting for 60% of those available on the platform.
“People are happy to have easy online access to local history – topics you wouldn’t typically find in history books or libraries. Historians often focus on the global narrative of a city but rarely zoom in on the stories of individual neighbourhoods”, explains Noémie. “Patrimonia also provides a platform for people to share how they lived through significant events. Traumatic episodes, such as the bombings during the Second World War, are experienced differently by each individual. Creating space for people to express their personal experiences is essential.”
The €412,000 platform, developed over four years, has evolved since its inception. Some key findings along the way were the importance of having user-generated yet site-moderated content to ensure reliability. Accessibility is another crucial focus. A special emphasis has been placed on keeping the language simple and clear, avoiding overly complex or technical terms. However, there is still more to be done. Next steps reviewing existing texts to incorporate easy-to-read standards and enhance accessibility for blind users by improving the digital tours with audio clips.
But what exactly is the story Nantes Patrimonia has to tell? After being chosen as one of 10 Local Good Practices by the European Heritage Hub EU-funded pilot project last March, Nantes was selected for the Hub’s second peer-learning visit from 6 to 8 November. Over three days, 14 participants from 14 cities from across Europe stepped beyond the digital realm to explore Nantes’ story of industrial heritage, urban renewal, and collective remembrance firsthand.
2000 years of marine history
Up until the 1980s, Nantes was a heavily industrialised city, thanks to its strategic location on the banks of the Loire. However, with the closure of many shipbuilding businesses, the city went into decline. “It was called the Sleeping Beauty of France”, shares Olivier Absalon, Director of the Heritage and Archaeology Department, City of Nantes.
“It was the youngest Mayor of France, Jean-Marc Ayrault, who changed the city’s trajectory. His vision was to revive Nantes through culture. A huge investment was made to transform old shipyards and buildings into spaces for creation, entertainment, and community“, he adds.
A stellar example of this revitalisation is Île de Nantes, the island in the heart of the city, which tells an industrial story linked to shipyards and maritime trade. In one of the former shipyards, visitors can explore the creations of the art company Les Machines de l’île, which has brought the city’s industrial heritage to life – along with impressive mechanical animals! These include a 12-metre elephant offering tours of the area, a manta ray, a sea snake, and a variety of other machines, such as boats.
Yet Nantes’ maritime history also carries a heavy legacy. The city was the departure point of over 1,800 slave trading expeditions. Today, remembrance and memorialisation is a central aspect of Nantes’ policies. The Memorial to the Abolition of Slavery stands symbolically on Quai de la Fosse, paying tribute to the millions of victims of slavery worldwide.
A sustained commitment to culture
Olivier Absalon underlined how the focus on culture has been sustained over the years. “In Nantes, we don’t have a single, iconic cultural building recognised internationally. Instead, it was important to create cultural landmarks and events, such as the open-air exhibition along Estuaire de la Loire or Le Voyage à Nantes, which fills the city with spontaneous artworks in the public space every summer. The ultimate goal is to make art and culture accessible to everyone.”
The story of urban industrial renewal continues developing in the Bas Chantenay neighbourhood. The district’s unique geographical configuration, perched on a hillside along the Loire River, combined with its proximity to the town centre and the Île de Nantes, gives it significant historic and industrial importance. The area is undergoing renewal to create a dynamic mixed district, balancing cultural, residential, commercial and business spaces. In line with Nantes’ policymaking, which ensures ecological and inclusion objectives are integrated transversally across all actions, the green transition is central to this transformation. Reuse is prioritised, with buildings adapted to new functions, cranes restored, and traineeships provided in restoration methods.
A cornerstone of Bas Chantenay is Les Grands Moulins de Loire. Built in 1895 using the Hennebique system to reinforce concrete, this former flour mill is an important piece of industrial heritage. One of its remaining buildings served as an office building for many years, CAP44, its original structure hidden beneath a blue cladding. After sitting empty for years, it was finally acquired by the City of Nantes in 2018. Following a citizen consultation, the city decided to keep the building and transform it into a public community centre, including a museum celebrating the world of Jules Vernes – born almost 200 years ago in Nantes – a library, and a coworking space – La Cité des Imaginaires.
Citizen engagement with innovation at its core
In all these urban renewal projects, people are at the heart of the process. “For many years, Nantes has invited its citizens to participate in the development of its heritage policies. Everyone, individually or as a community, has the right to benefit from cultural heritage and contribute to its enrichment”, states Olivier Chateau, Deputy Mayor in charge of Heritage, Intangible Heritage and the Loire River.
Residents have had a great say in defining the identity of Bas Chantenay, shares Vincent Morandeau, Architect in the Urban Planning Department of Nantes Métropole: “Alongside a material inventory, we created a human-centred one. Residents shared objects and stories reflecting the local heritage and community across generations.”
Le Lieu Unique, a former biscuit factory now transformed into a multidisciplinary cultural centre, is another great example of innovative engagement. During an exclusive guided tour for the Hub, Eli Commins, Director of Le Lieu Unique, explained how 25 years ago they created a true time capsule. During the opening in 1999, citizens were invited to bring objects to be placed inside containers, which have been carefully stored in a translucent double wall in the building. These containers are set to be reopened a century later – in 2100 – offering future generations the opportunity to discover what their ancestors chose to preserve.
Building trans-European partnerships
Alongside successfully engaging its citizens, Nantes is committed to engaging with other European cities. As a proud member of Eurocities – a network representing over 200 cities across 38 European countries and a partner of the European Heritage Hub – and with a strong engagement in the Twin Cities programme, which fosters partnerships between cities across Europe, Nantes underscores the importance of pan-European collaboration. This dedication is further highlighted by its recent involvement with the Hub, promoting cross-border knowledge sharing and networking.
“We believe in the power of working together to become stronger, and it also helps amplify citizens’ voices within European institutions”, highlights Elsa Thual, Partnerships Officer in the Europe and International Department of Nantes Métropole. “Culture plays a big role here. It offers a unique way for people to express themselves, allowing their voices to be heard by a broader audience. It’s a different form of communication, which people can relate to.”
In terms of upcoming priorities, the green and social transitions are at the forefront, with cultural heritage serving as the foundation for this transformation. “When thinking about the future, we must incorporate traditional knowledge. Our territory has been shaped by the past”, emphasises Olivier Absalon.
Today, this past is being actively reconstructed with the citizens through Nantes Patrimonia, forging a dynamic digital portal of memory, experiences, and knowledge that not only honours the city’s heritage but also empowers it to shape a sustainable and resilient future.
