Nantes was the capital of the Dukes of Brittany. The Chateau des Ducs de Bretagne is now home to the Museum of Regional Folk Art, the Museum of Decorative Art and the Navy Museum. The passage du Pommeray is a shopping gallery in central Nantes dating from 1843. Its stairways, mirrors and statutes give it a majestic quality. Like many large cities, Nantes has its cathedral. The cathedral of Saint Peter & Saint Paul took 457 years to be fully completed. The Butte Sainte-Anne offers a superb view of the port of Nantes, the île Beaulieu and the banks of the Loire. Stroll in the superb botanical garden, known for its splendid magnolias and camellias.
