Le Stade
La Beaujoire, or La Beaujoire-Louis Fonteneau to give it its full name, is one of France’s best stadia, and most modern-looking. Built in 1984 for the European Championships, it replaced the Stade Marcel Saupin, which is now home to reserve and youth-team matches. Like so many top French grounds, it was given a facelift in preparation for the 1998 World Cup, and now seats 38,285. It is one of few grounds in France not to have metal fences between the fans and the pitch.

The stadium has hosted the French national team twice, and both times Les Bleus have won easily, 4-0 and 5-0 against Belguim and Slovakia respectively. The French national rugby team have also used the stadium, while it doubles up as a venue for rock concerts occasionally, hosting such big names as U2, Pink Floyd, and the ever-popular Johnny Hallyday.

Probably the best stand for the visiting neutral is the Tribune Jules Verne, which has good views, but they tend to be the most expensive. As usual, the main supporters’ groups are found behind the goals – the Young Boys are found in the Tribune Loire, with Yellow Flight 49 in the Tribune Erdre.

Getting there
BA fly direct to Nantes from Gatwick. If tickets are booked online, they can be bought quite cheaply, always it seems for under £100. Ryanair fly to Tours, two hours away from Nantes, and flights are very cheap if booked in advance. Once at the airport, get the Navette - the hourly bus - which will take you to the Gare Sud train station, and then on to the Place du Commerce in the town centre for €6.

If leaving from Paris, Nantes is just two hours away on the TGV, leaving from Paris Montparnasse roughly every hour. As ever, for cheapest fares, book in advance.

Nantes prides itself on its tram and bus network – the city is connected by 37 kilometres of tramlines. Each ticket costs €1.20, and is valid for an hour after the first journey has started. Alternatively, a day pass is only €3.30.

To get to the stadium, take the green #1 tram line to the Beaujoire terminus – allow around 15 minutes from the train station.

Tickets
Tickets for Nantes matches go on sale three days after the previous match from various outlets (consult the official FC Nantes website for a full list). The most popular places to buy tickets are from any of the 6 E. Leclerc supermarkets around Nantes, or from the stadium itself. Prices for matches depend on the quality of the opposition, and whether demand is high. However, matches rarely sell out, but buying a ticket on the gate costs and extra €3.

Stadium tours
Tours depart on the hour every weekday between 10am and 4pm apart from matchdays. Costing only 5 Euros, the tour will take you to the top of the Tribune Jean Bouin, down to the dressing rooms, and out of the tunnel on to the pitch, ending in what is grandly termed the ‘museum’ – a club shop to you and I.

Out and About
If you want to try some of the local produce, especially fish, and meet some of the natives, then try going to the covered Marché Talensac (ligne 3, tram stop 50 Otages). In order to get the best food, get there as early as possible in the morning.

A stroll along the River L’Erdre towards the Japanese gardens on the Ile de Verailles is a pleasant way to pass a few hours. Canoes and boats can be hired here, which is most advisable on a warm, summer’s day.

Should you want to go shopping during your time in France, there are many worse places than Nantes where you can do it. Passage Pommeraye is an impressive shopping arcade, dating back to 1843. Even if you’re not going to buy anything, it’s worth the trip to admire the original ornate steps and ceiling.

Nantes is only one-and-a-half hours away from the Les Sables d’Olonne beach – bus tickets with the SNCF cost €14.20, with 10 busses a day leaving across the road from the southern entrance to the station on the rue Lourmel.

Should you have access to a car, and fancy a day-trip, Futuroscope in Poitiers is about a two-hour drive away, but well worth the trip. Stay until the end of the evening to witness the breathtaking evening shows. You can phone for information and bookings in Britain on 020 7499 8049, or in France on 05 49 49 11 12.

Restaurants and nightlife
There is a real blend of different cafés and bars bordering the centrally located Place du Commerce. Café Europe has been recently renovated and sits adjacent to the imposing Gaumont cinema, whilst Café de la Bourse, opposite Fnac, offers a real traditional café atmosphere. Towards place Royale is the Jazz café, a reasonably priced bar serving cocktails and offering entertainment well into the small hours of the night.

The best place for a pre-match beer is Les Canaris by the train station – this is where many of the Nantes fans congregate before getting the tram en masse to the ground. 9 Boulevard de Stalingrad. There is also a row of stand-up bars by the main ticket office selling beers, wines and food.

One of the best sporting-themed bars in Nantes is Le Virgil – owned by former FC Nantes player Marcel Desailly. It is only a short walk from the castle, and shows plenty of live sport. The address is 33 rue de Verdun.

For a traditional French meal, try Le Pain Perdu. Should this not please, it is in the same block as many other restaurants. 12 rue Beauregard; +33 (0)2 40 47 74 21

If you’re feeling extravagant, dinner at the restaurant La Cigale is a luxurious experience. With its original 19th century art deco tiled walls, this restaurant offers both great food and truly impressive surroundings. 4 Place Graslin; +33 (0)2 51 84 94 94

Set back from the Commerce tram stop is place F. Soil, and the Arti’show Pub, a compact little joint with a great ambiance enhanced by an open wood burning fire. Should you feel those familiar pangs of hunger in the early hours, next door is a recommended kebab shop, L’Etoile du Sud.

The Quartier Bouffay, on the eastern side of Cours des Cinquante Otages, also boasts some lively bars. This area is offers a diverse selection of restaurants, ranging from traditional French cuisine and creperies, to Chinese, Thai, and Moroccan.

A bar to try out is the trendy but relaxed Bar du Coin on the corner of rue de la Juiverie and rue de la Baclarie. Further up the cobbled rue de la Juiverie, often showing live sport on wide screen televisions, is friendly Irish pub John McByrne. 21 rue Petite Ecurie; +33 (0)2 40 89 64 46

The Tower nightclub, also on rue de la Baclarie, plays European hits from yesteryear, and is always popular at weekends, whilst Le Lieu Unique (Tramline 1: Duchesse Anne) has a live DJ on Friday and Saturday nights playing funk and electronic music. +33 (0)2 51 82 15 35

Accommodation
For better value for money, visitors would generally be advised to look further a field than the pricey and very average accommodation close to the train station. This, however, doesn’t apply to Youth Hostels – try the Auberge de Jeunesse la Manu, only 300 metres away from the train station, with prices starting at € 10.70 per night. 2 place de la Manu; +33 (0)2 40 29 29 20

For budget hotels, the Hotel de la Bourse, along Quai de la Fosse, is a real gem. Despite its scruffy facade, the rooms are clean and comfortable, as well as being ideally situated for Ligne 1 tramline on its doorstep. 19 quai de la Fosse; +33 (0)2 40 69 51 55

If you want a hotel next to the stadium, try the two-star Beaujoire Hotel, just 200 metres away from the ground. Rooms start at € 49. 15 rue pays de la Loire; +33 (0)2 40 93 00 01

For a touch of luxury, go for the Hotel de France on rue Crébillon. This road is known for its designer boutiques, and is just a stone’s throw away from the impressive Théâtre Graslin. Rooms are between €80 and €120 for the night. 24 rue Crébillon; +33 (0)1 55 33 16 55

Did you know…?
Jules Verne, author of Around the World in 80 Days and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, was born in Nantes on February 8, 1828, and died more than 100 years ago in 1905.