New in Nantes: your first month

Your first month, step by step

1. Week 1

   No town-hall registration: check your residence status

   France has no residence registration at the town hall. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens can live here beyond 3 months without a residence permit; a residence card is optional. If you came with a long-stay visa that counts as a residence permit (VLS-TS), validate it online within 3 months of arrival and pay the tax that comes on top of the visa fee. If your visa says “carte de séjour à solliciter dans les 2 mois suivant l'arrivée”, you apply at the préfecture instead. Then go through the city's moving checklist.

   EU/EEA citizens: right of residence (service-public F2651) · Long-stay visa (service-public F16162) · Validate your VLS-TS (service-public R52684) · ANEF, online portal for foreigners · Moving to Nantes checklist (Nantes Métropole)

2. Week 1

   Naolib tickets for tram, bus and Navibus

   A Ticket 1h costs €1.80, ten cost €17.80 and a Ticket 24h €6.80 (fares as of October 2026). Buy them as mTickets in the Naolib app, online, at machines at tram and busway stops or in 120 Relais Naolib shops. The monthly ticket costs €67 from age 26 (€40 under 26) and goes on a personal carte nominative: from 26 you get it at the Espace Mobilité (2 allée Brancas, Commerce stop, Mon–Fri 9:30–18:00, Sat 9:30–17:30) or a Relais Naolib. On a low income, ask about the solidarity fare.

   Naolib tickets and prices · Points of sale · Solidarity fare

3. Week 1

   Phone: SIM or eSIM

   With an EU mobile plan, calls, texts and data in France cost the same as at home under “roam like at home”, so you can keep your number for the first weeks. Once you take a French plan and want to keep a French number when switching operator, call 3179 from that phone to get your 12-character RIO code and give it to the new operator: it cancels the old contract for you, and porting takes at least 3 working days. ARCEP, the telecom regulator, explains your rights.

   Keeping your number (ARCEP) · Roaming in Europe (ARCEP)

4. Week 1

   Safety basics

   Save 112, the European emergency number, plus 15 (SAMU, medical emergencies), 17 (police) and 18 (fire brigade); 114 is the emergency number for deaf and hard-of-hearing people. The city's Maison de la Tranquillité Publique answers on 02 40 41 99 99. Lost something on Naolib or in the street? The city's lost-property desk is at the main town hall, 29 rue de Strasbourg, Mon–Fri 13:00–17:30, or call AlloNantes on 02 40 41 90 00, the only official number for it.

   Emergency numbers (Nantes Métropole) · Emergency numbers list (ARCEP) · Lost property (Ville de Nantes)

5. Weeks 1–2

   Health insurance (PUMa)

   If you work or live in France in a stable and regular way, the universal health cover (PUMa) pays for your health care. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens only need an ID card or passport; others need a residence permit or document. If you work, you are covered as soon as your application is accepted; if you don't, you must wait 3 months after arriving. You apply to the Assurance Maladie (CPAM) with the form “Demander l'ouverture des droits à l'Assurance maladie”.

   Universal health cover, PUMa (service-public F34308)

6. Weeks 1–2

   Your first weekend: free things

   Trams, buses and Navibus are free every weekend, from Saturday 00:00 to Sunday 23:59, so you can explore without a ticket (except the airport shuttle). The Château des ducs de Bretagne courtyard and ramparts are free every day, 8:30–19:00, and its museum is free on the first Sunday of the month except July and August. The Musée d'arts is free on Thursday evenings 19:00–21:00 and also on first Sundays (closed 1 November). Then pick a free outing in the city's agenda.

   Free weekend transport (Naolib) · Château: hours · Château: free entry · Musée d'arts: prices and free entry · What's on in Nantes

7. Weeks 3–4

   Your first plan to meet people

   The library card is free for everyone and lets you borrow 15 items; bring an ID. Every week outside school holidays, the médiathèques hold free French conversation groups with no sign-up, for example at Jacques Demy on Tuesdays at 17:30. Sign up for the city's “Bienvenue à Nantes” welcome scheme to get information and an invitation to its yearly evening for new residents, or drop in at your maison de quartier. Or go to one of the events below: they are picked because it is easy to go alone and talk to people.

   Library card · French conversation groups · Bienvenue à Nantes (new residents) · Maisons de quartier

Rules change: always confirm on the official page before you go.

Free public places to start

Municipal libraries, a neighbourhood centre, gardens and museums with free entry in Nantes, each with its official page. Hours change: check the page before you go.

• Médiathèque Jacques Demy

  The central library on the Loire at 24 quai de la Fosse (tram 1, Médiathèque stop). Open Monday to Saturday, from 10:00 or 12:00 until 19:00; entry is free and the card costs nothing. French conversation groups meet here on Tuesdays at 17:30 and Fridays at 14:30, with no sign-up.

• Médiathèque Luce Courville

  A large library in Nantes Nord, 1 rue Eugène Thomas (tram 2, Chêne des Anglais stop), with a garden to relax in. It is also open on Sunday afternoons (14:00–18:00 in the week of 18 October) and hosts a free French conversation group on Thursdays at 14:30.

• Maison de quartier Madeleine Champ de Mars

  The city's neighbourhood centre for the city centre, 22 rue Emile Péhant (busway 4, Cité des Congrès stop). Its reception tells you about local associations, activities from dance to language classes, French lessons and volunteering, and it runs free events. A good place to ask how to get involved.

• Jardin des Plantes

  7 hectares of free gardens and glasshouses opposite the station, rue Stanislas Baudry (tram 1, Gare Nord – Jardin des Plantes stop). One of France's four major botanical gardens, open every day: a calm place for a first walk on your own.

• Château des ducs de Bretagne

  The castle at 4 place Marc Elder: its courtyard and ramparts are free every day, 8:30–19:00, and the moat garden 8:00–19:00. The history museum inside is free on the first Sunday of the month (except July and August); free visitors still book a time slot.

• Musée d'arts de Nantes

  Nine centuries of art at 10 rue Georges-Clemenceau, open 11:00–19:00 every day except Tuesday. Entry costs €9, but it is free on Thursday evenings 19:00–21:00 and on the first Sunday of the month except July and August.

This week: events to go to alone

Sun15Nov

LearningNantes

10:00–12:00

Atelier dansé: Comment se remettre d'un lendemain de fête, Nantes

Chapelle du Martray (Krap'chapelle)

On Sunday 15 November 2026 at 10:00 the Chapelle du Martray, also called the Krap'chapelle, at 4 rue du Trépied in Nantes hosts a dance workshop titled Comment se remettre d'un lendemain de fête, meaning how to recover from the morning after a party. It is led by Morgan Loy, a dancer and choreographer with the company Mi-Figue from Rennes. The listing says there is a maximum of 16 participants and that all levels are welcome. The workshop is part of the PLEINS PHARES festival, organised by the Collectif du Feu de Brouillard in partnership with the Krapo Roy, which runs on 14 and 15 November with theatre, dance, music, readings, exhibitions and a bar. The price is pay what you wish from 10 euros per person, booked through an online ticketing page, and the session runs from 10:00 to 12:00. A small workshop like this is easy to join alone, since everyone starts as a stranger. «Dirigé par Morgan Loy, danseuse et chorégraphe à la compagnie Mi-Figue (Rennes). 16 stagiaires maximum, tous niveaux.» Starts 10:00, ends about 12:00. Source: OpenAgenda — Vie associative Nantes ville et métropole (open data). The listing gives the price as pay what you wish, starting from 10 euros per person.

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Sun15Nov

Free

MusicNantes

11:00–12:00

Quand l'amour devient poison, concert, Théâtre Graslin, Nantes

Théâtre Graslin

On Sunday 15 November 2026 at 11:00 the Théâtre Graslin in Nantes hosts the Sunday morning concert Quand l'amour devient poison. It is part of a season of concerts organised by Angers Nantes Opéra and the Conservatoire de Nantes, which lets students from all disciplines perform on a professional stage known for its acoustics. The listing says the theme is love turned to conflict, with love and death at the centre of the musical expression, and that the young musicians have devised their own programme, choosing and presenting the pieces that resonate with the opera season's programming. The listing quotes a poem by Renée Vivien about love as an eternal thief. The concert lasts one hour and runs from 11:00 to 12:00. Entry is free, and booking is required, with reservations made through the Angers Nantes Opéra ticket office up to 15 days before the performance. A short morning concert like this is easy to enjoy alone, since everyone in the hall is there to listen. «Quand l’amour devient poison, quand l’amour se fait conflit : les thématiques de l’amour et de la mort sont au centre des expressions musicales.» Starts 11:00, ends about 12:00. Source: OpenAgenda — Conservatoire de Nantes (open data). The listing gives the entry as free, with advance booking required, and a duration of one hour.

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Sun15Nov

CultureRezé

15:00–17:00

Sara Mychkine reads Minuit à Minuit, Le Chronographe, Rezé

Le Chronographe

On Sunday 15 November 2026 at 15:00 Le Chronographe in Rezé hosts a reading by the author Sara Mychkine, invited by the Maison de la Poésie de Nantes for her residence in Nantes. She reads extracts from Minuit à Minuit, published by Le Bruit du Monde in 2023, a novel in free verse that takes the form of a letter from a mother addicted to crack to her daughter, whose custody has been taken from her. The reading is preceded by a 30-minute focus visit of the exhibition Maternités, archéologie de la figure maternelle, which starts at 15:00, and the reading itself begins at 16:00. The listing gives the price for entry plus guided visit as between 2 and 6 euros. A reading with a short visit beforehand is easy to attend alone, since everyone gathers to listen to the same text. «Ce roman en vers libres est la lettre bouleversante d’une mère droguée au crack à sa fille» Starts 15:00, ends about 17:00. Source: OpenAgenda — Le Chronographe (open data). The listing gives the entry plus guided visit price as between 2 and 6 euros.

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Sun15Nov

CultureNantes

16:30–17:45

La Gangrène, theatre at Pleins Phares, Chapelle du Martray, Nantes

Chapelle du Martray (Krap'chapelle)

On Sunday 15 November 2026 at 16:30 the Chapelle du Martray, also called the Krap'chapelle, at 4 rue du Trépied in Nantes presents La Gangrène as part of the Festival Pleins Phares. The listing describes a black and corrosive fable set in an ultra-capitalist world built on openly fascist values, inspired by Discours à la Nation by Ascanio Celestini, with a hint that some resistance may still be organised at the back of the stage. It is played and directed by Léa Cadot-Legoff, Pierre-Antoine Hémon and Titouan Le Bras, with choreography by Morgan Loy and lighting by Adèle Coquin. The performance is followed by a 30-minute talk on stage and runs from 16:30 to 17:45. The listing warns of scenes of physical, verbal and sexual violence. The price is pay what you want from 15 euros per person, booked through HelloAsso. A theatre show like this is easy to attend alone, and the talk afterwards gives a natural moment to chat. «Bienvenue dans un monde fasciste, aux allures de galerie des horreurs, et voyez cette parade d’ordures comme un avertissement.» Starts 16:30, ends about 17:45. Source: OpenAgenda — Vie associative Nantes ville et métropole (open data). The listing gives the price as pay what you want from 15 euros per person, with booking through HelloAsso.

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Sun15Nov

MusicNantes

19:00–20:30

Karaoké final, Festival Pleins Phares, Chapelle du Martray, Nantes

Chapelle du Martray (Krap'chapelle)

On Sunday 15 November 2026 at 19:00 the Chapelle du Martray, also called the Krap'chapelle, in Nantes hosts Karaoké final, part of the festival Pleins Phares organised by the Collectif du Feu de Brouillard in partnership with the Krapo Roy. The listing invites people to sing, in a team or solo, until the end of the evening, with a musical, friendly and revolutionary tone. The session runs from 19:00 to 20:30. The listing describes entry as at a price of the visitor's choice and advises registering, but it does not give a set figure, so no fixed price is stated. The festival also includes theatre, dance, music, reading, exhibitions and a bar over 14 and 15 November. Karaoke is easy to join alone, since solo singers are explicitly welcome and the room is there to share songs. «En équipe ou solo, venez donner de la voix jusqu'au bout de la soirée sur une touche musicale, conviviale et révolutionnaire !» Starts 19:00, ends about 20:30. Source: OpenAgenda — Vie associative Nantes ville et métropole (open data). The listing says entry is at a price of the visitor's choice, with registration advised, and gives 19:00 to 20:30.

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Mon16Nov

Free

CultureNantes

10:00–12:00

Hidden side of the Archives visit, Archives Départementales, Nantes

Archives Départementales

On Monday 16 November 2026 at 10:00 the Archives Départementales in Nantes offer a guided visit titled Découvrez la face cachée des Archives. The listing says the visit shows the trades of the archives, such as archivists and bookbinders, and gives a glimpse of the storage areas where the original documents are preserved. Visitors also look into the restoration and binding laboratory and walk through fine historic townhouses, described as a journey through time and space. The visit lasts two hours, from 10:00 to 12:00. Registration is free and compulsory, and can be made until one hour before the visit by email, phone or through the link in the listing. A guided tour like this is easy to enjoy alone, since a small group follows the guide together and there is always something to ask or comment on. «La visite des Archives départementales permet d’en découvrir les métiers (archivistes, relieurs…)» Starts 10:00, ends about 12:00. Source: OpenAgenda — Nantes Métropole (open data). The listing says registration is free and compulsory until one hour before the visit, and that it lasts two hours.

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Mon16Nov

MusicNantes

20:00–22:00

Brel ! Le spectacle, Olivier Laurent, at Cité des Congrès, Nantes

Cité des Congrès

On Monday 16 November 2026 at 20:00 the Cité des Congrès in Nantes presents Brel ! Le Spectacle, a concert in which Olivier Laurent pays tribute to Jacques Brel, in the auditorium 800. The listing says the show is directed by Gil Marsalla and Directo Prod, and describes it as more than a concert, an immersion in the world of the singer. Olivier Laurent does not imitate Brel, according to the text, but takes on the role and brings the songs back to life, accompanied by four musicians. The programme runs from the energy of La valse à mille temps to the depth of Voir un ami pleurer. The listing adds that the show has already been played in Paris, Montréal, New York and Dubai. The price is 52 euros or 59 euros, with tickets sold through the venue's own booking page, and the evening runs from 20:00 to 22:00. A chanson concert like this is easy to enjoy alone, since everyone in the hall is there to listen to the same songs. «Olivier Laurent nous offre un hommage bouleversant à Jacques Brel dans "Brel ! Le Spectacle" qui laisse une empreinte indélébile» Starts 20:00, ends about 22:00. Source: OpenAgenda — Nantes Métropole (open data). The listing gives the price as 52 euros or 59 euros and the show as taking place in the auditorium 800.

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Tue17Nov

Free

LearningNantes

18:00–20:00

Round table on René Laennec's bicentenary, Amphi Kerneis, Nantes

Amphi Kerneis (Fac de Médecine)

On Tuesday 17 November 2026 at 18:00 the Faculty of Medicine of Nantes holds a round table in the Kerneis lecture theatre, Amphi Kerneis, to mark two hundred years since the death of René Laennec, the Nantes-born inventor of the stethoscope. The listing says the speakers will explore the historical reach of the stethoscope, the modern outlook of Laennec's clinical thinking, the worldwide spread of his work and its relevance to current medical practice. The panel includes Jacalyn Duffin, a haematologist and historian from Queen's University in Ontario, José Mª Urkia of the University of the Basque Country, Frédéric Le Blay, Bertrand Cariou and Jean-Noël Trochu, with the dean Antoine Hamel as moderator. Doors open at 17:30 and the round table starts at 18:00, running until 20:00. Entry is free and open to everyone, and registration is advised through an online form. A talk like this is easy to attend alone, since the audience simply sits and listens together. «Une soirée ouverte à toutes celles et ceux qui souhaitent découvrir comment l'héritage d'un médecin nantais continue d'inspirer la médecine du XXIe siècle.» Starts 18:00, ends about 20:00. Source: OpenAgenda — Nantes Métropole (open data). The listing says the event is free and open to everyone, with registration advised through an online form.

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Tue17Nov

Free

LearningNantes

18:00–19:30

Panorama of the Loire bridges, talk at the Archives, Nantes

Archives départementales de Loire-Atlantique

On Tuesday 17 November 2026 at 18:00 the Archives départementales de Loire-Atlantique in Nantes hosts a talk titled Panorama des ponts de Loire, de Montjean-sur-Loire à Saint-Nazaire. The listing invites visitors to discover the thirty bridges that cross the Loire. It explains that from the middle of the nineteenth century the structures spanning the river multiplied and were renewed, and that downstream of Chalonnes-sur-Loire there are today 30 bridges which show how the territory developed and how construction techniques evolved. The session is led by Guillaume Boué, a heritage architect from the Paume agency. It is part of the heritage agenda, is tagged with bridges, the Loire, architecture and history, and runs from 18:00 to 19:30. Entry is free. The listing gives a phone number and an email address for contact, and a website for the organiser, Nantes Renaissance. A seated talk on local history is easy to attend alone, since everyone in the room is there to listen and learn about the same subject. «Découvrez les trente ponts traversant la Loire. A partir du milieu du XIXe siècle, les ouvrages d’art franchissant la Loire se multiplient et se renouvellent.» Starts 18:00, ends about 19:30. Source: OpenAgenda — Agenda patrimoine (open data). The listing gives the price as free and the time as 18:00 to 19:30.

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