Birthday 🎂 Lunch in Nantes

 Nantes is not a bad place to spend your birthday 🎉 🎂 🥳

Especially when you dream of plateau de mer 

At least 1 X a month because of dozens of clams eaten in Surf City, NJ. as a kid. Things like that you don’t forget.

I figured out by trial & error how to eat a plateau de mer. Put the seafood on the big white plate. De-shell it. Then toss shells into the bowl under the plateau. *Another trick. Avoid the packets of chemical hand cleanser. Use instead the lemon 🍋 slices - much nicer & fresher smelling hands ✋ 

I miss seeing classic l’assiette de crudités on the menu nowadays so I couldn’t resist

After lunch I headed 

Across town (Jules Verne is one of Nantes most famous residents).

To the Petit Beurre shop, La Friande - Lu.

A long walk but not disappointing - so many adorable souvenirs.

I was temped but ended up with Brittany sardines with algae and sarrasin crackers of all things.

You fall into wondrous places in Nantes, like this drop dead gorgeous candy shop! Their ice cream 🍦 chariot drew me inside 🙏 

They have 5 shops in Nantes. The actual name is Debotte. 

They sent me on to 

The divine Passage Pommeraye. Yes, that’s an Urban Sketcher drawing ✍️ on the floor.

I stopped for a cuppa ☕️ in Tea salon La Passagere. 

Time to catch my breath & doodle. These sturdy English teapots 🫖 (from RAK) are de rigueur in Nantes FYI.

Their pastries are Paris caliber 👌

Tiles in the Passage

Nantes is kind of a dream city. There are very few stop 🛑 lights. You cross the street an all traffic stops, including 🚴‍♀️! People care ❤️ about human life in this city 🤷‍♀️ 

Many of the streets are pedestrian 🦶 only.

All transportation is FREE on the weekend! Who does that?

True, they are Very crowded 

This afternoon I’m headed to the train station sadly…just an overnite in Nantes.

I’m Carol Gillott, an artist living in Paris. Every month I send out beautifully illustrated letters that capture the true Parisian experience. Sign up to receive these whimsical treasures in the mail.

Thanks for reading❤️

Or you can buy me a birthday 🥳 Ko-fi ☕️ 🤸‍♂️

More Nantes tales coming.

Tbc.