← Abalone Marathon de Nantes·Day trip

Clisson: An Italian Town in the Muscadet

A small town above the Sèvre and the Moine, rebuilt in Italian style after the Revolution, with a ruined medieval castle and the Muscadet vineyards all around, twenty-five minutes from Nantes by train.

DurationDay trip
TransitTER regional train, about 25 minutes from Nantes
DepartsNantes

After the Abalone Marathon de Nantes: Clisson

The Route: Nantes → Clisson → Nantes Logistics: Regional TER trains, about 25 minutes, run regularly, with fewer services at weekends. Marathon Month: April Duration: Day trip

Nantes ──(TER, ≈25 min)──> Clisson
  ▲                          │
  └──────(TER, ≈25 min)──────┘

Clisson sits where the Sèvre Nantaise and the Moine meet, south-east of Nantes, in the heart of the Muscadet wine country. The town was badly damaged during the Vendée wars at the end of the 18th century and rebuilt in an Italian style, with tiled roofs, loggias and villas, which gives it a look unlike anywhere else nearby. It is small and quiet, and a short train ride, which makes it a gentle outing for the day after the marathon.

The Château de Clisson

The ruins of the medieval Château de Clisson stand above the river, with walls and towers from several centuries. It can be visited, but there are uneven paths and steps, so take it at an easy pace.

The Town and the River

Below the castle, the old bridges over the Sèvre and the Moine and the streets of the lower town are the best of Clisson. The Garenne Lemot park, laid out in the early 19th century with an Italian-style villa and garden buildings, lies across the river. Walk as far as the legs want and no further.

Muscadet

Clisson is surrounded by the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine vineyards. Local wine is on every restaurant list in town, and some estates nearby welcome visitors by appointment.

Getting Back

Trains back to Nantes run through the afternoon and evening. Check the timetable before settling in for lunch, particularly on a Sunday.