France

 

Nantes is the 6th largest city in France with a population of more than 300 000 people. Nantes is the economic and cultural capital of the west of France. It was elected European Capital of Innovation in 2019. For more information about the city, please check out the Nantes Tourist Office.

Nantes is very attractive for students, in fact more than 10% of the city's population are students and 45% of the population is under 30 years old. People are attracted to Nantes due the quality of life the city offers, but also for its job opportunities. Nantes is home to major industrial companies in aeronautics and shipmanufacturing and more than 100 start-ups are created in the city every year.

Finally, if you want to escape the urban environment, the city has a lot of parks and many Nantais & Nantaises enjoy walking along the river banks. If you are looking for a more 'salty' atmosphere, the ocean is just a 40 minute drive away! During your visit to Nantes, do not forget to ride our local pride: a wooden mechanical elephant.

You have been accepted at Centrale Nantes and you come from outside Europe, you will need to apply for a visa.
 

If you live in one of the countries listed below, you must apply for your visa on the Etudes en France database.
Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Georgia, Ghana, Guinea, Haiti, Honk Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Ivory Coast, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Qatar, Republic of Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vietnam.

If you are not from one of the countries listed above, please contact the French Consulate or Embassy of your home country.

You can travel directly by plane via the Nantes Atlantique international airport. If you land at Paris-Charles de Gaulle or at Orly airports, there is a direct TGV (high-speed train) to Nantes. You can book your train ticket online.
 

From the north exit of the station, take the tram line 1, direction F. Mitterrand. Get off at the 'Commerce' stop. To get to Centrale Nantes, take tram Line 2, direction Orvault Grand-Val, and get off at the 'Ecole Centrale/Audencia' stop. Centrale Nantes is close to the tram stop. One ticket costs €1.80. It is valid for one hour after you stamp it and can also be used on the regular bus and trams. Most of the university residences are located two tram stops after the 'Ecole Centrale/Audencia' stop.

Nantes Atlantique international airport is situated about 10 km southwest of Nantes.

There is a shuttle which will take you downtown for €10 (either to the train station or to Place du Commerce). From the north exit of the station, take the tram line 1, direction F. Mitterrand. Get off at the 'Commerce' stop. To get to Centrale Nantes, follow the instructions given above about the tram lines and stops. 
A taxi from the airport (the easiest option), will cost about €50.