21 February 2023
Nantes host Juventus at 18:45 CET on Thursday 23 February in the return leg of the Europa League play-offs.
The football club takes its name directly from the city located on the river Loire in north-western France, near the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of just over 300 thousand, it is the sixth largest French city.
It is one of the French towns that has changed the most in the 20th and 21st centuries due to an urban renewal plan adopted in 1920, undergoing further expansion since it was designated as one of the eight provincial centres in 1960.
It has thus become a dynamic regional centre, with a diversified economic structure, most recently in fields such as biotechnology, boosted by the creation of a large scientific park in 1987.
SIGHTSEEING
All year round, a green line painted on the ground leads the tourist through the heart of the city to visit the cultural sites, the principle monuments and works of art.
Le Voyage à Nantes is a permanent collection of more than 120 artworks in public spaces, running from the heart of the city out to the ocean, along the Estuaire itinerary and the region’s vineyards.
In fact, much of the area's tourism exploits the Loire estuary and the various guided cruises on offer allow the visitor to discover the area's natural riches and remarkable heritage.
There are museums dedicated to history and art. The Musée d’Arts de Nantes is home to collections that span from the 13th century to the present and showcases masterpieces by internationally renowned artists such as de La Tour, Courbet, Delacroix, Monet Picasso and Kandinsky.
Furthemore, Nantes has been described as the birthplace of Surrealism since it was here that the movement's leader, Andre Breton, met his chief inspiration, Jacques Vaché.
THE STADIUM
The full name of Nantes' home is Stade de la Beaujoire – Louis Fonteneau, after the club president from 1969-86.
The stadium was inaugurated on 8 May 1984, when Nantes hosted Romania in a friendly. The ground was renovated and made all-seater for the 1998 World Cup, when its original capacity of 53 thousand fans was reduced to just over 35 thousand.
Before hosting six matches in World Cup '98 the stadium was also the venue for two matches in Euro '84, including a 5-0 win for France when legendary Bianconeri number 10 Michel Platini scored a hat-trick.
A project to demolish Stade de la Beaujoire was cancelled in 2019 after plans to build a new stadium nearby were rejected. The stadium instead underwent further renovation and has been chosen as one of the venues for the 2023 Rugby World Cup and will host four matches between September and October.
