Chantiers de l’Atlantique

From a distance—or even up close—you might say Saint-Nazaire is all about cranes and gantries, dancing across the skyline. And you’d be right. But what if you looked a little closer? Because behind those towering structures is something far more impressive: a vast industrial and port complex open to the world, home to the legendary Chantiers de l’Atlantique. For over 160 years, Saint-Nazaire and the shipbuilding industry have been inseparable, giving rise to some of the most iconic giants of the sea: the France, the Normandie, the Batillus, the Prairial—and well over a hundred more. It’s hard to imagine, but true: this city has launched more than a century’s worth of maritime marvels. The story begins in the 19th century, when Emperor Napoleon III set out to modernize Saint-Nazaire’s port and turn it into a key hub for transatlantic travel. In 1862, Scottish industrialist John Scott signed a contract with the Pereire brothers—Bordeaux bankers behind the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique—to build five ocean liners. With their expertise in metal shipbuilding, the Scotts trained a new generation of workers here, transitioning from wooden vessels to steel hulls. Just two years later, in 1864, the Impératrice Eugénie—the first French-built ocean liner—was launched from the newly established shipyard.Over time, the Chantiers de l’Atlantique grew into one of the world’s most important shipbuilding sites, specializing in the development, construction, and maintenance of truly massive vessels. Its greatest successes include the launch of the luxurious Normandie in 1932, the France in 1955—christened by General de Gaulle himself—the construction of million-ton oil tankers in the 1970s, and the delivery of Harmony of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, to Royal Caribbean in 2016. But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. The shipyard has weathered serious challenges: heavy bombings during World War II, fierce competition from Japan triggering a massive strike in 1964, the oil crisis of the ’70s, the asbestos scandal in 2001, and more. The shareholder structure has changed several times in recent years—with Finnish, South Korean, and Italian stakeholders involved at different times, but despite it all, Chantiers de l’Atlantique continues to build awe-inspiring, innovative ships while also embracing sustainable practices and reducing environmental impact. From blueprints to prototype testing, from giant hulls to the finest onboard details, this shipyard is still very much alive—and open to visitors! If you’re ready for an unforgettable, up-close look at these giants in the making, this is one experience you won’t want to miss.