The Grand Café

Centrally located in the heart of the city when it first opened in 1864, this former café wasn’t founded by just anyone. Its original owner was none other than the father of Aristide Briand—the renowned French lawyer and politician who served as minister an impressive 26 times during the Third Republic and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1926. Over the years, the building saw many uses. Alongside its restaurant services, it also operated as an auction room and even a design office, right up until 1969. Then, in 1994, the city of Saint-Nazaire stepped in and purchased the property. After a three-year transition period, the site was transformed into something completely new: an exhibition and production space dedicated to contemporary art. In 2019, the Ministry of Culture officially recognized it as a “Contemporary Art Center of National Interest.” Today, this former gathering place has taken on a new life—as a dynamic creative hub for both emerging and established artists.