Apothecary's House

The Apothecaries' house, a medieval vestige

The Nantes audio-guided tour has you discover, on Place du Change, one of the rare medieval vestiges of the city: the Apothecaries' house, also called the House of the Change. This timber-framed house recalls an old Nantes of which few traces remain.

Why so few half-timbered houses?

Unlike other towns in Brittany such as Rennes or Vannes, Nantes has only rare timber-framed houses. Many were destroyed by great disasters, such as the great fire of the Bouffay district in 1718, the explosion of a castle tower in 1800 or the heavy bombings of the Second World War. But it is also the result of a choice: faced with repeated fires, this type of construction was eventually banned at the end of the seventeenth century, and Nantes opted for stone, for safety and for the sake of brilliance.

What there is to see

The Apothecaries' house raises its half-timbered façade, a rare testimony of Nantes medieval architecture, on the picturesque Place du Change. With its timber framing and its corbelled storeys, it contrasts with the stone façades that dominate the city. It is a precious stop for those interested in the medieval past of Nantes, in the heart of the old district.

Practical information

The Apothecaries' house is on Place du Change, in old Nantes, near the Saint-Nicolas basilica. The façade can be contemplated freely from the square, at all hours and on the level. The building, occupied by a business, follows its own opening hours.

Why is the Apothecaries' house rare?

Because Nantes has very few half-timbered houses, many having disappeared in fires, explosions and bombings, or because of the ban on these constructions.

Where is the Apothecaries' house?

On Place du Change, in the heart of old Nantes, not far from the Saint-Nicolas basilica.