The Grand Café

The Grand Café

The Saint-Nazaire audio-guided tour presents you with the Grand Café, a former establishment become a contemporary art centre in the heart of the city.

From a period café to an art centre

Inaugurated in 1864 in the heart of the city centre, this café was not founded by just anyone: its original owner was the father of Aristide Briand, a famous French lawyer and politician, several times minister under the Third Republic and laureate of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1926. Over time, the place experienced various commercial uses, from auction room to design office, while keeping a catering activity until 1969. Bought back by the city in 1994, it was converted, a few years later, into an exhibition and production centre devoted to contemporary art. Labelled Contemporary Art Centre of National Interest in 2019 by the Ministry of Culture, the Grand Café today welcomes established as well as emerging artists, in a reinvented heritage setting.

What there is to see

The Grand Café offers renewed contemporary art exhibitions, in a historic building charged with memory. A place of production as much as of display, it highlights current creation, from recognised talents to young artists. It is a leading cultural stage for art lovers, in the heart of Saint-Nazaire.

Practical information

The Grand Café is on Place des Quatre Z'Horloges, in Saint-Nazaire. It can be visited according to hours to be checked on site; access to the exhibitions is generally free.

Who founded the Grand Café?

The father of Aristide Briand, a French politician and Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1926; the café was inaugurated in 1864.

What is the Grand Café today?

A contemporary art centre of national interest, dedicated to the exhibition and production of current works.