Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea… do you remember? Maybe the Nautilus, the submarine in French writer Jules Verne’s famous novel, was one of your childhood favourites. In Saint-Nazaire, you can visit a real submarine. During her 25-year-long military career, the Espadon (“Swordfish”) sailed under the seven seas. She was also the first French submarine to sail beyond the Arctic Circle. So, are you ready to shiver?
Imagine you dive down into the depths of the sea… Go through the passageway, examine the listening post, be amazed by the impressive torpedo tubes… The 65 crew members had to share cramped space and a single shower… A fascinating tour for young and old alike!
This 78-meter-long submarine was built in Le Havre and put into service in 1960. The Espadon was able to dive for up to 5 or 6 days. Her electric engines (we are talking about a period well before nuclear submarines) ensured a top speed of 16 knots on the surface and 18 knots under water (approximately 18 and 20mph)
During her 25-year-long career, the Espadon spent 2,561 days at sea and 33,796 hours diving. She covered 360,547 nautical miles, i.e. approximately 17 times the Earth’s circumference! The Espadon was active during The Cold War but has never been involved in a military conflict. Towards the end of the tour you will see the impressive torpedo tubes: they were used regularly, but only for exercise.
Prices – Submarine Espadon |
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|---|---|---|
| Full | Reduced* | Children aged 4-17 |
| €10 | €8 | €5 |
The more you see, the more you save!#’PassPort 4 sites’ combination ticket |
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| Full | Reduced* | Children aged 4-17 |
| €25 | – | €12.50 |
| #Pass Ecluse EOL Centre éolien + Submarine Espadon |
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| Full | Reduced* | Children aged 4-17 |
| €13 | – | €6.50 |
*Reduced price (on presentation of proof): students, job seekers, people with disabilities with one accompanying person
Free admission for children under the age of 4 and annual PASS holders
Where can I buy tickets?
Means of payment: cash, credit card (VISA and Mastercard)
Espadon is located inside the fortified lock, Avenue de la Forme Ecluse, Saint-Nazaire.
There are several car parks close by.
Public transportation:
For further clarification or information, please call +33 (0)2 28 540 640
We are committed to making sure our visitors have the most memorable experience possible. This also involves providing quality services to you at the Admissions desk of the fortified lock.
At the heart of the fortified lock, right next to the Admissions Desk, the newly-equipped shop is waiting for you! A wide selection of gifts, souvenirs, books and games on the theme of submarines, wind power and more broadly the sea, are available for purchase. As for foodies, the shop offers a large array of local and regional products.
We are committed to making sure our visitors have the most memorable experience possible. This also involves providing quality services to you at the Admissions desk of the fortified lock.
At the heart of the fortified lock, right next to the Admissions Desk, the newly-equipped shop is waiting for you! A wide selection of gifts, souvenirs, books and games on the theme of submarines, wind power and more broadly the sea, are available for purchase. As for foodies, the shop offers a large array of local and regional products.
“When visiting Saint-Nazaire it’s worth it to spend an hour and walk through a retired submarine. Kids loved it, parents were impressed”
“Visit of L’Espadon is very interesting for almost anyone, but for those interested in military history it is great, great, great. The audioguide is excellent.”
“How folk lived aboard these things is amazing. We stayed on an extra night just to go aboard. Well worth a visit.”
