LE GRAND CAFE

Le Grand Café is an old café dating back to 1864, founded by the father of Aristide Briand, the famous lawyer and politician who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1926. When it opened, it was located in the heart of the town centre of the time, close to the port and the old railway station, a stone's throw from the beach. Until 1969, it continued to be a café, before being used for a variety of commercial activities, including an auction room and a research office, before being bought by the town of Saint-Nazaire in 1994. Since October 1997, Le Grand Café has been an exhibition venue for contemporary artists, who have found a unique working environment in this heritage building, which was spared the destruction of the town in 1943. In 2019, Le Grand Café will be awarded the "Centre d'art contemporain d'intérêt national" label by the French Ministry of Culture.