Ticket sale opening on October 6th for the Loire Valley daytrip on October 17th. Registration link sent by email.

Afterwork Welcome Party on Thursday, October 8th : join us by registering. Free event ! Details sent by email...

Registration for our next Fall French classes will open on Monday October 5th at 9.30am. The French classes will start on October 19th.

Personalised support and services for free in Nantes

You are a foreign researcher arriving in Nantes ?
We are helping you settling in !
Register to benefit from our services.

Visas – Residence permits

ACCOMMODATION- The House for Foreign Researchers (MCE)

Health insurance

Intercultural programme

Bank account – Taxes

French courses

Family issues

Driving license

The organisation Chercheurs Étrangers à Nantes (Foreign Researchers in Nantes)

With the EURAXESS Services Centre label given by the European Commission, the organisation Chercheurs Étrangers à Nantes provides free and personalised assistance to international researchers (PhD students, postdocs, professors, researchers) and their families settling in Nantes – Saint-Nazaire area and whose host institution is a member of the organisation.

Find out more about us

To benefit from our services, register with ALFRED !

ALFRED is the date base from the EURAXESS France network for foreign researchers in France. Please register so that we get your information and help you to our best. The data is confidential and only accessible by your relevant EURAXESS Services Centre.

Intercultural programme

The Agenda Interculturel is a programme of events prepared by our organisation : cultural outings and social opportunities. Come and meet other foreign researchers living in Nantes !

Daytrip to Loire Valley: renaissance castle, medieval forteress and royal abbey.

Saturday October 17th, 2026 from 7.15 am to 7.15pm

Day Trip to Touraine and its famous Loire Valley (Azay-le-Rideau, Chinon, Fontevraud)

An intense day visiting the Renaissance castle of Azay-Le-Rideau, 2,5 hours from Nantes, in a region designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its vineyards, its castles and its rich historical past.

In the morning, you’ll visit the Renaissance Castle of Azay Le Rideau (built in the 16th century), then discover the medieval fortress of Chinon (built in the 12th century, linked in history to Joanne of Arc, Templars knights, etc) and in the afternoon you’ll visit the Fontevraud abbey (built in the 12th century as well) during a guided visit (in French and in English). Return in Nantes schedules at 7.15pm.

Fee: €29 per person (includes bus transport, castle and abbey entrances, guided visit of the abbey; does not include lunch, admission to the Chinon forteress or any individual activity)

A maximum of one guest per researcher registered with the association.

Online registration is mandatory. The link will be emailed to you by the association in early October.

Tickets go on sale on October 6th, at 6:00 p.m for 2026′ researchers and on October 7th, for all the other researchers.

If the registration site indicates that the event is sold out, please send us an email to be added to the waitlist..

WELCOME DRINK !

Thursday, October 8nd, from 6.30 till 9.30 pm

You’re a researcher (Phd student, post doc, teaching researcher, etc) new to Nantes ? This is your evening !
Come and meet and/or greet fellow international researchers in a friendly atmosphere. You’ll meet the association’s team and discover the Maison des Chercheurs Étrangers (House for Foreign Researchers) !

If you are already familiar with the association and Nantes, feel free to stop by as well to help Soline and Nathalie welcome all the researchers recently arrived in the past weeks or months in our city… you might meet new compatriots !

FREE – researcher’s family or fellow researcher friends welcome (max 1 guest per researcher)

Registration by email mandatory.

Daytrip to South Bretagne : Vannes and Monk Island

Saturday September 19th, 2026 from 8.30 am to 7.30pm

Day Trip to Southern Brittany (Vannes and Île aux Moines)

A day exploring the Gulf of Morbihan, 1,5 hour from Nantes, in a region designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the French people’s favorite destinations.

In the morning, you’ll have free time to explore the historical center of Vannes: former capital of Brittany, this charming little town will captivate you with its cobblestone streets dating back to the Middle Ages, its half-timbered houses, its cathedral, and its fortifications. You will stroll through its streets on a Saturday morning bustling with local market activity.

In the afternoon, the group will take a very short boat ride (5 minutes) on a small ferry across the Gulf of Morbihan, from Port Blanc to Île aux Moines. You’ll then be free to explore the island on your own. Whether you rent a bike or go on foot, whether you’re the active type or prefer to take it easy, everyone will have nearly 3 hours to wander around this Breton gem. You’ll be able to read on the beach or go hiking along the coastal path, explore the small local menhir (standing stones), enjoy a crêpe in the tiny village of the island, or cycle around the whole island.

Feel free to check out the websites to get a sense of these unique Breton landscapes!

Fee: €23 per person (includes bus and boat transportation; does not include lunch, admission to the Château de Vannes, or bike rental or any individual activity)

A maximum of one guest per researcher registered with the association, unless the researcher has children. In that case, the researcher is allowed to reserve additional tickets for his/her child.ren (maximum of 4 tickets total per family).

Online registration is mandatory. The link will be emailed to you by the association in late August.

Tickets go on sale on September 1st, at 6:00 p.m.

If the registration site indicates that the event is sold out, please send us an email to be added to the waitlist..