capitainerie, Île de Versaille, 44000 Nantes

Maz glaz

Name: Maz glaz
Address: capitainerie, Île de Versaille, Nantes, 44000, FR
Rating: 5

Boat stays in Nantes

Presentation

In Nantes, Maz Glaz waits on the calm waters of the Erdre, moored at the quay opposite Île de Versailles. This Dutch motorboat, built in 1986, has kept its age without hiding it: wooden hull, teak deck, brass fittings that have taken on a golden patina over the years. You board via a small gangway, and the setting already changes register: more hotel room than boat, a place you live in for a night or two.

The saloon opens first, bathed in light thanks to its large picture windows overlooking the river. A sofa folds out into a bed for two, beside a kitchenette and a table where you can eat while watching the barges pass in the distance. The floor creaks a little underfoot, but it is precisely that sound that reminds you you are not on solid ground.

Moving toward the stern of the boat, you discover the main cabin: dark wood paneling, period lamps, a double bed where you fall asleep rocked by the lapping against the hull. Its private bathroom, with shower and basin, also retains this old-fashioned charm, with a porcelain basin and polished brass taps from another era. At the bow, a second cabin offers two so-called Breton beds, with its own shower room: enough to accommodate a family or two couples without getting in one another’s way.

In the morning, you have your coffee on the deck, seated on the aft bench, facing the Erdre as it stretches toward the center of Nantes. The view changes with the light: light mist in the early hours, golden reflections at the end of the day. In the evening, Île de Versailles closes its doors to the public, and those sleeping on Maz Glaz find themselves almost alone on this patch of land in the middle of the river, a calm that comes at a price: access to the quay is regulated, and you must arrange a precise arrival time so that the passage can be opened for you. No chance of turning up unexpectedly after a night that runs late in town; it has to be planned, like a tide.

You find that same tranquility after 10 p.m., when silence once again becomes the rule on the neighboring quays. An old lady like this one, with her original wood and brass, should be treated with a little more consideration than a standard room: you close the doors gently, you set down your bags without dropping them. Nothing restrictive, rather a way of living up to the place.

Just a stone’s throw away, Île de Versailles unfolds its Japanese-inspired gardens, and Nantes city center can be reached on foot or by bike in a few minutes, with self-service bike stations never far away. Enough to head out to explore the Machines de l’Île during the day and return in the evening to the sound of the water against the hull.

A tip: arrive before nightfall, so you have time to see the Erdre change color from the deck before the city lights take over.

Summary of a few positive reviews read on the Web

The host remains available at any hour, even for a small problem in the evening.
After the island closes to the public, it is completely quiet; you feel alone on the water.
We were given the keys to the gangways so we could come back late without disturbing anyone.
The kitchen is well equipped and the hot water works perfectly for the shower.
The children saw an otter swimming right next to the boat on the first evening.
The city center is just a few minutes away on foot, which is convenient if you do not want to rely on a car.