Fishermen’s house
A unique sight on the lake and the customs of people living around.
Visit the Fishermen’s House
Situated in the heart of the typical fishermen’s village of Passay, near Nantes in the west of France, The Grand Lieu lake Fishermen’s House is a must-stop to discover the life on the lakeside.
The museum
This museographic space has been created with the help of villagers. It will take you back in time to discover the life of the Passis in the 20th century.
Ethnological resources center of the village, the museum recounts the history and daily life of the Passis from the 1930s to the 1970s : Life on the lakeside, activities and traditional celebrations, relationships between the fishermen and other people around the lake, creation of the cooperative society, hunting, reed weaving, agriculture…
The aquarium and the technical room
Dive into Grand Lieu lake water and discover its aquatic life (fauna and flora) thanks to 15 aquariums (10 000 litres).
In the technical room, you will find traditional boats and fishing tools, either old or new, and still used by today’s professional fishermen.
Stop in one of the rooms and listen carefully to the fishermen’s stories !
The observation tower
It is 12 meters high and provided with professional binocular optics to offer a unique view on the largest lowland lake in France and its nature reserve.
In the central part of the lake, open waters are marked by the presence of floating plants : white and yellow water lilies. These open waters are surrounded by tall reed thickets mainly composed of reeds and willows. Some “levis” or tall reed beds move according to the winds or the variations of water level. All around the lake, we find wet meadows used as pastures or hayfields.
Come back at different times of the year to admire the changes of the lake according to the seasons !
For an unaccompanied visit, an english guide-book is avalaible at the front desk.
Useful information
Opening times
| From April to September | From October to March | French holidays of autumn, Christmas and Winter |
|---|---|---|
| from Tuesday to Sunday : 10:00-12:30 and 14:00 -18:30 | Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday : 14:00-17:30 | from Tuesday to Sunday : 14:00-17:30 |
Last ticket sale 15 minutes before closing.
Closed on bank holidays : May 1st. December 24th, 25th & 31th , January 1st.
Admission prices :
| Self guided visit | Guided visit : Only in French |
|---|---|
| • Full price : 5€ • Reduced price* : 3€ | • Full price : 7€ • Reduced price* : 15€ |
* visitors from 6 to18 years old , students, job seekers, people with disabilities and one accompanying person, groups (minimum 10 pers.)
Free : under 6 years old and tourism professionals
Accessibility :
- Accessible spaces for people with disabilities and strollers : hall, toilets, museographic section, garden, aquarium section, temporary exhibition room.
- Non-accessible space : the observation tower with 50 steps to go up.
- Length of the visit : about 250 meters. 80% accessible.
- Equipement : seats available everywhere.
Access :
How to get to the Grand Lieu lake Fishermen’s House
30 minutes drive from Nantes and 50 minutes from Pornic.
By car : from Nantes périphérique sud, exit at Porte des Sorinières direction Saint Philbert de Grand Lieu, take D178, follow the direction La Chevrolière, and in La Chevrolière follow « Passay » and « Lac de Grand Lieu »
By bus : ALEOP ligne 12 Nantes>Saint Philbert de Grand Lieu. Stop at « Passay » , or « Sacré-Coeur » ( 2,3 km walk)
Carpark : Place des Pêcheurs
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