Seattle's Sister Cities: Nantes, France About Nantes Related Links Sister Cities Blog Entries

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Seattle's Sister City: Nantes, France
	On this episode of the SEATTLE CHANNEL's Sister Cities documentary series, producer Susan Han visits Seattle's Sister City of Nantes, France on the estuary of the Loire River near the Atlantic coast. Nantes is France's 6th largest city, with a growing population of more than a half-million, and much in common with her Pacific Northwest sister.

ABOUT NANTES, FRANCE

SISTER CITIES: THE SEATTLE-NANTES CONNECTION

In Northwest France, along the Loire River and just 2 hours outside Paris by train or 30 minutes by plane, lies Seattle's sister city, Nantes. Since our sister city relationship was established in 1980, the Nantais have considered Seattle not just their sister but their "twin" city, or ville jumelees. In this 30-minute documentary, the Seattle Channel will transport viewers to Nantes for a first-hand look at why France's 6th largest city was recently voted "the most pleasurable and peaceful city to live in France," and what are the ties that connect us.

Seattle and Nantes share some geographical similarities: We're both located on the west coasts of our countries, we're both port cities, we even share similar weather. We share some economic engines as well, with a mutual history of shipbuilding, aerospace and biotechnology. We also share some values, including a commitment to education, healthcare and the environment, as well as support for the arts.

As both cities continue to grow, we also share some challenges. How do we maintain our quality of life while fostering strong economic growth? In this television program, we will look to Nantes for some lessons in urban planning and sustainable development, and profile the innovative Iles de Nantes waterfront project which is helping to revive the vitality of the city. Through interviews with Nantais from all walks of life, we also see how history is being preserved while ensuring the population is ready for 21st century challenges. Indeed, with its population of about half a million, Nantes is a fascinating blend of old and new, inspiration and aspiration, and very much in the midst of a significant transformation.

A little-known fact for most Seattleites is Nantes' connection to slavery. In the 18th century, Nantes gained great economic power as the slave trade capital of France. The documentary explores this controversial piece of history and its impact on the Nantais. In an ironic twist of fate, Nantes was also the gateway of jazz to France, and in 1918, African-American soldiers came to the rescue of the Nantais during World War I, 3 generations after the last slave ship to the Americas left Nantes.

This 30-minute Seattle Channel program, partly historical, partly travelogue, will help bring valuable perspective to Seattleites on air and online about why Nantes and Seattle value their sister city connection and what lessons we can share about preserving the past while trying to create a better future for our citizens in this global economy.

Special Thanks: Production support for this episode was made possible by the following donors:

Air France (http://www.airfrance.com)

Nantes City Hall (http://www.nantes.fr/)

Seattle Nantes Sister City Association, with additional support from Tom Bennett, Jean Leblon, and Dorothy & Richard Lipsky (http://www.seattle-nantes.org/)

RELATED LINKS

• City of Seattle's Nantes Website
• Seattle-Nantes Sister City Association
• Nantes Office of Tourism (English)
• City of Nantes (French)
• Nantes (from Wikipedia)
• Map of Nantes
• New York Times Article on Nantes (8/5/07)
• HistoryLink Essay on Seattle’s Sister City Program