What I've Learned in Two Months Living in Nantes, France

[@devinsilvernail]

For folks commenting on Nantes being a center of criminality, the Minister of the Interior collects national statistics on crime indicators in France. For nearly every indicator, Loire-Atlantique and Nantes are at or below the national average. In several indicators, Nantes is also not even the leading commune in Loire-Atlantique. Crime exists everywhere - even in Nantes, but not to the extent that some comments imply Data set & interactive map can be found here: www.data.gouv.fr/fr/reuses/delinquance-enregistree-au-niveau-departemental-et-communal/

[@tdelioncourt1268]

It's because the situation changed a lot in a few years, it was much safer not long ago and we all grieve it. I'm not from Nantes but all main cities in the west of France has seen it happen. I'm from Lorient and it's the same, I just moved to Rennes and it's okay with me but people who have lived here for a long time have the same frustration about their city.

[@HpPmL]

You shouldn't compare it to national statistics, but compare it with the past instead. Nantes used to be seen as a pleasant and peaceful place, now it's just average in a country that has become the most dangerous in Europe. The change was very quick and people are shocked.

[@devinsilvernail]

@@HpPmL I think that shows the high standard of living in France and Europe, because statistically it's much safer than pretty much everywhere I've lived. That's something people living here should be proud of.

[@highseastrader4190]

​@@devinsilvernailwe can't be proud of such a bad evolution... Quality of living is falling down these days, thanks to leftist policy.

[@AlexSky44]

@@HpPmL Nantes was seen that way because a few years ago we had 2 times less police officers and 2 times less security cameras in the streets. The city center has always been dangerous at times, and i find it far less dangerous nowadays with always 1 or 2 police vehicules around than it was 15 years ago... It's not that the crime rate raised it's more that more crimes are caught on camera or directly by officers operating. Le quartier du bouffay was already seen as super dangerous at night 20 years ago, and i won't start talking about what was the Quai de la Fosse in the 80's or le Quai des Antilles before all these pubs and restaurants appeared there.

[@Flobyby]

It's refreshing to find a video like this about an American immigrant who recognises himself as an immigrant and also recognises that the quality of life they find in France isn't some cultural gimmick but actual politics

[@Jehauvv88]

Politique d'extreme gauche!

[@oOHiggsFieldOo]

i live about 1 hour from Nantes, welcome to France, welcome to Loire-Atlantique, it's very refreshing to hear from people like you who actually love and appreciate what our country can offer. There's so much French bashing everywhere (sometimes well deserved but sometimes not at all) that it's great for once to have the happy side. Hope you and your family will do great here. enjoy your time as much as possible.

[@devinsilvernail]

Thank you! The people of this region have all been so warm.

[@fallingphoenix2341]

I live in the Netherlands, to me French politics seems beyond comprehension. Sometimes your Macron said something, your fishermen stopped the Dutch electroshock fishing, and the French sometimes have large violent protests, but that's about it. I couldn't tell you if that Algerian quasi Nazi's daughter, who is your Geert Wilders is up in the polls for the elections this week!

[@isabelleaupetit7059]

Il n'existe pas de Geert Wilder en France??? vous confondez peut être avec la Belgique

[@alganis3339]

@@fallingphoenix2341 French here and most of time my own politics is beyond my comprehension. Let's say that since the last presidential election nothing worked (Tbf before either) because Macron don't have any majority/legitimacy in the parliament so the street became the best way to show our opinions. Twenty years ago our political system moved from a semi parliamentary system to a full presidential system because most of the time the president have the majority but Macron was the first to not have it so he didn't have full power. The RN (Bardella - MLP) have been up in the polls mostly because of the fact that more than 50% of elector didnt vote. The election in three weeks will be more important to show how french people are voting.

[@Alex-mp1zb]

@@fallingphoenix2341 The "Nazis" are not where you think they are. Where have you seen Nazis? Are you so gullible as to believe what official propagandists (radio and TV) tell you to believe? Do you know what a Nazi is? You should think twice and ask yourself why there are Geert Wilders all over Europe now... People are getting fed of an undemocratic EU Commission. The French and the Dutch rejected the Treaty of Maastricht in 2005 and what did their politicians do? They ignored the polls and signed the treaty aimed at destroying EU nations and submit to Berlin. Why did the British leave the EU? Are they Nazis?

[@MrSebfrench76]

L'interêt de videos d'expats (de qualité, comme celle-ci), est de me confirmer que , ouais, on est vachement bien en France, et qu'il faut un regard extérieur pour s'en convaincre, tant nous n'avons de cesse de nous dénigrer.

[@devinsilvernail]

Merci beaucoup pour votre message. Je suis content de savoir que je peux donner l'espoir. Comme une autre américaine, Joséphine Baker, a déjà dit. J'ai deux amours; mon pays et la France. Je suis vraiment content d'habiter ici et d'avoir l'opportunité de partager mes expériences. Merci encore pour votre message !

[@MrSebfrench76]

@@devinsilvernail Votre français est meilleur que le mien....

[@emmanuelbuu7068]

@@devinsilvernail vous nous donnez bc d'espoir. Ce regard positif des étatsuniens nous nourrit.

[@carashoupi]

On est trop bien ici

[@Tetsuo6995]

Complétement d'accord ! Par contre, il va falloir se battre pour garder ce modèle. La France tourne assez clairement vers la droite et hélas ces modèles basés sur la solidarité l'entraide seront les premiers attaqués. On bien vu la dégradation des services publiques (en particulier l’hôpital ) ces dernières années et ce n'est pas un hasard. C'est une politique gouvernementale. On supprime aussi la redevance télé, ce qui pour moi annonce le souhait de tuer la télévision publique. De nombreux américains apprécient la place plus faible de la publicité dans notre pays... mais si il n'y a plus de télé publique les choses vont rapidement changer... Tout ça ne tient qu'à un fil et "l'américanisation" de notre sphère politique à mon sens est bien réél. Les politiques en france ont compris les recettes qui marchent à l'étranger et le mette en pratique en France : Xénophobie, peur de l'autre, peur de manquer, jalousie... De bon leviers qui ont élu Trump et qui éliront maintenant de nombreux populistes dans toute l'Europe.

[@nolannbinet904]

This is my second year in Nantes (I'm originally from Reunion Island) and I hadn't realized just how important the work of pedestrianizing the city had been. I work near Place Gralins and was stunned when you showed the photos of what it looked like before. Btw your videos are great!

[@devinsilvernail]

It's incredible, right? Such a big change. Thanks for your comment!

[@renesiles8723]

Thank you for this. I am French, been living in the US for almost 40 years, and, man, do I miss home and its values. I learned a lot in my stay in the US, having the real privilege to stand with the poor and racial minorities. I have learned to appreciate solidarity and compassion, values I took for granted in my youth.

[@averynicemoose7688]

I was born and raised in Nantes, loved to see your perspective on my hometown. Hope you and your family enjoy you time here :)

[@psour33]

Did the exact opposite years ago. Left Nantes and went to Seattle for ten years. I'm now retired to went back to France (though with an American wife). I really enjoyed my time in Seattle.

[@TimTamTtime]

I’ve been living in Nantes for three years, and sadly, I’m leaving in a week. I’ve lived all over France, but Nantes is my favourite city. I’m originally from Canada, but I feel much more at home in France, despite the large amounts of paperwork here.

[@kimjosebalade]

Thank you :) I've been living in Nantes for the past 5 years, and I love the island neighbourhood where the river is at the center of things. And I also agree with you that insecurity is way overplayed. I feel safe here

[@ciconia9159]

Born east of France, I live 35 minutes from Nantes in a small town of 11,000 inhabitants. I like Nantes, but I'm not a "city dweller". Nantes is always very festive in the evenings and weekends, and there are always good concerts at Le Ferrailleur and friendly pubs like Au Chien Stupide. There are so many things to do in Nantes. I prefer Sud-Loire and Rezé. I come to Nantes from time to time because where I live, I am closer to the countryside, and I have everything I need within a 300-meter radius, three boulangeries, three pharmacies, a supermarket, pubs, restaurants, a post office, a train station, doctors, etc. Enjoy Nantes!

[@22jo222]

Bonjour, do you live close enough that you can get the train or bus home after a night out ? I’m looking to move close to Nantes (from Centre, Eure et Loir) but it seemed like public transport stopped running quite early in the evening. Merci.

[@Verdigri]

C'est vrai qu'en tant que Nantais, j'ai tendance à voir avant tout les problèmes de la ville ; mais malgré tout, pour rien au monde je m'imagine vivre ailleurs qu'ici. Bienvenue parmi nous !

[@lolololo4496]

Try Rennes :-)

[@BaguetteBound]

Thank you for making this video!! 😊 I feel like there is a disconnect in my home country of the US in understanding what social policies actually look like in action for everyday life. This video brings it to life. Every day I'm gateful for so many small things that work well in France because of these policies.

[@Audrey-mh1pq]

Thank you for showing our city in such a beautiful angle! I traveled a lot and came back to my hometown, its a great place indeed and even after all those years i still look at it in owe sometimes ! Was lovely to watch ❤ and Welcome 🤗

[@nertis2408]

Having lived in Nantes for 6 years for my studies and now living in Paris (working for bicycle infrastructures), I don't why your video felt special to me, thank you for sharing that

[@flowmariam9942]

Did you study dentistery ?

[@NoseborN]

I'm so glad you love it here. I was born in Nantes and lived there my entire life. I have a really hard time finding another city as welcoming as Nantes. Happy to have you and your family in our little-big community.

[@AW-tz6fb]

Very interesting to hear about your experience - thank you!

[@yugnatata]

If you like Nantes, you should check out Rennes, it's less than an hour train ride from Nantes.

[@Dead-nf2nd]

I was born, raised and still living in Nantes, and it warms my heart that people from other places appreciate my town :) Welcome to Nantes and I hope you will have many good times here !

[@bensteele5801]

How do you still only have 2k subscribers😢. You make some of the best content I've seen on urbanism and your commentary on community engagement is so refreshing.

[@devinsilvernail]

Aw thanks! I really appreciate that.

[@Pensées_depuis_mon_balcon]

I have been in Paris for 1.5 years, it is just a wonderful place to live.

[@ewencousin]

At 2:35 is a music studio for rehearsal ! Much music in Nantes, festivals, jam sessions, live music clubs, and so on.

[@devinsilvernail]

I love it. I came from a town with a long history of music - especially street music and it really makes me happy to know that Nantes is so full of music. 🙂🎵

[@rroman429]

I live at 20 minutes from Nantes, I moved here 5 years ago with my family and I can say that is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve been and every year changes for the better, the people here are very nice and friendly. I have a lot of friends in Nantes and we go out wherever we can, with them I can say that it’s like home again after all those years and I love it!

[@devinsilvernail]

Yes! I feel this exactly. I've only lived here for 5 months now, but I really love the people in this city. So kind, so friendly, and truly good humored. It does feel like home and I feel lucky to live here.

[@mocdonald]

Nice to see the city from an another perspective ❤

[@brice6704]

I really liked this video! Thanks for sharing your insights. To be honest we tend to take a lot of these things for granted over here but forget the amount of time and effort it took to get there. The system is far from perfect and we still have long ways to go though... Wishing you a smooth transition to France, best wishes from Strasbourg

[@devinsilvernail]

Thanks! It takes a lot of effort and France isn't perfect, but I think it's that lack of perfection that makes some of its cities places to look for inspiration from a North American perspective. Love Strasbourg, by the way. It's a beautiful city.

[@xfennec]

La vidéo est chouette, et le message l'est encore plus. Merci de nous rappeler l'importance de ce qui nous semble des évidences ❤ Soyez les bienvenus à Nantes !

[@FlyingOverTr0ut]

Great video. I'm so glad to see you're still encouraging people in America to mobilize in support of transit and humane cities.

[@DeanRamser]

Bonjour! Excellent video. We are retired educators from Portland. We just finished a long stay in Europe: 5 months helping a new school open in Lvivv, one month in Krakow learning about WWII, and a month in Tallinn. My focus as an educator remains on/for social justice, Socratic dialogue, engaging discourse, and access to services like healthcare, public transportation, and walking distance to markets. Although we prefer the sunny shores of the South of France when we move there in the fall, Nantes looks amazing!! Merci beaucoup! Dean & Cindy

[@devinsilvernail]

Wow that's amazing! Definitely keep Nantes in the running. It's a great place for us PNW folks and it definitely fits your interests. If you can handle the clouds and the rain, come on over! 🙂

[@DeanRamser]

@@devinsilvernail Thank you for the reply. I grew up in LA and Cindy in PDX; our favorite places were Seal Beach, Long Beach, and Santa Barbara. Toulon seems affordable and sunny. Nantes has many amazing qualities, but the clouds and rain are less inviting than near the sea. We will visit many beautiful places in France and beyond once we are there! Thank you!!

[@TheEnneite]

@@DeanRamser Hi, unfortunately toulon is a mostly far right, so if you're looking for social justice more than nice weather, south east France might not be your best option

[@DeanRamser]

@@TheEnneite Bonjour! I heard that south of France is far right, but is it crazy stupid like the MAGAts in the US? I remember when conservatives had a different perspective than progressives, but both shared the same reality. Is it the same in France? Or will this Berkeley grad and his bride feel ostracized by the locals? Merci beaucoup! Dean & Cindy

[@DeanRamser]

@@TheEnneite Bonjour again. We are now looking at renting a studio apt near Paris. It's more accessible to the things that matter to us as retired folks. Far-right is not for us (Go Bears! referring to my undergrad at UC Berkeley). Merci beaucoup! Dean & Cindy

[@luchiola8098]

I did my engineering school in Nantes, and in france we have nothing to be shy in term of great education, for a fraction of the cost in the us.

[@KelsandQuentin]

such a lovely life you have curated for yourself and your family. well done and best of luck to you!

[@fiatascari]

Been Nantes twice it has to be the best city I have ever been too. I think it’s all the little things like follow the line around the city to the most hospitable people you could ever hope to meet. Been Irish they say Ireland is a welcoming place but Nantes is on a different level.

[@Matt-La-Malice]

As a Nantais, I wish you all the best in this magnificent city!

[@wobniar_c1303]

I've been living in Nantes for a few years (ever since my BAC), and I'm happy to learn about others' POVs on this city! :D There are truly some gorgeous gardens, some lovely cafés, etc etc...

[@Gareth.W]

Welcome to France from a fellow immigrant (albeit from another European country, not from America). I'm glad you're settling in so well so quickly. It's been 4 years since we arrived, and i don't regret it in the slightest. Bonne continuation.

[@kutun1]

Bro I believe in everything you are saying !! I am coming to France in October, would love to meet you and talk about a lot of things !!

[@Xaintailles]

Just got your video recommended to me, very interesting take. My partner and me are French and just came back from a 10+year long stay in The Netherlands, and decided to settle in Nantes as well. Very interesting take!

[@devinsilvernail]

Welcome home! Hope you enjoy it here in Nantes too. 🙂

[@Camilodigiorgi]

I lived in Nantes for a year between 1995 and 1996 and it was wonderful. I can't wait to come back there next year (2025), 30 years (!) after living this dream I had to leave to finish my college and I never had the opportunity to come back. Sometimes I remember the smell of places, the university cafeteria, or the sound and sensation of the tramway. Enjoy!!

[@thomasin2000]

It's so surreal seeing the neighborhood you live in in a video... Anyways, welcome to Nantes, hope you enjoy this very charming city !

[@bobco85]

While it's sad that you had to leave Seattle, I'm glad you have found a better life that works better for you and your family. Thank you for still making videos that are encouraging and promote social activism.

[@dipenpatel5204]

thanks for sharing! you're in a unique position as someone immigrating from the US so thank you for sharing about your experience.

[@picsou002]

I'm from the countryside of France in Vendee and I moved to Nantes six years ago for university. I can only say how amazing and beautiful this city is. I love going to the stunning parks or going to the boulangerie by walking ! The architecture is so beautiful in the downtown it almost make you forget how Nantes accumulated its wealth! I love the sight of the Erdre and the Loire when I walk by them. Also the various green spaces where you can just lay down during a warm afternoon. The castle of Nantes (Des ducs de bretagne) and the museum inside it is absolutely amazing too!! I love how you can go to Trentemoult by boat with public transportation and almost feel like you're in the countryside again. This city has many cons too, but I only had good experiences within the years living there. I'm glad you were able to see how nice this city is!

[@aurorefffff]

I'm French and Nantes is one of the nicest places in the whole country, no matter how humble Nantais people are about it

[@antoinegx-9185]

C’est aussi passé d’une ville plutôt sûre voire même exemplaire à une des 5 villes avec le plus gros indice de criminalité d’Europe en seulement quelques années, aujourd’hui ça va un peu mieux mais bon il y a beaucoup plus de chance que ça s’aggrave que ça redevienne comme avant

[@devinsilvernail]

C'est vraiment intéressant. De temps en temps, j'ai des commentaires à propos du crime à Nantes. J'ai passé beaucoup de temps ici depuis 2016 et maintenant, j'habite ici. J'avais vu aucun crime. Quand les gens parlent du crime, c'est quel type ? Vrai question. Peut être c'est une question de perspective. La France est déjà relativement sécurisée dans mes yeux, et surtout Nantes. Merci pour votre commentaire.

[@TheEnneite]

@@devinsilvernailIt is largely a far right obsession about Nantes, a city where they amount very little in votes compared to the rest of France. It is also a gentryfied vision of the city, forgetting about its industrial and major harbour past, which was not without violence. Nantes is a city, with city problems, ie drug traficking and home jacking. It's true but it's never been the quaint little town some are fantazing about. The far right obsession about the security situation in Nantes is also connected with the new airport project in Notre Dame des Landes and how the left protested against it. The ZAD (for Zone A Defendre) concept was born here, adding new protest means into a long standing unionist local tradition. Nantes and Paris are the two cities in France where normal policing rules don't apply : we have an exception law applied to us. To quell protests. Especially in their more riotous/bilduing tagging form. It is the result of nearly two decades of brutal police repression that sees this city as an experementing ground for new tools and repressive tactics the police gets one goverment after the other. But the problem lies mostly elsewhere : access to quality housing, quality education, equality of opportunity, equality towards the law and police... Decades of radicalised capitalist politics and an ingrained racism that we seem unable to shake from colonial times have damaged public services in France and deepened the divide between the most priviledged and the working class. In consequence, even in Nantes, the disenfranchised grow in number despite (I'll grant you that) a more than average generous local way of doing things.

[@devinsilvernail]

@@TheEnneite Thank you for this very thorough explanation. It seems like the right wing everywhere is reading from the same playbook. It's interesting to hear about the history as well and to hear about the issues that the city currently faces. These are similar to those in the US. Much appreciated.

[@samuelg9115]

@@devinsilvernailIl y a beaucoup de petits crimes de rue, surtout la nuit, du genre vol avec violences. En tant qu'étudiant là-bas, j'ai appris quels endroits éviter.

[@markt4297]

Hi Devin, thanks for info on Nantes. I found ur vid as I was looking at a map trying to find a place in France to move to next year. I use to live on Anderson Island near DuPont, WA. I hope to see more vids from you. Look at Wise for banking. Their home office is in UK. Easy to transfer $ in any currency & low cost. Also the have a no fee ATM card.

[@lmb87]

Great video. From a someone living a car free life in Nantes as well :)

[@junquette3000]

Thanks, Devin! You've reminded me why we moved here. Hope to run into you!

[@BlackFox91]

I moved to Nantes (well at 15km) 8 years ago, after living in Paris and the suburbs my whole life. I was amazed by the city. I don't know I get used to it or if the city changed but a lot of friend or colleagues have had problem with delinquency at night at the beginning, but also during the day now. Nantes is still a nice place but, living outside of it, I prefer to go out in others smaller towns of the department.

[@CafeLu]

Nice to hear about Nantes!

[@MHDebidour]

I am from South France and I love visiting Nantes, its a very nice city

[@lovepilie]

Welcome to Nantes ! It is indeed a friendly city, and has been one of the best cities to live in for a good while now :) It seems like we live in the same neighborhood, do ask if you need help with anything :)

[@BruceHamilton]

Wow beautiful and well made

[@Maximusdecimus649]

Welcome to France !

[@davejohnston5158]

It looks like they are joining the dots in Nante. Is would be interesting to find out how much the green projects have cost to see if it remotely economically sustainable. Seattle to Nante has to be a good move just avoid the bad weather in Seattle.

[@devinsilvernail]

Yeah their budget in general is less than half that of Seattle, but one of these days I have to dig into it. That would be interesting for sure. In terms of weather, out one of my windows it's raining and the other is blue sky, if that gives an idea. 😂😉

[@mookieyomu7285]

Hi there! I stumbled upon your video by complete accident. But as a frenchman living in Nantes, I find it very interesting to have some newcomer's insight on this fantastic city. If you wanna practice french or even have some questions about daily life in Nantes, feel free to hit me up!

[@pierreernoult]

As a French, I always told my young fellow citizens to move in the US only if they plan to be really rich and are ready to work hard for that.

[@markjoseph5429]

I have been living in France for 32 years and I have enjoyed every minute of it. I never go back to America.

[@timbofromkeno]

I come back this video once a month. My partner and I just moved to Nantes a week ago. Would love to connect if you're interested. Thanks Devin!

[@zefyrisd69]

Hey, welcome to the world capital of the roundabouts. Nowhere else in the world has as many as Nantes, and it isn't close. We've got them in all flavours; square roundabouts, rectangles, ovals, peanut shaped, double roundabouts, triple roundabouts, with tram lines crossing in the middle or not, the Loire Atlantique alone has half as many roundabouts as the entirety of the USA :P.

[@puccaland]

The Orca card in Seattle is nothing like the Naolib. The Orca card is simply a card you put money on it and they deduct the price after every ride then you need to charge it again when it's running out of money. Anybody can use it. The Nantes Pass is an unlimited monthly or yearly pass giving unlimited access to the public transportation system. Different prices for different categories so people have to prove their income status or their personal situation, it's issued in a specific name, only the owner can use it, his picture is on the pass.

[@devinsilvernail]

Orca has these options too. The wallet is a bonus, but most people get a monthly pass. Theoretically, you can share your card, but you're not supposed to. To be fair, I love having my little picture on my card and that with my naolib card I can access bicloo garages and bicloo bikes. That's a huge bonus.

[@puccaland]

@@devinsilvernail The Orca lift is an option indeed but subjected to conditions. That's not the de facto option like in Nantes. So there is less screening to do.

[@samermasri6006]

I’m living in Nantes with my wife and we’ve been for the last 8 years, amazing calm city and we love it even though the crime rate went up in the last two years but still a good place to be. Would love to meet sometimes 😊

[@roumiaou]

That video was great, concise, witty. You chose the right town. Stay there, don't go southward.

[@ilkedusmez2055]

Hi there, we are movung to Nantes with our 16mths old. We will be looking for apartment when we arrive in 1week. Which area do you guys live and where would you recommend to live with a kid?

[@cleardarkness888]

I actually did expect this video to be about socialism. I understand this because as a Canadian, this is exactly what I am looking for outside of my own country. US politics have downgraded the political climate of the entire planet, unfortunately.

[@puccaland]

There is virtually no socialist country. Even Russia and China aren't socialist. So good luck in your quest. Obvisouly what happens in America doesn't have any influence in Europe in terms of standard of living and quality of life.

[@Franck-ju5zu]

Thank you to make me like my country again.a frog from UK!!

[@gerardsoler1713]

​​@@puccaland perhaps you should study what happened in 1945-46 in France, the creation of the social security. The largest communist accomplishment in Europe, aside a capitalist policy in other parts of our economy. Still existing, even if the US Atlas foundation and its people here are about to make it fall apart. I hope we'll find a way to resist.

[@cleardarkness888]

@@puccaland You’re right that pure socialist countries are rare, and even places like Russia and China have mixed economic systems. My focus is more on countries with strong social programs and safety nets, like those in Northern Europe. While America’s politics may not directly impact Europe’s standard of living, global politics DO influence international policies and economic stability. I’m just looking for a place with values and systems that prioritize social welfare and equality.

[@puccaland]

@@cleardarkness888 These countries are social democrats. Policies on welfare are not international policies but domestic policies and are applied even when a country isn't strong economically if they want to. Developing countries also try to redistribute the wealth to the citizens, create more fair and balanced societies etc. It's a matter of will not a matter of economic situation.

[@guizscarr]

As a french person who lived abroad and came back to france , this video struck me. I've been living in Nantes for aprox 4 years now and this city doesn't seem all THAT "socialist" on our scale. Accessible public transport, multiple education strucutres, hospitals, social services etc are actually considered as on a downfall : lack of fundings, lack of coherent public policies... I mean you have certainly expierenced the tram being shutdown due to our strickes ! Thanks for sharing your point of view, it's always healthy and productive to see what others think about our city !

[@mastochabou62]

Without comparing to the US cities, Nantes in France is known for its quality of life. So part of your finding is due to average French way of life and the other oart is due to local politics. All cities in France have begun a process of improving living conditions.

[@baptistelambert1093]

Very nice video but it really sounds like an order from the mayor of Nantes... I am glad you enjoy your life here and it is refreshing to have the perspective of a foreigner on Nantes, but for a someone who has live most of his life in this city, I can tell you that it has considerably changed in the past few years and not always for the best. Not everything is the responsability of the mayor of Nantes but there are things, considering security especially, which were denied by the authorities who refused to handle the problem like it should be. I saw your pined comment and the numbers and stats can show whatever, what is real is the dayly experience of people actualy living their life in this city since decades. And beside some people who don't have to face some reality or use certain part of the city, every body who live in Nantes since more that 10 years will tell you that they are less safe now than before. And it is not just a felling fed by medias, there are actual events that happen in the life of people which were not happening before. There are people who are visibly making trouble in public places which were not there not so long ago. Yes Nantes is still a really nice city th live in and many good things were done by the authorities to make life of people nicer (transport, cultural events...) but you cannot say that everything is fine and it is thanks to socialism.

[@devinsilvernail]

Thanks for your comment. I appreciate your perspective. I don't think Nantes is a utopia. That's for sure. It's a really nice city. Not perfect, but nicer than anywhere I've ever lived. When I mention crime statistics in my pinned comment, I'm not trying to say that your experience is invalid, but rather that France overall is a very safe country. That's thanks to public policy and it's thanks to the way people here view their place in society, and it's something to be very proud of. Nantes may indeed have more visible crime (drug dealing for example) than before and if you're used to a place with such a high level of security, any change is a big deal. Coming from a place like America, where sh**tings happen all the time, everywhere, Nantes is a breath of fresh air. I don't have to worry about the words that I say to my daughter before school being the last thing I ever say to her. I don't have to worry about someone using their vehicle to end my life on purpose (which is sadly not uncommon in America). I don't have to worry about the guy walking into my work who feels disgruntled about the government doing something that makes the news that night. These stresses add up, and for now, I don't have them in Nantes. It feels truly safe here compared to anywhere else I've lived. That's thanks to you. That's thanks to your neighbors. It's also thanks to the general stability of the municipal government over the past couple decades. Again, my comments are more about how Nantes is the type of city that everyone deserves. Most people aren't so lucky. I hope that makes sense. Thanks again for your comment and for welcoming me to this great city.

[@pno]

i only clicked to this video because i have lived in France Bretagne specifically for over 15 years & come to Nantes often only 1 hour away haha

[@pierreglory9623]

Hi ! I live in Nantes for 8 years now, and overall I really enjoy it. Nice to see that you understand how cities like this one come from, because yeah, it's all about politics. Feel free to reach if you want to hang out, discuss, debate ! I always love to meet people, and I have to improve my English :D

[@sevenofzach]

Thanks for sharing, i have a friend who lived in France for 5 years don't research. He probably would have felt more connected if he learned conversational French

[@devinsilvernail]

It makes things a lot easier but I can imagine how isolating it would feel to live here without knowing the language. That must be difficult. I hope he still had some good experiences though.

[@matthieumailly2290]

"... including small villages in the countryside" proceeds to show a 14k town, 4h back-and-forth in bike. I always love the way americans displays the dramatically difference in scale they're used to. Welcome to Nantes, btw !!

[@devinsilvernail]

Ha yes. The scale is very different. To be fair I have done parts of the Loire à Vélo since this video and have gone through much smaller places. 😂 Thanks for the welcome.

[@puccaland]

There is nothing leftist about having good schools in every neighbourhood, that's how the system is framed nationwide since school is free in France (18th century). Actually social housing falls under the national law, not the local law, all towns like Nantes have to provide 25% social housing but Nantes, which is a left wing city, is lagging behind pretty bad. Whatever you see right now is them trying to catch up to respect the law. Towns not meeting the requirements in terms of social housing are taxed. Same with making the city bike and pedestrians friendly. That's a nationwide movement which has nothing to do with left wing or right wing.

[@mike4523]

It’s left-wing from the point of view in US, but maybe `normal/national’ from point of view of France. for example, in the US any town/city with any bike infrascture would be considered left of the Us-center

[@TheEnneite]

Well.... Nantes isn't doing enough, that's true. But its population has sky rocketed in the past 20 years and the city has difficulty coping with the pressure it generates on housing. Its not doing too bad, with 22.1% of social housing. Still, it fells short of the 25% target. COVID and inflation also took their toll on that front, delaying programs or making them more expensive. BUT saying that social housing has nothing to do with the political leanings of the local majority is a massive stretch! Right wing mayored towns in the metropole are always below left leaning mayored towns in social housing, irrelevant of the town size.

[@puccaland]

@@TheEnneite The population in Nantes has skyrocketed unlike where? The towns run by conservatives? Ah no sorry the population skyrocketed in those towns all the same. The Covid and all the economic crises happened everywhere and hit everybody. The left wing mayored town are historically towns with a higher working class thus a higher demand for social housing back in the days thus a bigger park of social housing to start from. There is no correlation between the political leaning and the construction of social housing since the national law was implemented. Nantes has been a big left wing city for a long time and if it had a real social housing policy it would show by now. Many towns which are right wing did more than Nantes in that department.

[@gaetanauffret9064]

Ty for sharing your pov, and describing how city policies can change drastically people's life, aside from national policies, I'm so glad you like your life in Nantes :) I lived almost all my life in Loire-Atlantique, and that's great that you realize how the city of Nantes changed along the years. However, I must bring a nuance here, in that matter of what socialism brought to Nantes. You showed the street betwenn place royale and le cours des 50 otages, and this exemple, the architecture was prior to the introduction of socialists mayors. Sure they did a lot recently to improve pedestrian and bike travel, but the vast majority of the history and cultural heritage of Nantes was brought by monarchist, duchy, or republican influence, and socialism recently joined the effort in making Nantes a great city.

[@andyxvalerio]

Hey men I live in Nantes too! We should get to meet one day !

[@kalisasalvator4757]

yes ! i'm from france and i was talking with my american cousin about the amount of bookshop in france. She was very impressed and was talking about french culture. But the reason why there is so many bookshop in france is because there is a lot of politics reasons !! Nothing happens (specially in the field of the commerce) without good politics...

[@lindylee1139]

How did you choose Nantes as your place to move in France?

[@devinsilvernail]

We'd spent a lot of time visiting Nantes over the past few years. We have family all over France, and visited a lot of different cities. None ever felt like home. Nantes just feels different. Similar enough to where I grew up, but people are nicer here. I have a vision impairment and it is also easy for me to get around by bike or walking, which is a bonus. .There's also a lot of big city amenities but with a small-town community feel.

[@KopsiCS2]

you should visit trentemoult, that's a really atypic area

[@devinsilvernail]

Thanks! I'm looking forward to doing some exploring in the surrounding areas this summer. 🙂

[@momohmart]

Thanks for the video. I saw your other video about moving to France. If not too pesonal, I'm wondering if you're there on a long stay visa (1 year) or some other type? I've been strongly considering for the last year.

[@devinsilvernail]

Hey! Thanks for the comment. Yes, I'm on a 1 year visa long séjour/titre de séjour. It seems like that's the way to go with renewal for a longer visa at the end of the first year. I definitely recommend it.

[@momohmart]

Thanks. That's good to know. Glad France is treating you and your fam well! I'll be watching more!

[@TheEnneite]

@@momohmart There is a large amount of white privilege in being treated that way non westerners are usually denied any form of visa (not even long term).

[@Eclepanthuliarist]

ou made me love Nantes, city that i don't like that much, hi from rennes !

[@jonasweber9408]

It’s sad 😢 that Americans still have only two choices when it comes to the elections… And socialism is still understood as 1950’ Stalinism When even the right in france is socialist too… I really love the fact you went to Nantes and not directly to Paris, the experience is very different and ressembles more to living in NYC 😅 Hello from france, take care

[@piggehpumped7959]

No idea how you found so much sunshine in Nantes, everytime i have been there wasn't hahaha. You should try Rennes it's amazing too

[@highseastrader4190]

If you find downtown Nantes safe at night, Seattle's safety level must be horrendous 😅

[@Jehauvv88]

Video for gullible Americans who know nothing about the terrible state of France, the insecurity et the crime rate. This guy is typical Leftist, from Seattle, now a sh.thole, to Nantes.

[@hopedespair8920]

what r u on about openin a french bank account is literally so easy i went to BNP Paribas with all my documents and they made me my bank that day and i received my debit card too also taxes are done automatically if u work in France with a French contract

[@devinsilvernail]

Lol man I'm jealous. It wasn't an easy process for me. I opened my first bank account in the US when I was 14 in about 15 minutes. This was, by contrast, a different experience. However, all is good once it is set up.

[@hopedespair8920]

@@devinsilvernail u should have tried BNP Paribas bank i went there n they tookall my documents n then created by bank account n i gotmy debit card it was really easy for me. If u don't mind me asking what bank did you open account? I also don't get the taxes part if u work in France n have a French contract then ur tax is automatically deducted from your payment u don't really have to do anything about tax. ya maybe once a year u look at the impots website to verify something or maybe u get money back or something like that but its not that hard just wisitiing the website.

[@thoms44]

as a long time nantais, local government care more about puting trees in some random places than security in public transport or hygiene outside of the dowtown area

[@bryanlejeune8132]

Only problem is the weather, so much rain in Nantes, but coming from Seattle I suppose it wasn't a big change lol

[@devinsilvernail]

Ha. Exactly!

[@maxzimodoevsky]

I’ve been residing in Nantes for about 2 years, living in the city centre right near the Château des Ducs de Bretagne. If you ever want to make friends with an English-speaking person, be my guest.)

[@arthurbarber7546]

I have read that Nantes is the greenist city in France. .

[@ahorsewithnoname6614]

Mouai y a toujours des rues/quartiers craignos mais comme partout. Globalement ça reste une chouette ville

[@MrRoberSerker]

C'est vrai que je ne m'attendais pas (venant d'un américain) à des louanges du socialisme mais je dois dire que ça fait du bien! Good job! Et Bienvenue :)

[@ahah1785]

im checking out Nantes due to its excellent weather year round and im sure people are as well. Now all i need to do is to learn French....yeah.../sigh

[@Zantrop64]

4:09 As you said : "Nantes is f*ding* awesome" I'd like to leave a word for people who find this video and some might get the idea that anywhere in france is fine : do some research on the specific village/town/city/region you're settling in. Some places are sold to the far right since a long time and just existing as a poc, a queer person, a disabled person etc might not be as chill as in Nantes. Also Nantes has a really good public transit system made of buses, trams, generous bike paths and lanes, but this is far from being the case everywhere. The south east, the azure coast, is basically impossible to travel without a car. Be curious, have empathy and take care of yourselves

[@NapoleanThePug]

I wasn't expecting a coherent explanation of the political landscape in the US when I clicked on a video on life in Nantes, France. Good video!

[@sebmaz1760]

Comme partout Nantes a ses problèmes. Mais la qualite de vie moyenne est bien superieure a beaucoup d'endroits dans la monde! Ok je suis un peu chauvin car Nantais depuis 50 ans! Quand on voyage un peu on se rend vite compte que la France c pas mal du tout.

[@kamix2492]

Your video is very interesting because in France Nantes is really saw as a dangerous city because of immigration, leftists or something (that what all right and alt right people say) I don't personally live in Nantes so I think I'll never really know but your video really made me think different about this city. How different people can perceive this city so differently?

[@devinsilvernail]

Thanks for your comment. 🙂 I think you've really highlighted something. It's all about perception. I'm from a nation of immigrants. I myself am an immigrant. I've been homeless in America and spent much of my career working with homeless people. A person being different doesn't make them dangerous. That is an ideology peddled by the right wing around the world, but the solid truth is that most crimes are committed by people who live in houses and are citizens of the country they live in. That's just basic math. I hope you can get a chance to visit Nantes in the future to see how beautiful it is and how genuinely nice the people are. This is a really lovely place to live.

[@undefinedfr-fr]

Never heard of Nantes as a dangerous city to live in. I guess that it's only a view among some people scared of « gauchistes » that live in a world that is not always the reality.

[@______________o______________]

It’s frankly bullshit. Nantes have the same issues than any city of this size, not more, not less. It’s just a target for the far right people because it’s been governed by leftists for decades (and inhabitants continue to vote for them at every election) and so it’s just a city that shows how it is when the left have the power : it works and it’s more enjoyable. Also, it happens that one of the most popular far right evangelist in France (Pascal Praud, an ex-football commentator who calls himself a journalist) is an ex Nantais so he very much likes to sell his theory of Nantes becoming a "leftist hell" full of violent migrants. For multiple and complex geopolitical reasons, France have gained a lot of immigrants in the last decade so there are more of them in Nantes. But not more than any other French city. Yes it’s sometimes causing some issues, but Nantes is trying to solve them and I personally already see improvements.

[@undefinedfr-fr]

@@kamix2492 I'm french and I never heard of Nantes as a dangerous city but as a nice attractive city with housing prices rising accordingly, a cultural life, etc.

[@dwc1964]

Your Red Vienna video just came across my algorithm, and I'm working backwards through your videos. Love to hear the "S" word! I'm in the ballot-qualified socialist party in California, Peace and Freedom. *The working class needs its own party.* I've been watching DSA squander its resources and talent in its decades-long attempt to take over, or shift, or whatever it is they think they're doing in the Democratic Party since the 1980s. The first Congressman I could vote for was DSA (the late, great Ron Dellums). The first Presidential race I was old enough to vote in was 1984, Jesse Jackson's first run, and I saw how the Democratic Party Inc. wields its control as the corporate general partner and actual decision-making body, with the Democratic political organization functioning like a "student government". I ended up precinct-walking for the pre-selected establishment candidate, Walter Mondale, pleading with residents of a Black working-class neighborhood in Oakland to vote for the "lesser evil" because "this is the most important election ever" etc., etc. And after the dust settled on all of that, I sat and had a think about the inevitable result of playing that same script over and over, election after election - and realized it led the opposite direction of good. And here we are. I hate being right. Everything DSA wins, they win on behalf of the Democratic Party, and that party takes the win; everything they lose, they lose on their own, and alone they suffer the losses. And everything DSA needs from the Democratic Party, they bring to it themselves; what the Democratic Party has to give, whatever they don't actively withhold or use to oppose them with, is not what they need or want. *Socialists need to build a socialist party* - a broad-based, multi-tendency party with an explicitly socialist platform based on the principle of workers' collective ownership and democratic management of the means of production, that recognizes that societal change comes from the activities of mass, grassroots movements and only gets ratified and codified as a result of those activities, and does _not_ get into the finer details that lead to a proliferation of tiny "vanguard" groups. Washington State does not have such a party on the ballot or, as far as I'm aware, in formation - but the building blocks are all there, on _both_ sides of the Cascades. California has such a party, but it's in trouble. The founding generation of the late 1960s has not been replaced, and is dying off. All but one of the socialist organizations that had participated have left, either because they are also dying or have closed up or been merged with, or because they simply aren't interested in building a multi-tendency party; they all think _they're_ The Party. And the one that remains seems to think that way too, as they haven't done anything to build it either, but only themselves. *A socialist party needs a large, capable membership organization* (at least one), that has a political perspective that wants to build a broad-based, multi-tendency socialist party-and-movement bigger and broader than itself. *DSA and my party are each other's missing piece.* And DSA would do well to borrow our format to build parties in other states, such as Washington, where the elements exist. Thank you for listening to my rant.

[@aristiide]

Seattle & Nantes twin cities 🫶

[@devinsilvernail]

Exactly! 🥰

[@odalissk]

Merci! Thank you for explaining that our lifestyle is due to socialism. Most americans I see moving to France actually are and never mention it.

[@amateur_adventurist]

capitalism and car addiction ruined US totally

[@berbersissi]

Common sense - yes exactly- the left parties are not perfect but they did a lot for France helping people to do better and succeed their lives especially if you come from working classes. I know that in America the word socialism is perceived as a bad word or even an insult but in France socialism is not negative. It is quite complex because France is still a capitalist country but with a strong social background.

[@Fabrice-pq8ks]

I live in Nantes and will leave it in the coming years for another country, on the basis of your description… odd… I considered USA 15 years ago but I gave up (too much violence and guns). It will be Greece. I’m happy you like to be there. All the best ! Enjoy, be happy !

[@huguesjouffrai9618]

It's not that simple. France has actually been almost constantly been governed by the center right (like the vast majority of developed countries). Also the median french person is quite poorer than the median US citizen: living in a smaller house and not in the fancy centre ville of a city like Nantes. Most french people are just as car dependent as americans... But cars and gas are much less affordable. Young french people can afford to live on their own much later in life. Social determinisme is stronger than in the US and upwards mobility is rarer. Not everything is so nice here when you dig into the stats. Overall the areas where France shines the most is mobility in big cities, healthcare and quality of food/food culture (which explains why fat people are rare while they're the norm in the US). The areas where the US is stronger compared to France are economic opportunities/possibility to really change your life through work and mentality (i really struggle with my fellow French people's cynicism and negative attitude)

[@devinsilvernail]

I can agree that Americans are much more optimistic than the French. This is real. The national government being controlled by the center-right is accurate too (much like America). However, the average wage and upward mobility is hard to compare. Take Nantes for example. Median wage is 40k€ per year but housing on average costs 1/3 of monthly wages. A yearly transport card costs 500€. School is free starting at 2.5 years and healthcare is free. Contrast this with Seattle. Median wage is $120k per year, however this is skewed by the relatively small number of high wage workers. Most renters pay over 50% of their wages in rent. Average rent is about $2000 per month, so expect to have a roommate if you earn a non-tech salary. Average health insurance costs range from $300-$500 a month. School is free starting at 5, but childcare before is $1500-$3000 a month, depending on the service so many families have either one parent leave their job, or they work 2 or more jobs to cover costs. The transport card is about $1200 a year if you want to use it at all hours of the day, but most people must drive due to lack of public transportation, spending $13000 per year on their average 1.5 cars per household. If you can't drive (like me), you're excluded from many jobs and spend more hours commuting to work. If you earn more than 30% of the area median income but less than the median, which most people do, you don't qualify for any government assistance. Even at 30%, you barely qualify for anything. The numbers are different at a national level, but the outcomes are the same. And if you want to go to university, expect to take out $40k to $120k in loans, which you must pay back with interest. The average American student loan repayment is $500 per month. Meanwhile, 63% of American workers don't earn enough money to cover a $500 (likely medical or car-related) emergency. All this to say that an American wage can seem bigger, but in reality there are a lot of people earning $30-40k per year - a similar wage to France, but without the social benefits, so many of those people never see their wages or living conditions rise. France isn't perfect and French people deserve things like a higher SMIC, lower retirement age, and other cost of living adjustments, but you don't want to be like America. We made a huge mistake by privatizing nearly everything and dismantling social services. The American way helps some (very rich) people tremendously, but it makes life harder for everyone else.

[@jedijake1734]

This is idealistic. If you have a job France needs yes it will be easy, if not, you will need french qualifications or no job and you will always be at the bottom of the list. Also you need to be totally fluent in french or no job ergo no Visa. I would strongly discourage any one moving to France and go to the Netherlands. French resident 12+ years...