Quick facts
Nantes overview
Nantes (orange) and the other large cities of France
Nantes lies in Pays de la Loire in France at 47.22°N, 1.55°W, about 19 m above sea level. The local time zone is Europe/Paris (UTC+2); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Nice (342,669) and larger than Marne La Vallée (318,325). The largest city in France is Paris with 2,138,551 people; the capital, Paris, has 2,138,551.
The national capital, Paris, is about 342 km away; the nearest large city is Angers, 81 km from Nantes.
France as a whole has a live population of 66,776,264 (+0.1% a year) and ranks #23 of 238 countries — see the France population page for the full statistics and the France atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Nantes
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Angers Pays de la Loire | 81 km | 168,279 |
| Rennes Brittany | 100 km | 227,830 |
| Le Mans Pays de la Loire | 158 km | 144,515 |
| Tours Centre-Val de Loire | 171 km | 141,621 |
Largest cities in France
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ParisCapital | Île-de-France | 2,138,551 |
| 2 | Marseille | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 877,215 |
| 3 | Lyon | Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | 520,774 |
| 4 | Toulouse | Occitanie | 511,684 |
| 5 | Nice | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 342,669 |
| 6 | Nantes | Pays de la Loire | 325,070 |
| 7 | Marne La Vallée | Île-de-France | 318,325 |
| 8 | Strasbourg | Grand Est | 274,845 |
| 9 | Bordeaux | New Aquitaine | 265,328 |
| 10 | Montpellier | Occitanie | 248,252 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Nantes?
Nantes has about 325,070 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Nantes the capital of France?
No. The capital of France is Paris (2,138,551 people), about 342 km away. Nantes is the 6th largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Nantes compared with the rest of France?
Its 325,070 residents are 0.5% of the 66,776,264 people living in France today. Paris is larger with 2,138,551 people.
Where is Nantes?
In Pays de la Loire, France, at latitude 47.22 and longitude -1.55, 19 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Angers (81 km), Rennes (100 km), Le Mans (158 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Nantes Population 2026 — France. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/france/nantes/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/france/nantes/">Nantes Population 2026 — France</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.