Orvault is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France. It is the fourth-largest suburb of the city of Nantes, and is adjacent to it on the northwest.

Through its different dimensions – emotion, aesthetics, entertainment, openness to the world,- culture is necessary for us to better experience the present. In a municipality like ours, culture is also a tool for quality of life, permanent education and living well together.

Exhibitions

The Château de la Gobinière, Orvault exhibition space

Formerly the property of the Nantes industrialist, Joseph Vincent, then of two religious congregations, the Château de la Gobinière has been, since 1976, one of the jewels of our municipal heritage.
With five rooms with broken wooden floors, the ground floor of the castle hosts our exhibitions, the program of which aims to offer events attracting all audiences. Welcoming and mixing audiences – art lovers, schools, passing visitors, families – is one of our objectives.

Libraries

The city of Orvault offers a rich network of 2 Municipal libraries (Petit-Chantilly, Bugallière) and 1 media library (Ormédo).

Built heritage

Discover the unique character of the Bourg. Marked by its relief and its valleys, this former hamlet still bears the architectural characteristics of the Ancien Régime and the 19th century, as well as traces of its industrial past. Place de l’Eglise, Place Jeanne d’Arc and the Fabrique sector are considered to be real heritage sites. Outside the Bourg, buildings such as the Châteaux de la Tour and de la Gobinière, the Chapelle Notre Dame des Anges and other now private properties bear witness to Orvault’s prestigious past.

• City Hall
• Calvary of Bourg. Realized in 1877, under the strong impetus of the priest Jean Richeux, this ordeal has a small chapel crowned by a high balustraded platform accessible by two side staircases. At the top is an altar.
• Chapel of Our Lady of the Angels. The chapel is lit by eight windows: a large ogival bay at the top of the apse gable, on each of the two sides, three ogival windows and an eighth is located above the entrance door. In the apse window there is a large and very interesting stained-glass window depicting the seated Virgin, surrounded by groups of angels. It is Our Lady of the Angels surrounded by her celestial court.
• Chateau de la Gobinière. On the ground floor are the large living room, the music room and the dining room . The bedrooms are on the 1st floor . On the 2nd floor are the library and the servants’ rooms. As for the basement, it houses the kitchens and the dairy. Joseph Vincent died in 1886. His two sons Léon and Félix shared the property, but on the death of his brother , Félix became the sole owner of the castle which he transformed into a main residence .
• Laundry of Bourg. It accommodated 10 washerwomen. Each had its own location and came with its crate and beater. The wash house was regularly visited especially on Mondays by professional washers. Its use ended in 1961 with the establishment of the water service in the town. The restoration of the wash house, allowing the promotion of Orval’s heritage, contributed to the municipality obtaining the 2nd flower within the framework of the flower towns competition.
• Saint-Léger Church