Nantes prison (Loire-Atlantique)

The Nantes prison has two separate sites, with different addresses and visiting times. First check which unit your relative is in.

Is a relative detained at Nantes? Barssie Avocats visits clients in prison and appears before the investigating judge, the investigation appeals chamber and the sentence enforcement judge. +33 7 75 72 74 27, available 24/7. We speak English.

Overview

The prison includes a remand unit, which holds in particular people on remand, and a detention centre unit for convicted prisoners.

Address and access

Remand unit: rue de la Mainguais, Nantes
Detention centre unit: 68 boulevard Einstein, Nantes

Remand unit: bus 95 from Haluchères, Maison d’arrêt stop.
Detention centre: tram line 2, René Cassin stop, or bus 50.

Visiting a relative

1. The visiting permit

No visit is possible without a permit (permis de visite). For a person on remand (not yet finally convicted), the request is made to the judge in charge of the case; for a convicted person, to the prison governor. The documents to provide are listed in our guide to prisons in France.

2. Booking a visit

Book on +33 825 88 95 91, Monday to Thursday 9 am–12.30 pm and 1.30–4 pm.

Remand unit: Wednesday to Sunday, 8–11 am and 1–5 pm (not Thursday morning); one-hour visits, three per week.
Detention centre: Saturday, Sunday and public holidays; one visit per week.

3. Dropping off clothes

The prison explains how to drop off clothes when you book.

4. Getting support

The Prison Justice 44 association supports families. The Themis association offers childcare for children aged 3 to 12 during visits.

What a lawyer can do

The lawyer meets your relative in the lawyers’ visiting room, confidentially, without a visiting permit and without limits on frequency. Lawyers book their visits on +33 2 72 65 33 99.

Pre-trial detention: application for release, if necessary under judicial supervision or electronic tagging; appeal before the investigation appeals chamber; challenge to a refused visiting permit.
After conviction: sentence adjustment (electronic tagging at home, day release, parole), temporary leave.
During detention: assistance before the disciplinary board, challenge to a sanction, transfer or solitary confinement.
Foreign nationals: liaison with the family abroad and the consulate, transfer requests where possible.

The firm visits clients at Nantes. For an initial assessment of your relative’s situation: +33 7 75 72 74 27, 24/7, or contact@barssie-avocats.com.

Frequently asked questions

Do both sites have the same times? No: the remand unit receives visits Wednesday to Sunday, the detention centre at weekends and on public holidays.

How long is a visit in the remand unit? One hour, up to three times a week.

Is childcare available? Yes, the Themis association looks after children aged 3 to 12 during visits.

Practical information taken from the official page of the prison in October 2026. Times can change: check before you travel.

See also: all prisons · Bordeaux-Gradignan · Lille-Loos-Sequedin