Built in the 18th century, the Hôtel de Préfecture de la Loire-Atlantique sits in the heart of the town of Nantes, on Place Roger-Salengro. Listed as a Historic Monument, it is the work of the architect Jean-Baptiste Ceineray who was inspired by the royal architecture of the time.
Rectangular in shape, the Loire-Atlantique prefecture building is three times longer than it is wide, with only one floor above the ground floor. Designed according to the rules of neoclassical architecture, this symmetrical building reveals a portico with four Ionic columns in the center of each facade. Inside, the ground floor is distributed by a large vestibule with fleur-de-lys ceiling. A monumental double staircase with two balustraded ramps completes the ensemble and leads to the first floor with a decorated prosecutors' room and a courtroom with paneled walls.
