Ecole Centrale de Nantes
Centrale Nantes (traditionally “Ecole Centrale de Nantes”, or “ECN”) was founded in 1919 and stands among the top Higher Education & Research Institutions in France in Science, Technology & Engineering. ECN’s role is to train top level scientists and engineers in multidisciplinary and specific fields, and to deliver Bachelor, Master Degrees and PhDs.
International development is at the heart of the Centrale Nantes’s strategic policies: 42% of the campus population is international. ECN’s international policy extends to research & corporate projects: its research laboratories have strong connections with industry and enjoy a world reputation for excellence, especially in Naval Hydrodynamics, Civil Engineering, Composite & Advanced Materials, and Robotics. ECN is currently involved in European projects as coordinator or partner, and is an active member of international networks of excellence.
The Research Laboratory in Hydrodynamics, Energetics and Atmospheric Environment (LHEEA)
The Research Laboratory in Hydrodynamics, Energetics and Atmospheric Environment (LHEEA) at Centrale Nantes is a CNRS mixed research unit.
The LHEEA is tasked with both advancing theoretical knowledge and resolving concrete problems around four scientific themes:
- Ocean engineering,
- Marine and urban atmospheric flows,
- Thermodynamics of energy systems, and
- Hydrodynamics for Health.
The LHEEA tackles its research problems by implementing a combination of approaches: numerical simulation (development and use of modeling software, especially in Computational Fluid Dynamics-CFD), experiments at model scale (engine test benches, ocean and wave tanks, atmospheric wind tunnels) and in-situ experiments (SEM-REV, offshore sea test site).
Click here for more information about the LHEEA.
Check out the campus virtual tour here.
Check out our laboratory video content here.
Getting around
Nantes is the 6th largest city in France with a population of more than 300 000 people. Nantes is the economic and cultural capital of the west of France. It was elected European Capital of Innovation in 2019. For more information about the city, you can check out Nantes Tourist Office.
Nantes is very attractive for students, in fact more than 10% of the city’s population are students and 45% of the population is under 30 years old. People enjoy Nantes for the quality of life there, but also for job opportunities. Nantes is home to major industrial companies in aeronautics and shipmanufacturing and more than 100 start-ups are created in the city every year.
Finally, if you want to escape the urban environment, the city has a lot of parks and many Nantais & Nantaises enjoy walking along the river banks. If you are looking for a more ‘salty’ atmosphere, the ocean is just a 40 minute drive away! During your visit to Nantes, do not forget to ride our local pride: a wooden mechanical elephant.
Housing facilities
The international Relations Office will get in touch with you during your second semester of master 1 with an accommodation proposal. They guarantee a proposal for each incoming international student.
If you prefer to search for accommodation on your own, it is of course also possible.
Information about your options is available on this page.
