Les Machines de l'île

Les Machines de l'île is one of the most original attractions in France, a collection of giant mechanical creatures housed in the old shipyards on the Île de Nantes. The island, in the middle of the Loire, was for generations a place of industry, with shipyards that built vessels until the last of them closed in the late 1980s, leaving huge halls and an empty waterfront. Instead of demolishing the site, the city invited artists to bring it back to life, and the project that emerged, created by François Delarozière and Pierre Orefice, opened in 2007. Its inspiration comes from two sources: the imaginary machines of Jules Verne, who was born in Nantes in 1828, and the mechanical inventions of Leonardo da Vinci.

The star of the show is the Grand Éléphant, a mechanical elephant about twelve metres high and twenty-one metres long, built mostly of steel and wood. It walks slowly along the quay with a deep rumble, flapping its ears, swinging its trunk and spraying water, and it carries around fifty passengers on its back, who ride on a balcony and can watch the pilots at work. The machine moves with an uncanny, lifelike grace that fascinates both children and adults. Rides are popular and may need advance booking, particularly in summer, and the elephant is sometimes seen walking along the quayside even for those who do not ride.

Another major attraction is the Carrousel des Mondes Marins, a vast carousel with three levels devoted to the sea, which stands on the banks of the Loire, across the river from the Jules Verne Museum. Visitors ride on sea creatures that rise and fall, among them giant fish, crabs, squid and other imaginary animals of the deep, and the machine's moving parts can be seen from outside. The Galerie des Machines, in the former workshops, displays other creations and prototypes, and the engineers sometimes demonstrate how they work. In the workshops, visitors can watch the creation of new machines, which are made by craftsmen using traditional metalworking and woodworking skills.

The attraction is part of Le Voyage à Nantes, an urban art trail marked by a green line painted on the pavement that links sites around the city. Nearby sights include the Château des Ducs de Bretagne, the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul, the Place Royale, the Passage Pommeraye, a beautiful nineteenth-century shopping arcade, and the Musée d'Arts de Nantes. The Parc de Procé offers a green retreat, and the Bouffes Nantaises, a local sweet, can be bought in the town. The Île de Nantes is easily reached by tram.

Allow one to three hours. It suits families, curious visitors and anyone who likes unusual art. Check opening hours and the booking system for rides before you go.