Les Machines de l'Île: Machines of the Isle of Nantes
Machines of the Isle of Nantes or Les Machines de l'Île de Nantes
are a set of gigantic mechanical animals designed by Francois
Delarozière and Pierre Orefice as an artistic, touristic and cultural
project based in Nantes, France. The project is a combination of the
‘invented worlds’ of Jules Verne, the mechanical universe of Leonardo da
Vinci and the industrial history of Nantes, all located on the site
where the shipyard activities of Nantes used to be. Les Machines
de l'Île features some remarkable machines like the Great Elephant, the
Marine Worlds and the Heron Tree. The star attraction is the 12 meter
tall mechanical elephant that can actually walk around the park taking
passengers on its back. It lumbers, stamps its feet, flaps its leathery
ears, trumpets vigorously and sprays water from its trunk soaking
whoever is on its way. From the inside, the passengers are able to see
the moving gears that power the legs. The elephant is actually a replica
of one that featured in The Sultan's Elephant, an unusual street show
that took place in London in 2006.
This Marine Worlds Carrousel is almost 25m high and 22m of diameter and features 35 moving underwater creatures on three levels: the ocean floor, the depths, and sea and boats. Visitors are able to move about amidst a ballet of aquatic animals and sea carriages, as well as climb aboard and guide the movements of the Machines.
The Heron tree is a steel structure of 45 meters in diameter and 28 meters in height, topped with two herons. Visitors can climb onto the back of the mechanical birds and “fly” over the hanging gardens of the tree.
There is also a Machines Gallery which is an exhibition that illustrates the background story of the machines, and a workshop where you can see the various trades at work.
This Marine Worlds Carrousel is almost 25m high and 22m of diameter and features 35 moving underwater creatures on three levels: the ocean floor, the depths, and sea and boats. Visitors are able to move about amidst a ballet of aquatic animals and sea carriages, as well as climb aboard and guide the movements of the Machines.
The Heron tree is a steel structure of 45 meters in diameter and 28 meters in height, topped with two herons. Visitors can climb onto the back of the mechanical birds and “fly” over the hanging gardens of the tree.
There is also a Machines Gallery which is an exhibition that illustrates the background story of the machines, and a workshop where you can see the various trades at work.