REAL MAGIC: FAIRYTALE MACHINES IN NANTES
On the former shipyards of Nantes, Les Machines de l’Île is growing steadily every year.
The site looks like a fantastical steampunk zoo, filled with imaginary creatures.
We already knew the giant water spewing elephant from his visit to Antwerp in 2006, which made quite an impression at the time.
The place is inviting you to let your imagination go wild. It’s the poster child for a slogan like Make your dreams come true, or some other Instagram quote. I have a wild imagination, but not wild enough to believe that a dream like Les Machines de l’Île could ever be transformed into reality. Only a mad genius would start a project like this.
Or two mad geniuses. François Delarozière and Pierre Orefice are the nutty professors who started the industrial zoo in 2007. The Grand Éléphant was the first creature to roam the island, and more fantastical creatures have since been added: the sea creatures of the Carrousel des Mondes Marins (Seaworld Carousel), the herons in the Arbre aux Hérons (Herons’ Tree), and La Princesse (The Princess, a misleading name for a giant spider).
Every creature is beautifully made, and can move every part of its body. But what makes it almost unbelievable is their enormous size.
A few dimensions:
the carousel is 25 m (82 ft.) high and has a diameter of 22 m (72 ft.)
the elephant is 12 m (40 ft.) high, 21 m (69 ft.) long and 8 m (26 ft.) wide, and can hold up to 50 passengers
You also get a peek behind the scenes in their workshop, where you can see how other creations come to life. It reminds me of the story of Pinocchio, but bigger and better.
Les Machines de l’Île is a crazy mix of machines, a zoo, a laboratory, a theatre, Jules Vernes, Leonardo Da Vinci, fairytales and art. Trust me: you never get too old to visit this magical place.
Visit the website of Les Machines de l’île for more information.
