Les Machines de l'Île is an art and entertainment site in the former shipyards of the Île de Nantes, at Parc des Chantiers. Designers François Delarozière and Pierre Orefice build giant mechanical animals here, drawing on the novels of Jules Verne, who was born in Nantes, and the machines sketched by Leonardo da Vinci. The Grand Éléphant, 12 metres tall, walks along the Loire with passengers on its back. You can also ride the three-tiered marine carousel and enter the Galerie des Machines, where workshops show how the creatures are made.
From shipyards to mechanical menagerie
Les Machines de l'Île stands on the western side of the Île de Nantes, in the area of the old shipyards, now called Parc des Chantiers. The project was founded by François Delarozière and Pierre Orefice. It opened in 2007 and belongs to the effort to give the former industrial site a new life.
Three influences run through it. Jules Verne, author of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Journey to the Centre of the Earth, was born in Nantes. Leonardo da Vinci's mechanical drawings supply the engineering imagination. The third is the industrial history of the city itself. The machines are made of wood, steel, iron and leather, and their construction keeps alive skills once used in shipbuilding. The workshop that produces them occupies a former boiler-making factory.
In October 2007 the International Tourism Fair gave the project a special jury prize in the category of innovative tourism equipment.
The Grand Éléphant
The Grand Éléphant was the first machine and remains the best known. It is 12 metres tall, weighs about 48 tonnes and is built of wood and steel. A motor drives it, and it carries around fifty passengers on its back along the Loire riverside. Riders feel the vibration of each step. The elephant trumpets as it walks and sprays water from its trunk, so people standing nearby may get wet.
You do not need a ticket to see it. The elephant circles the esplanade outside the museum and can be watched from a distance at no charge. Riding it is a separate activity, and tickets are worth booking in advance.
The Carrousel des Mondes Marins
The second major work, opened in 2012, is the Carrousel des Mondes Marins. It rises about 25 metres over three levels and is populated by around 35 moving sea creatures, among them a giant squid and various fantastical fish. Visitors ride the creatures and some of the machines respond to passengers. It suits both children and adults, and its design draws on the underwater world of Verne's novels.
Galerie des Machines and the workshop
The Galerie des Machines is the working heart of the site, set in a former factory hall. Here the creatures are built and the current projects are on view. The collection includes a giant ant, a spider, a chameleon, a sloth and a heron with an eight-metre wingspan. Visitors can operate some of them, for example by moving the articulated spider or flying the mechanical heron. The gallery also brings Leonardo's engineering sketches into three-dimensional form, so adults find as much to do as children.
The Arbre aux Hérons is the third major work, announced for 2023. It is a climbable sculpture shaped like a vast tree, with ramps and stairways.
Around the site
The site has a playground, a restaurant and restrooms. The entrance, restrooms and parking are wheelchair accessible. Paid parking is available on site and in the street.
Nearby on the island, the former banana warehouse Hangar à Bananes now houses HAB, a contemporary art venue, and La Cantine du Voyage is an open-air cafe on the Quai des Antilles. The Buren Rings installation and the converted LU biscuit factory are also on the island.
Häufige Fragen
Is there an entry fee at Les Machines de l'Île?
Yes, activities are charged separately, and combo and family tickets are sold at reduced rates. The Pass Nantes includes the site except the elephant ride.
Can you see the Grand Éléphant without paying?
Yes. The elephant walks around the esplanade outside the museum, and you can watch it from a distance for free. Riding it needs a ticket.
How long do you need at Les Machines de l'Île?
Plan on several hours if you want the gallery, the carousel and the elephant. Allow extra time if the queue for the elephant or workshop is long.
Should you book tickets in advance?
Advance booking is recommended, especially for the elephant ride at weekends. Weekday visits are generally calmer.
Is Les Machines de l'Île suitable for children and wheelchair users?
Yes to both. Children can take the controls of some machines and there is a playground. The entrance, restrooms and parking lot are wheelchair accessible.
