Les Machines de l'Ile in Nantes

I was VEEEEEEEEEEEERY excited to meet the ELEPHANT!

A friend of mine showed me some pictures (like an year ago) and since then I knew it-I had to go to Nantes and see him...a creature made out of leather, metal, wood and ......12 m high! The elephant is only one part of the extraordinary project called "The machines of the island" /"Les Machines de l'Ile"!

The machines are born from the imaginations of Francois Delaroziere and Pierre Orefice. They represent a mix of the invented worlds of Jules Verne, the mechanical universe of Leonardo da Vinci, and the industrial history of Nantes, on this exceptional site of the former shipyards.

One can pay a visit to the gallery of the machines, where several pieces of art as well as the original drawings are welcoming the guests. Enthusiastic engineers are explaining and showing how each one works: from the reverse-propelling squid, the manta-ray, the lantern of the depths, etc., etc....

Another thing to do is to take an elephant ride along the river Loire...and enjoy how the elephant makes wet all the curious kids running in front of him.There are 2 floors on the back of the elephant and its impressive to see from inside how such a huge "animal" function...it even trumpets like a real one:-)